NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Christine Lagarde: Interview with Le Monde

    Source: European Central Bank

    Interview with Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, conducted by Eric Albert, Philippe Escande and Béatrice Madeline on 28 October 2024

    31 October 2024

    In September, former ECB President Mario Draghi published an alarming report on how the European economy is falling behind. Do you agree with this assessment?

    Europe is falling behind. It’s true. And so is France. Mario Draghi’s report highlights the productivity gap, which is largely due to the tech sector. Tech players in Europe and the United States believe that the gap first emerged during the digital revolution that began in the mid-1990s.

    The question now is whether the boost that the United States got from the mid-1990s will continue with artificial intelligence, the accumulation of data centres and the exploitation of these data. This is the key issue. In Europe we need to roll up our sleeves and make an effort to keep those companies that start out here and then develop themselves elsewhere. We need to try to make them stay.

    So what is the solution? Do you think the gap will remain?

    We need to look at why Europe is falling behind. The energy component is key, especially as regards data centres. Labour is also important, with mobility being much greater in the United States. And regulation is a crucial issue, too. In overly simple terms, the United States is developing AI very quickly, and already has a number of major players. In the meantime, not only is Europe lacking such big players, but it has also become a pioneer in AI regulation. This causes players in this sector to say “OK, let’s do this elsewhere. It’ll be easier and we’ll have fewer obstacles and fewer restrictions”.

    What about the public funding provided to businesses in the United States?

    The fourth factor that is contributing to Europe falling behind is the “light” industrial policy pursued by the United States. It’s not light in terms of money because the Inflation Reduction Act of August 2022 is very large, but there are relatively few criteria to qualify for funding to start a company on US soil. When I ask manufacturers, they pretty much all agree that in Europe, the process is complicated and unwieldy. And on top of the multi-layered European system, you then have those of the Member States.

    The final factor is private funding. In the United States there are pension fund plans and other financial instruments that make it possible to channel savings and get savers (employees or retirees) interested in the future of the economy or the evolution of the stock market. In many European countries, these plans are still a long way off of those mechanisms, especially share participation and company profit sharing. Hence the need to develop a capital markets union.

    But we have been talking about this project for the past 15 years. And when Mario Draghi’s report was published, Germany immediately opposed common borrowing. Is Europe really capable of reacting?

    You’re right. We have been talking about a capital markets union since the time of Jean-Claude Juncker (President of the European Commission from 2014 to 2019), and little progress has been made. The Letta and Draghi reports are a wake-up call for Europeans, a warning. The assessment is severe but fair and provides specific recommendations. It suggests that all Europeans should gear up and be ready to give up a bit of sovereignty to ‘combine the best,’ to paraphrase what Paul Valéry once said. But what gives me hope is the engagement of all European institutions on the capital markets union. The ECB’s Governing Council is firmly engaged as well. We must use this momentum.

    In 2020, the plan for a collective European loan of €750 billion was a major step forward. Four years later, less than half of the loan has been allocated. Should we see this as another example of European slowness?

    We had exactly the same problem during the Greek crisis. The administrations of the different countries are not always able to quickly manage the incoming funds. The finance ministers of countries receiving a lot of funds tell you that they have of course identified what bridge or railway line should be constructed, but that they need to obtain local authorisations as well as permissions to expropriate property, and that environmental organisations are taking court actions. All of this takes a lot of time.

    In this context, what consequences could the US elections on Tuesday 5 November have for Europe?

    I do not want to give an opinion on any particular candidate. But US international trade policy will of course have an impact on economic activity in the rest of the world, and primarily on China. Whoever wins, if trade fragmentation worsens, the effect on global GDP will be negative, with losses reaching 9% in a severe scenario of full decoupling according to ECB simulations. But remember: when Joe Biden was elected, everyone thought that he would remove the customs barriers erected by his predecessor (Donald Trump). Nothing came of that.

    Between China, which is withdrawing towards Asia, and the United States, which is closing up again, isn’t Europe, as a partner to both powers, the big loser?

    That’s why we need to act and roll up our sleeves. Will Europe need to undergo another crisis for it to bring about reforms? It’s always in times of crisis that we are able to make things happen. That may be why Mario Draghi speaks of “agony”, it’s a way of saying “the crisis is here, now, do something!”.

    There is talk of a European decoupling. But isn’t there a French decoupling within Europe?

    If you compare today’s GDP figures with those of 2019, the United States has grown by 10.7%, the European average by 4.8% and France by 3.7%. France is lagging behind the European average.

    What is your view of the surge in the French deficit?

    The prospect of returning in line with European standards by applying European fiscal rules should serve as a binding guideline.

    And are the French promises to restore public finances credible?

    As I said, applying European fiscal rules should serve as a binding guideline.

    Will we be heading towards a recession in Europe in 2025?

    Based on the information now available and our current assessment, we don’t see a recession in 2024, nor in 2025, nor in 2026.

    What will drive this growth, given the weakness in demand?

    The two levers are exports and domestic demand, which is set to pick up. Today, with wages rising and inflation falling, disposable income is increasing. For the moment, this benefits savings more than consumption. But we are convinced, and economic history shows us, that this additional disposable income will ultimately flow towards consumption.

    How do you explain the fact that it is proving so difficult for consumption to recover?

    We can indeed ask why households are choosing to save their money instead of spending it. It could be that people are reluctant to make major purchases owing to geopolitical uncertainty. A second explanation could be related to the return on their savings, which is still fairly high in the euro area. A third could be that people are deciding it’s better to save rather than spend when they expect their taxes or other contributions to go up.

    Euro area inflation was at 1.7% in September, below your 2% target. Is it now under control?

    The target is in sight but I’m not going to tell you that inflation is defeated yet. Inflation stood at 1.7% in September. Excluding energy and food, it was still at 2.7%. We are pleased about the 1.7% figure, but we also know that inflation is going to rise again in the coming months simply because of base effects. In September energy prices were 6.1% lower than a year earlier, bringing down the cost of the consumption basket. Besides, inflation in the services sector – which is highly dependent on wages – is still at 3.9%. So, prudence is warranted.

    How do you respond to those who say the ECB was too late in reacting to the rise in inflation?

    I tell them we should look at the facts. Don’t forget that inflation was at 10.6% two years ago. It has fallen back to 1.7%. Perhaps we could have started a few months earlier. But we raised rates at the fastest pace ever and we managed to bring down inflation considerably in a short period of time. I now want to see inflation reach the 2% target on a sustained and durable basis. Unless there is a major shock, this will happen during the course of 2025.

    And what do you say to those who now accuse you of cutting rates too late and not quickly enough?

    The pace at which interest rates are cut will be determined by the economic data we receive in the coming weeks and months – based on our updated assessment of the inflation outlook, the dynamics of underlying inflation and the strength of monetary policy transmission. And to revitalise growth, urgent action is needed in the area of structural reforms.

    The spread between France and Germany has increased from 0.5% to 0.8% since the French National Assembly was dissolved. The ECB has an instrument that it can use to intervene and calm the markets. Are you ready to use it?

    We have clearly outlined the conditions under which we will use this instrument. And that is not an issue today.

    A number of emerging countries brought together by the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) are thinking about a payments system to circumvent the dollar. Is dedollarisation happening?

    That would require another country to be able to take on the role of reserve currency. China is preparing for that, but it isn’t ready yet. I won’t see the renminbi take the place of the dollar in my lifetime.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Five Western N.C. State Parks to Reopen Nov. 1, Eight Parks to Remain Closed

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Five Western N.C. State Parks to Reopen Nov. 1, Eight Parks to Remain Closed

    Five Western N.C. State Parks to Reopen Nov. 1, Eight Parks to Remain Closed
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    Crowders Mountain, Gorges, Grandfather Mountain and Lake Norman state parks, as well as Rendezvous Mountain, will reopen at least partially on Nov. 1, the Division of Parks and Recreation announced. These parks were temporarily closed through October after impacts from Hurricane Helene.

    The following areas are open at each park:

        • Crowders Mountain — trails and day-use will reopen, all camping will remain closed through November

        • Gorges — Grassy Ridge Access (visitor center, trails to Rainbow and Upper Bearwallow Falls, RV/trailer/tent camping and cabins) will reopen; the backcountry area (Frozen Creek Access, including Auger Hole and Canebrake trails and backcountry campsites) will remain closed

        • Grandfather Mountain — most trails and campsites will reopen; Profile Trail, Profile Connector Trail, and Profile Campsite will remain closed

        • Lake Norman — day-use and tent/trailer/RV and group campsites will reopen; some sections of mountain bike trail may be closed; cabins remain closed to new reservations; existing reservations are being honored

        • Rendezvous Mountain — all areas

    The following parks remain closed entirely: Chimney Rock, Elk Knob, Lake James, Mount Mitchell, New River, South Mountains, and Stone Mountain state parks, as well as Mount Jefferson State Natural Area.

    “We are very excited to be able to reopen these parks, and we hope to open additional facilities in November,” said State Parks Director Brian Strong. “We know our visitors have been missing our closed parks, and we hope these reopenings will help our neighbors, local towns, and communities.”

    The division continues to assist with emergency and rescue efforts in western North Carolina. To date, over 150 division staff have been deployed with the North Carolina Emergency Operations Center as well as to assist with Incident Management Teams and with cleanup projects at western state parks.

    “Our priority first and foremost is visitor and staff safety,” Strong said. “There are areas that will be marked closed due to hazardous trees and branches with a high likelihood of falling as well as unsteady bridges and washed-out trails. We ask that visitors follow signage and do not attempt to access areas that have been closed off.”

    Some of the remaining closed parks may reopen partially in November, depending on progress with cleanup and hazard mitigation. Chimney Rock, Mount Mitchell, and South Mountains will be undergoing extended closure. Reservations for campsites anticipated to be closed have been refunded in full.

    About North Carolina State Parks
    North Carolina State Parks manages more than 262,000 acres of iconic landscape within North Carolina’s state parks, state recreation areas and state natural areas. It administers the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, including its local grants program, as well as a state trails program, North Carolina Natural and Scenic Rivers and more, all with a mission dedicated to conservation, recreation and education. The state parks system welcomes more than 19 million visitors annually.
    About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
    The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
    The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
    Oct 31, 2024

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: UConn Receives $500,000 from Travelers to Support Housing Stipends for UConn Hartford Students

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    The UConn Foundation today announced that it will receive $500,000 from Travelers spread over the next five years to help cover the cost of room and board for qualified UConn students at the new, 200-bed residence hall on Pratt Street in Hartford.

    This marks a pivotal moment for the UConn Hartford campus, which will offer student housing for the first time when the apartment-style units open in fall 2026. The project involves transforming a former law office into a vibrant, residential community, part of the university’s broader strategy to elevate student education and experiences.

    “Thanks to this generous gift from Travelers, more students will have access to our new residence hall, which will have a transformative impact on their education and lives,” says Mark Overmyer-Velázquez, campus dean and chief administrative officer at UConn Hartford. “The residence hall will serve as a catalyst for learning as well as connecting students to the rich historical, cultural, political, and business resources of our capital city.”

    In a 2023 survey, about 70% of UConn Hartford undergraduates expressed interest in nearby student housing. Many students noted that affordability is crucial, given that most currently reside with parents.

    The new housing initiative aligns with UConn’s vision, alongside state and local leaders, to establish Hartford as a “college town” where students play an integral role in the city’s cultural landscape.

    “Our relationship with UConn spans decades, and we are proud to be a part of the university’s efforts in expanding its presence in downtown Hartford,” says Andy Bessette, executive vice president and chief administrative officer for Travelers. “UConn’s dedication to excellence in education is why it was one of our inaugural partners when we started our school-to-career pipeline program, Travelers EDGE, 17 years ago. Together, we are helping to build a brighter future for our city and state.”

    Travelers EDGE, a program that aims to give students increased access to higher education and career preparation, has supported 133 UConn scholars since its inception, with 93 interning at Travelers and 35 graduates accepting full-time jobs at the company.

    “We are thrilled that Travelers is making this transformational investment in UConn, our students, and the city of Hartford through this $500,000 donation,” says Nathan Fuerst, UConn’s vice president for student life and enrollment.

    “This visionary gift ensures the success of UConn’s expanded footprint in Hartford and helps alleviate the financial barriers facing many students who choose to live downtown. It also brings more scholars to downtown, where many will stay and establish deep roots,” Fuerst says.

    The new residence hall is one of many initiatives UConn has underway to deepen its ties with the capital city. The University recently opened its new Community Intersections & Innovation Space for research and academic use near the XL Center and is opening a café for students next fall in the Hartford Times main campus building.

    The UConn Foundation also recently launched the Hartford Residential Scholars Enhancement Fund to raise additional funds to support qualifying UConn Hartford students. Find more information about supporting the Hartford Residential Scholars Enhancement Fund [here].

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ‘It’s Alive!’ (and Guilty?): Student Considers Whether Frankenstein’s Monster Could Be Held Liable in Court of Law

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    For 10 weeks this summer, Gianna Socci worked hard for a sole purpose.

    As if her gift was the plunder of information from the stacks of libraries in southwestern Connecticut, piece by piece she stitched together thoughts, contentions, and beliefs, her own cheeks pale with study, as she infused life into the inanimate body that’s become her very own creation.

    “I’d never taken on a beast this size before,” Socci ’25 (CLAS) says. “I would get very stressed out that I wasn’t going to be able to finish this. I wasn’t going to be able to write something that made sense. I wasn’t going to be able to bring this all together and I feared I bit off more than I could chew.”

    Clinging to the hope the next day or the next would bring success, Socci labored to coax to life the 62 pages that have become her greatest academic triumph to date: “Monstrosity on Trial: Claiming Legal Personhood for Frankenstein’s Monster.”

    This is a project Socci conceived nearly two years ago, when as a sophomore she sought to convert her Introduction to Literary Studies course into an honors credit, which requires a larger research project, namely a more in-depth look at one of the books read that semester.

    “I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body. For this I had deprived myself of rest and health.” – Victor Frankenstein in describing his work in Mary Shelley’s novel “Frankenstein”

    As an English and political science double major who expects one day to take up the study of law, Socci heeded the advice of associate professor Dwight Codr and looked at Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel “Frankenstein” through a legal lens.

    What started as an honors conversion paper became a much larger Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (SURF) grant proposal, replete with a reading plan of an admittedly ambitious 37 works, including dense legal case studies, she says. The funding allowed her the space in June, July, and August to focus on her work, without worrying about money.

    “Research in the humanities is very rare to begin with,” she says, “and I don’t think a lot of people understand what it entails. When you’re a STEM major, you can lay out lab steps, you can show people graphs, diagrams, and lab methods. It’s very quantitative, whereas humanities research is reading, taking notes, thinking, and writing.”

    It’s nonetheless important, she argues.

    Not the Frankenstein you might imagine

    One of the first things Socci says she was shocked to learn when reading “Frankenstein” the first time two years ago was that the character of Frankenstein, contrary to popular belief, is not the monster depicted in the story.

    Gianna Socci ’25 (CLAS) (Contributed photo)

    Victor Frankenstein is the young doctor who brings to life an 8-foot-tall monster – born of inanimate body parts he stole from graves and mortuaries. Most contemporary depictions of Frankenstein wrongly show him as the flat-headed, green, almost zombie-like monster with bolts in his neck.

    That is, in fact, Frankenstein’s “creature,” who in Shelley’s book is never given a name, referred to only by such descriptors as “devil,” “thing,” and “ogre.”

    “The other thing that struck me – and this might just be my poli-sci brain at work – was that she included three legal proceedings in the novel, three specific examples of courtroom trials, and that’s not something that’s talked about. You typically think of ‘Frankenstein’ as a very science-fiction text,” Socci says.

    Those trials, in which the defendants aren’t in fact guilty of the crimes they’re accused, got Socci thinking about how the law weaves itself through the novel and found herself wondering: What if Frankenstein’s monster was granted legal personhood and able to stand trial for his wrongdoings?

    Before she could answer, she needed to tackle the idea of what it means to be a legal person and how that idea has been used over time. She turned to legal theory, philosophy, history, and Shelley’s text for answers.

    “Legal personhood is a status, which means someone has rights and privileges but can also be held responsible for their actions,” she explains. “It’s twofold and it’s been expanded and contracted over time to include and exclude so many different things and people.

    “Slaves had a very limited form of personhood. Women had a very limited form of personhood. Animals at one time were granted legal personhood and could be put on trial, which is completely absurd,” she continues. “The law is flexible and almost subject to the politics of the time. That reminded me, as a citizen, as a woman in contemporary times, the importance of paying attention to that.”

    “My cheek had grown pale with study, and my person had become emaciated with confinement. Sometimes, on the very brink of certainty, I failed; yet still I clung to the hope which the next day or the next hour might realise.” – Victor Frankenstein in describing his work in Mary Shelley’s novel “Frankenstein”

    Things like cognition and competency are used in helping distinguish personhood, even intent and mental capacity. And when Socci looked to the novel for these characteristics as they relate to the monster, her conclusion was clear.

    “He is a completely cognizant being who acted with intent,” she says. “He was very aware of what he was doing. He could express himself. He was extremely human in every way but his physical appearance. Violence is never the answer, and his reasoning for violence is flawed, but it’s reasoning, nonetheless. He’s angry, and he’s acting in a very methodical way. He is totally eligible to stand trial.”

    ‘Abstractions rule our lives’

    Socci says that at the outset of her research, when telling people how she was spending her summer, she started to wonder why she was even bothering. Arguing about whether Frankenstein’s monster could be held criminally liable for his actions is an exercise in the abstract.

    Except it is relevant, she was reminded.

    In an interview with an Australian professor who’d written about personhood, she asked why any of this mattered.

    “He said abstractions rule our lives. These legal definitions, these philosophical foundations are what govern our whole being,” she says. “We don’t really think of ourselves in legal terms that often, so it can seem unimportant. But it’s how we have the right to vote. It’s how we have the right to express ourselves. It’s how we’re seen by the government.”

    Suddenly, what once was hypothetical was much more concrete.

    The European Union this year adopted the AI Act, Socci notes, which, in part, rates various artificial intelligence technologies on their risk level – high-risk AI is more autonomous and can operate with minimal human intervention, for example. The AI Act seeks to regulate high-risk artificial intelligence.

    Consider Hollywood movies like “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” in which the artificial life form, Ultron, seeks to destroy. Technology advances rapidly and might not be that far off from the movies.

    “If an AI is a sentient being and it decides to act out on its own will and is harming someone, we’re going to have to start thinking about liability,” Socci says. “My theory holds the monster accountable and therefore would hold the AI accountable. Then, if you can hold the AI accountable, shouldn’t they also have rights and be able to vote if we’re talking about the dual edge of legal personhood.”

    Illustration from Frankenstein (Adobe stock)

    Socci surmises that humans will be unlikely to put robots and technology on the same level as themselves, but that conversation may very well need to be had, which means the hypothetical turns real.

    In the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision that gave corporations the right to make political donations, the reasoning, Socci says, is that businesses have a right to free speech, in this case through their dollar, and that can’t be infringed upon.

    “Legal personhood is not the reason for that decision, but if you go through the legal text, the chief justice uses very personifying language when talking about corporations, saying they can bring a good perspective into the democratic dialogue. And suddenly, corporations can talk like people. This tendency to personify the inanimate is where we see legal personhood bleeding into our contemporary scheme,” she says.

    A story about injustice

    In a planned career as a lawyer, Socci says she’ll take many of the things she’s learned from this project and apply them to work with abused and neglected children, who oftentimes need an advocate to protect their rights.

    And in a way, children are a little like the monster – seeking to belong, looking to be molded, hungry for learning. Victor Frankenstein’s rejection of the monster, in the same way a parent might reject a child, results in lifelong ramifications.

    “You might feel sad for the monster because all he really wants is to be part of the human community,” Socci says. “There’s a whole segment of the book in which he is watching the DeLacey family from far away in his hovel. He realizes they’re poor, so he starts leaving food on their steps. He shovels their driveway. He helps them out despite the fact he’s been rejected by his creator.”

    Socci says that while there are dozens of ways one could analyze the story, for her, “Frankenstein” boils down to a tale of injustice.

    “We hear the word ‘monster,’ and we think ‘beast.’ We’re scared. Something’s uncivilized. Something is rowdy. Something is dangerous. But the monster, in the beginning, is anything but that,” she says. “He’s a very rational individual who just wants to be close to someone. I think Shelley is asking us to think about the definitions we’ve applied to others.”

    And that interpretation may become part three of “Monstrosity on Trial” – the honors conversion project turned SURF grant award, yet-to-become English honors thesis.

    “I don’t think there’s going to be another time in my life, unless I become an author, when I’ll have dedicated hours for researching and writing, not worrying about the income I’m missing out on,” Socci says of the SURF grant. “It was honestly a privilege to have this experience.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken holds a joint press availability – 1:30 PM

    Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

    Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken holds a joint press availability with Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, Republic of Korea Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul, and Republic of Korea Minister of Defense Kim Yong-hyun at the Department of State, on October 31, 2024.

    ———-
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/StateDept
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/statedept
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    Subscribe to the State Department Blog: https://www.state.gov/blogs
    Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
    Subscribe to The Week at State e-newsletter: http://ow.ly/diiN30ro7Cw

    State Department website: https://www.state.gov/
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    White House website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/
    Terms of Use: https://state.gov/tou

    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7TySBmLgZo

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Home on the Artillery Range! | U.S. Army

    Source: US Army (video statements)

    About the U.S. Army:

    The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force.

    Interested in joining the U.S. Army?
    Visit: spr.ly/6001igl5L

    Connect with the U.S. Army online:
    Web: https://www.army.mil

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USarmy/
    X: https://www.twitter.com/USArmy
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usarmy/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-army
    #USArmy #Soldiers #Military #Shorts #SuperGarudaShield #Artillery

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSML3QhZypA

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Personal Income and Outlays, September 2024

    Source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis

    Personal income increased $71.6 billion (0.3 percent at a monthly rate) in September. Disposable personal income (DPI)-personal income less personal current taxes-increased $57.4 billion (0.3 percent). Personal outlays-the sum of personal consumption expenditures (PCE), personal interest payments, and personal current transfer payments-increased $106.3 billion (0.5 percent) and consumer spending increased $105.8 billion (0.5 percent). Personal saving was $1.00 trillion and the personal saving rate-personal saving as a percentage of disposable personal income-was 4.6 percent in September. Full Text

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NIH study demonstrates long-term benefits of weight-loss surgery in young people

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 2

    Media Advisory

    Thursday, October 31, 2024

    Adolescents see a greater remission of type 2 diabetes compared to adults.

    What

    Young people with severe obesity who underwent weight-loss surgery at age 19 or younger continued to see sustained weight loss and resolution of common obesity-related comorbidities 10 years later, according to results from a large clinical study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

    Study participants with an average age of 17 underwent gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy weight-loss surgery. After 10 years, participants sustained an average of 20% reduction in body mass index (BMI), 55% reduction of type 2 diabetes, 57% reduction of hypertension, and 54% reduction of abnormal cholesterol. Both gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy had similar results.

    The 55% reduction in type 2 diabetes was much higher than the rates observed in adults after weight-loss surgery (18% at seven years and 12.7% at 12 years) in a recently published NIH-funded study.

    Type 2 diabetes tends to progress more rapidly when it occurs in young people, and these findings demonstrate the greater health benefits and durability of bariatric surgery in youth than would be expected in similarly treated adults.

    The study, known as Teen Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (Teen LABS), was supported by NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) through grants DK072493, DK072493, DK095710 and NIH’s National Center for Research Resources and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences Clinical and Translational Science Awards Program grants TR000077 and TR000114.

    Data related to these findings are available for request at the NIDDK Central Repository.

    Who

    Voula Osganian, M.D., a pediatric clinical obesity program director at NIDDK is available to comment on this research.

    Reference

    Ryder, Justin et al., Ten-year Outcomes Following Adolescent Bariatric Surgery, [2024] New England Journal of Medicine. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc2404054

    The NIDDK, part of the NIH, conducts and supports research on diabetes and other endocrine and metabolic diseases; digestive diseases, nutrition and obesity; and kidney, urologic and hematologic diseases. Spanning the full spectrum of medicine and afflicting people of all ages and ethnic groups, these diseases encompass some of the most common, severe and disabling conditions affecting Americans. For more information about the NIDDK and its programs, see https://www.niddk.nih.gov.

    About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

    NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Secretary Blinken meets with Republic of Korea Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul – 2:15 PM

    Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

    Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken meets with Republic of Korea Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul at the Department of State, on October 31, 2024.

    ———-
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
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    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKQwyU9wrf8

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: How a House Becomes Legally Haunted: Stambovsky v. Ackley, The “Ghostbuster” Ruling

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    The following is a guest post by Mary-Claire Sarafianos, a former intern with the Digital Resources Division of the Law Library of Congress. She is a second-year Ph.D. student in English at the University of Missouri. She studies silence and structure, both as problems in archives and as features of 19th-century American women’s writing.

    In the village of Nyack, New York, an 18-room Victorian estate perches on the edge of the road, looming big and blue above the Hudson River. Local legend proclaimed that the house was haunted. Many a ghost story had been told about this home–a Navy lieutenant from the American Revolution lurking around the basement, an invisible force shaking beds, and a spirit floating and rocking in the middle of the living room. The house and the various spectral presences within it were well-known by the local people of Nyack, but these stories have gone beyond local legend–unlike any other house in American history, 1 La Veta Place was declared, as a matter of law, haunted.

    But before the house’s ghosts became a matter of legal record, 1 La Veta Place was considered haunted by locals. The house was even “included in a five-home walking tour of Nyack and described in a November 27th newspaper article as ‘a riverfront Victorian (with ghost).’” (Stambovsky v. Ackley, 169 A.D.2d 254, 256 (N.Y. App. Div. 1991.) During her time living at 1 La Veta Place, Helen Ackley not only spoke publicly about the ghosts, she wrote about them on both a local and national level. Ackley wrote a story detailing her house’s various phantasmal residents in a local newspaper in 1982, in addition to an article she wrote for Reader’s Digest in 1977 that described the ghosts and their relationship to the human inhabitants of the home. (Stambovsky at 256.) Apparently, the ghosts at 1 La Veta Place were an odd but friendly group of phantoms, but when the house went up for sale, these ghost stories were confronted with the looming figure of the law, leading to the case of Stambovsky v. Ackley, or what is colloquially known as “The Ghostbuster Ruling.”

    When Ackley put the home up for sale, she hired Ellis Realty, who would become her co-defendant in the ensuing legal trouble. Jeffrey Stambovsky, a New York City resident who was unfamiliar with the Nyack folklore and the reputation of the Ackley home, made an offer on the home for $650,000. (Stambovsky at 256.) But some time between making the down payment and closing on the house, Stambovsky discovered the reputation of 1 La Veta Place. According to the majority opinion, when Stambovsky discovered that he was purchasing an allegedly haunted house, he “sought to rescind the $650,000 contract of sale and obtain return of his $32,500 down payment without resort to litigation.” (Stambovsky at 261.) When this did not work, Stambovsky brought his complaint to court and requested not only to cancel the contract to purchase the home but also to request damages for fraudulent misrepresentation by Ackley and her real estate broker, Ellis Realty. (Stambovsky at 256.) And just like that, the house became less of a local legend and more of a legal entanglement.

    [“Spirit” photograph, supposedly taken during a seance, actually a double exposure or composite of superimposed cut-outs, showing woman with portraits of men and women around her head]. Fallis, S. W. 1901. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/ppmsca.40857/.

    Stambovsky’s initial complaint was dismissed by the New York County Supreme Court. The court’s decision was influenced by the fact that New York followed the common law doctrine of caveat emptor, meaning “let the buyer beware” in Latin. The doctrine of caveat emptor “places the burden on buyers to reasonably examine property before making a purchase. A buyer who fails to meet this burden is unable to recover for defects in the product that would have been discovered had this burden been met.” Under this doctrine, sellers are not obligated to disclose information to potential buyers and, according to this doctrine, the supposed hauntings of the Ackley home were Stambovsky’s burden to uncover before making an offer on the house. Consequently, the New York County Supreme Court concluded that Stambovsky would neither receive his down payment nor damages, as there was no fraudulent misrepresentation at play. (Stambovsky at 256.) However, Stambovsky persisted and appealed the court’s decision.

    The appeals court found that caveat emptor did not apply to Stambovsky’s case. As the majority opinion states, “[a]pplying the strict rule of caveat emptor to a contract involving a house possessed by poltergeists conjures up visions of a psychic or medium routinely accompanying the structural engineer and Terminix man on an inspection of every home subject to a contract of sale.” (Stambovsky at 257.) The appeals court allowed Stambovsky to seek rescission of the contract for sale of the home. (Stambovsky at 260-261.) What the case affirms is not that ghosts exist in a legal sense, but that if the house can be considered haunted enough to merit being a stop on a tour of haunted houses and be the subject of an article in Reader’s Digest, then that spooky reputation must be disclosed to potential buyers.

    This verdict presents both sellers and buyers of real estate with complicated questions about the reputations and histories of property and, though not everyone believes in ghosts, houses are often haunted by the crimes, tragedies, and misfortunes that have happened within their walls. Such houses are considered stigmatized properties, which are properties that have been “psychologically impacted by an event which occurred, or was suspected to have occurred, on the property, such an event being one that has no physical impact of any kind.” Whether there is a reputation for ghosts, crime, or misfortune, the public perception of stigmatized property can make it difficult to sell, regardless of the quality of the land or structure. In the case of Stambovsky v. Ackley, the stigmatized nature of the property could actually attract buyers; 1 La Veta Place drew the attention of The Amazing Kreskin, a mentalist who wanted to buy the house, despite its haunted reputation.

    The ghost. Melander & Bro. 1874. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/stereo.1s42592/?loclr=bloglaw.

    The legal responsibilities of both sellers and buyers of stigmatized property vary from state to state. In New York today, deaths, crimes, or stigmatizing features of a property are not required to be disclosed to a seller, but the buyer may inquire as to any of these concerns and the seller may “choose whether or not to respond to the inquiry.” Pennsylvania law has upheld similar requirements, particularly in the case of Milliken v. Jacono, which concluded that “psychological damage to a property cannot be considered a material defect in the property which must be revealed by the seller to the buyer.” (Milliken v. Jacono, 60 A.3d 133, 138 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2012).) While many states follow New York and Pennsylvania, other states require that sellers disclose to buyers whether certain violent crimes were committed on a property. In Alaska, if a licensee knows that a murder or suicide occurred on the property within the last year, they are obligated to disclose this information to the buyer before an offer is made or accepted. In South Dakota, a similar law is in place that requires a property disclosure statement that includes the question: “Since you have owned the property, are you aware of a human death by homicide or suicide occurring on the property?”

    Some states have no requirements or laws on the books that indicate whether a property’s tragic or torrid history needs to be disclosed to the buyer, but certainly no other states have put their caveat emptor doctrines to the test against ghosts in the way that New York has. In the interest of ending on a slightly more humorous note, I turn again to the majority opinion of Stambovsky v. Ackley, which brought a level of humor to the conclusions of the case that have earned it the nickname “The Ghostbusters Ruling.” The majority opinion references the movie Ghostbusters by name and uses even more ghostly puns than I have employed throughout this blog post. (Stambovsky at 257.) The humor of the majority opinion even weaves its way into the logic of the case where the judge states that “if the language of the contract is to be construed as broadly as defendant urges to encompass the presence of poltergeists in the house, it cannot be said that she has delivered the premises ‘vacant’ in accordance with her obligation under the provisions of the contract rider.” (Stambovsky at 260.) In keeping with the humor of the court opinion, this case remains a spot of humor in contract law curricula across the country. Stambovsky v. Ackley and cases like it continue to spark conversation and legislation around caveat emptor and stigmatized property.

    If you are interested in learning about how English law handles the disclosure of hauntings, see the previous In Custodia Legis post, “

    Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Murphy Administration Announces Approval of Triennium 2 Energy Efficiency Programs

    Source: US State of New Jersey

    TRENTON – The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) today announced the approval of Triennium 2 (T2) energy efficiency programs proposed by the state’s seven electric and gas utilities. In the process of supporting building decarbonization and energy conservation, these programs will prioritize low-income customers who shoulder disproportionately high energy burdens.

    “Today’s approval of the Triennium 2 energy efficiency programs marks a major milestone in our progress toward achieving the goals set out in Governor Murphy’s Energy Master Plan, which is paving the way for a healthier, more sustainable Garden State,” said NJBPU President Christine Guhl-Sadovy. “By bolstering New Jersey’s ongoing building decarbonization efforts and the NJBPU’s robust array of energy efficiency initiatives, the T2 programs will further boost long-term cost and energy savings for New Jersey customers.”

    “These ambitious programs are the largest single step by New Jersey to achieve Governor Murphy’s ambitious goal in EO 316 to electrify 400,000 residential and 20,000 commercial units by 2030,” said Eric Miller, Executive Director of the Office of Climate Action and the Green Economy. “The steps taken today by the BPU will grow our clean energy workforce, lower bills for participating customers, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

    Triennium 2 is the second cycle of the State’s multi-year utility-run energy efficiency programs. Established by the Clean Energy Act of 2018, natural gas utilities must achieve energy savings of 0.75% and electric utilities must achieve energy savings of 2% of the average annual usage in the prior three years within five years of implementation of their energy efficiency programs.

    To date, it is estimated that Triennium 1 (T1) programs have disbursed $1.25 billion in financial incentives to ratepayers statewide and reduced annual electricity usage by 3 million megawatt hours, annual natural gas usage by 8.5 million MMBtu, and reduced customers’ utility bills by $600 million. T1 resulted in 1.4 million metric tons of annual greenhouse gas emission reductions, which is equivalent to approximately 300,000 cars removed from the road per year.   

    The T1 portfolio was expanded in T2 to address two important challenges for NJ: building decarbonization and demand response. The building decarbonization start-up programs incentivize adoption of key measures such as electric heat pumps and water heaters to reduce building emissions from fossil fuels. Demand response programs encourage homeowners and businesses to reduce consumption of energy at peak times through smart thermostats, controls, and price signals. Collectively, over $3.75 billion has been budgeted for the programs and will be implemented over a 30-month period from January 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027. This investment will help the State achieve Governor Murphy’s goals outlined in Executive Order 316 and are anticipated to reduce annual electricity usage by 2.3 million megawatt hours, annual natural gas usage by 8.9 million MMBtu, and annual greenhouse gas emissions by 1.5 million metric tons.

    To promote energy equity, the Income-Qualified Program will have more capacity compared to T1 to provide comprehensive home energy assessments and offer health and safety, weatherization, HVAC, and other energy efficiency upgrades at no cost to eligible customers.  More broadly, programs across the utilities’ portfolios will continue to include enhanced incentives and more favorable financing terms for income-eligible customers. 

    One notable addition in T2 is the standardization of the Direct Install model, including a Public Sector Direct Install program pathway, which will help support partners in labor in growing a local workforce that represents the diverse fabric of our state. Approximately 37,000 people work in the clean buildings sector, and T2 will strengthen the pathway for diverse workers and businesses to continue to build the clean energy economy.

    For more information about State and utility-led efficiency programs, please visit: https://www.njcleanenergy.com/EEP

    About New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program (NJCEP)
    NJCEP, established on January 22, 2003, in accordance with the Electric Discount and Energy Competition Act (EDECA), provides financial and other incentives to the State’s residential customers, businesses and schools that install high-efficiency or renewable energy technologies, thereby reducing energy usage, lowering customers’ energy bills and reducing environmental impacts. The program is authorized and overseen by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU), and its website is www.NJCleanEnergy.com.

    About the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU)
    NJBPU is a state agency and regulatory authority mandated to ensure safe, adequate and proper utility services at reasonable rates for New Jersey customers. Critical services regulated by NJBPU include natural gas, electricity, water, wastewater, telecommunications and cable television. The Board has general oversight and responsibility for monitoring utility service, responding to consumer complaints, and investigating utility accidents. To find out more about NJBPU, visit our website at www.nj.gov/bpu. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: From Lone Stars to Allies – NATO fighter pilots train in Texas

    Source: NATO

    Wichita Falls, Texas is home to the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program, where aspiring aviators from 14 NATO member countries see if they have what it takes to fly with the Alliance’s best.

    The home of a transatlantic training mission

    Wichita Falls doesn’t seem like a place that should mean anything to a European fighter pilot. But if you were to ask Jade, a lieutenant in the Belgian Air Force, if she’s ever heard of the place, she might give you a knowing smirk.

    It’s where she learned to fly.

    The sky over Sheppard Air Force Base thundered as sleek jets knifed through the air, breaking left over the runway in preparation for landing. Home of the US Air Force’s 80th Flying Training Wing, Sheppard owns the busiest airspace in the United States. Planes are constantly landing, taking off or queueing on the long taxiways. A bumper sticker on the back of one car reads: “I Heart Jet Noise.”

    The Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program (ENJJPT) has been turning out NATO fighter pilots since 1981, when seven Allies founded the school at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls. Most joint NATO initiatives are based in Europe (where 30 of the 32 NATO member countries are located), but Sheppard was chosen as the ideal location for ENJJPT because of its existing training facilities, year-round good flying weather and the wide-open Texan skies. Today, more than 40 years later, 14 national flags fly outside the squat, brick building that houses ENJJPT’s headquarters, representing the 14 participating NATO Allies: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States.

    Inside, Italian pilots saunter through the maze-like corridors, passing groups of Romanians, Norwegians, Spaniards and Danes. In the gear room, Greek instructors put on their flight vests and G-Suits (trousers lined with inflatable air pockets that keep pilots conscious during high-speed turns) and wait for their students. On their way out, they pass groups of Canadian and Turkish students coming back from training sorties, their hair matted with sweat, their faces flushed with victory: it’s another flight down, another step closer to their wings.

    Ask one of the European student aviators how they like living in the Lone Star State, and they’ll twist their mouth into a curious smile and say something like: “I like it.” Which might be a polite way of saying: I’m from a small village in Germany and I’ve never heard someone say “yeehaw” before.

    Fixin’ to fly – A rigorous training schedule

    Not that the students get many chances to sample the local culture. From the moment they arrive at Sheppard and drop their suitcases, their schedules are packed. First stop is “ground school”, where students learn the fundamental science of flight. Then students get fitted for helmets, harnesses and G-suits and climb into their first aircraft, the T-6 Texan II.

    With the instructors watching from the backseat, this is where the student aviators take the stick for the first time. They learn how to take off, fly in formation and land, keeping the aircraft on speed and on course. It’s a time of firsts, each with its own tradition: a student’s first flight is called a “Dollar Ride” because students are expected to give their instructors a Silver Dollar coin. After a student’s first solo flight, their classmates haul them off to a nearby pool of water for a well-deserved bath.

    From here, some students leave Wichita Falls to learn how to fly multi-engine transport aircraft like the C-130 Hercules. Those destined for fighter jets, however, must conquer the T-38 Talon.

    Save a horse, ride a jet plane – training with the Talon

    The Talon is skinny as a scalpel, with wings so thin they seem to disappear when viewed head-on. Its long snout slopes up to a bubble canopy, which encloses two ejection seats. It looks fast, and it is; with afterburners lit, it can punch through the sound barrier and send a sonic boom smashing across the north Texas Plains. One Dutch Major, callsign “Homer”, compares it to a ’66 Mustang sports car – fitting, he notes, because the Talon first entered service in the 1960s.

    The jet will be replaced in the coming years, but in the meantime it’s still a worthy teacher. Its hydraulic flight controls demand that students pay attention, feeling the jet through the stick and continuously “trimming out” to ensure balanced flight. Its stubby wings are built for maximum speed, not maximum stability, and if the inattentive student bleeds too much speed in a turn, it will fall out of the sky – or, as the instructors prosaically put it, “depart controlled flight.”

    When Lieutenant Jade first took off in a Talon, she was used to the T-6 Texan II, and she wasn’t ready for the raw power pumped out by the jet’s two turbojet engines. She had to stand on the brakes to keep the aircraft static as she pushed the throttle to “mil” – full military power. She felt the aircraft tremor as the afterburners lit. When she released the brakes, the jet leapt forward.

    “For me, that day was like… I knew I was on the right track,” she said.

    Getting back in the saddle

    The Talon curriculum is the hardest part of ENJJPT. When students aren’t flying, they’re studying. When they aren’t studying, they’re in the simulator, practising skills like flying in close formation, or the thrill of high-speed, low-level flight. And when they’re not in the simulator, they’re sleeping.

    “Sometimes it’s a bit too fast, and I have to catch up,” Jade said. “That’s the biggest struggle I’ve had so far. That gets me feeling down about it, sometimes. But then it’s even more rewarding when you’re able to step up and strive again.”

    The students know that success is not guaranteed. Plenty of their peers buckle under the stress and leave the Program to serve out their military commitments elsewhere in their country’s armed forces. But for most, failure is not an option. Washing out would mean turning their back on something that’s called to them all their life.

    “Everyone wishes to have an impact on the world,” Jade said. “That’s how I think I can make the biggest impact.”

    Earning their wings

    If a student proves that they can master the demands of high-speed flight in the Talon, they head towards “Drop Night” – the ceremony where they find out which jet they’re going to fly. For the US Air Force, which operates a variety of fighter, bomber and transport aircraft, the suspense is real. When a student is assigned to their first-pick aircraft, some literally leap with joy and relief.

    For Jade, there was little suspense – the Belgian Air Force primarily flies one tactical jet, the F-16 Fighting Falcon multirole fighter, although Belgium is now replacing its F-16 fleet with F-35 Lightning II fifth-generation stealth fighters – but the glee in having passed a demanding curriculum was undiluted. When she “dropped” the F-16, she leapt into the air, pumping her fists before being carried away by her cheering classmates.

    Jade has since left Sheppard to learn how to fly the F-16. Eventually, perhaps, she’ll be deployed to eastern Europe, where NATO Allies have significantly increased the number of fighters on standby to respond to airborne threats, part of the NATO Air Policing mission on the Alliance’s eastern flank. Until then, the next generation of aspiring military aviators has already begun training at Sheppard, joining a decades-long tradition of taking to the skies together.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Registration Deadline is Approaching Quickly for Hurricane Francine Survivors

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA Registration Deadline is Approaching Quickly for Hurricane Francine Survivors

    FEMA Registration Deadline is Approaching Quickly for Hurricane Francine Survivors

    BATON ROUGE, La. –Louisiana residents with damage from Hurricane Francine have just a few weeks remaining to apply for disaster assistance. Nov. 16 is the registration deadline for survivors in Ascension, Assumption, Lafourche, Jefferson, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary and Terrebonne parishes.Survivors with a loss or damage should apply with FEMA even if they don’t have repair estimates or insurance settlements yet. To be considered, people in the impacted areas need to register with FEMA to begin the process. FEMA will work with survivors to identify what information is needed to determine eligibility.To apply for FEMA disaster assistance:Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov.Download the FEMA App for mobile devices. Visit one of the Disaster Recovery Centers. To find a location, visit https://egateway.fema.gov/ESF6/DRCLocator.Call toll-free 800-621-3362. The FEMA Helpline is open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. CDT, and help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service such as VRS, captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service.To view an accessible video about how to apply, visit: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube.For the latest information visit fema.gov/disaster/4817. Follow FEMA Region 6 social media at X.com/FEMARegion6 or on Facebook at facebook.com/femaregion6.
    alexa.brown
    Thu, 10/31/2024 – 12:25

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Change to the Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    To Nasdaq OMX Copenhagen
    30 October 2024
    Company Announcement No 14/2024

    Change to the Board of Directors

    Today, Ellen Dalsgaard Zdravkovic, member of the Board of Directors in the Bank of Greenland has informed us, that she steps down from the Board of Directors as of today. The change happens because she takes on a new position in another financial institution.

    Ellen Dalsgaard Zdravkovic has been a member of the Board of Directors in the Bank of Greenland since March 2021. Following the resignation, Chairman Gunnar í Liða states that: ”Ellen Dalsgaard Zdravkovic has been a well-liked member of the Board of Directors and has made a great effort for the Bank of Greenland. I thank Ellen for her contribution and wish her the best of luck going forward”.

    26 March 2025, on the Annual General Meeting, a new candidate to the Board of Directors will be recommended instead of Ellen Dalsgaard Zdravkovic. Until then, the Board of Directors in the Bank of Greenland will consist of 8 board members.

    Please direct any questions to:

    The Bank of Greenland
    Martin Kviesgaard
    Managing Director

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Crop Report for the Period October 15 to October 21, 2024

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on October 30, 2024

    Producers in Saskatchewan are done harvest as 100 per cent of crops are in the bin. 

    Many areas of the province received a lot of moisture in May and June, which led some to believe it could be a late harvest. However, hot and dry conditions in the latter half of the growing season resulted in crops rapidly maturing and harvest beginning earlier than expected.

    Harvest first began in the southwest and southeast regions in early August. By the end of the month, harvest was in full swing throughout the province. Rainfall caused harvest delays in some areas, while other areas didn’t receive any rain, which has sparked concerns of moisture shortages going into the winter. The early start to harvest allowed producers to get the crop off in good time and other field work to be done prior to freeze-up. Producers continue to hope for more rain this fall and a lot of snow over winter to improve moisture conditions for next spring.

    Most crops got off to a good start this year due to the abundance of spring moisture. Cool conditions slowed early crop development, but producers were optimistic about their crops’ yield potential. Hot and dry conditions in July and August caused crops to rapidly develop and took a toll on yield potential. Overall, yields in Saskatchewan were above the 10-year average for most crops, but regional yields vary based on rainfall received during critical parts of the growing season. The only crops that yielded lower than the 10-year average were durum, oats, canola and mustard. 

    Fall cereal crops yielded above 10-year averages as winter wheat averaged 46 bushels per acre and fall rye averaged 52 bushels per acre province-wide. Average spring-seeded cereal crop yields were 46 bushels per acre for hard red spring wheat, 52 bushels per acre for other spring wheat varieties, 33 bushels per acre for durum, 63 bushels per acre for barley, 79 bushels per acre for oats and 1,340 pounds per acre for canary seed. Flax was the only oilseed crop to yield higher than the 10-year average with an average of 23 bushels per acre across the province. Mustard crops yielded 837 bushels per acre and canola yields averaged 33 bushels per acre across Saskatchewan. Finally, average yields for all legume crops were above the 10-year average. Average field pea yields were 36 bushels per acre, 30 bushels per acre for soybean crops, 1,306 pounds per acre for lentils and 1,319 pounds per acre for chickpea crops.

    Most high-acreage crops in Saskatchewan graded in the top two categories, indicating good overall crop quality. Canola graded at 89 per cent 1 CAN and nine per cent 2 CAN. Sixty per cent of Saskatchewan’s hard red spring wheat graded in the 1 CW category while another 31 per cent graded in the 2 CW category. Lentil and field pea grades are very similar as 43 per cent of field peas and 40 per cent of lentils fall in the 1 CAN grade. Additionally, 50 per cent of lentil and field pea crops are rated as 2 CAN. There are quality variations between different regions as environmental conditions play a major role in crop quality.

    All producers were busy combining this fall and some were also seeding fall cereal crops. Despite relatively strong winter wheat and fall rye yields this year, seeded acres for each of these crops fell by approximately three per cent this fall.

    This year’s average silage yield for the province is 6.37 tons per acre, which is lower than the seven tons per acre reported last year. The east-central and southern regions experienced above-average yields while average yields in west-central and northern regions were below the provincial average. Livestock producers are happy to see hay yields higher this year than they were last year. On dryland acres, alfalfa averaged 1.78 tons per acre, brome hay averaged 1.79 tons per acre and green feed averaged 2.25 tons per acre. Under irrigation, yields for alfalfa were 3.36 tons per acre, 3.25 tons per acre for brome hay and 3.57 tons per acre for greenfeed. Most producers in the province reported good to excellent hay quality in their first cut. Some producers got a second hay cut and they reported good to excellent quality. Hay prices vary throughout Saskatchewan, but the average price of alfalfa is 134.16 dollars per ton, 120.70 dollars per ton for brome and 126.25 dollars per ton for greenfeed. Straw and standing hay are cheaper as average prices are 51.05 dollars per ton and 57 dollars per ton, respectively.

    Current topsoil moisture conditions are better than they were heading into last winter. Provincial cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 49 per cent adequate, 44 per cent short and seven per cent very short. For provincial hayland, topsoil moisture is 42 per cent adequate, 45 per cent short and 13 per cent very short. Pasture topsoil moisture around the province is 37 per cent adequate, 45 per cent short and 18 per cent very short. Additionally, 35 per cent of Saskatchewan pastures are in good condition prior to the winter, 34 per cent are fair, 24 per cent are in poor condition and seven per cent are in very poor condition. Producers throughout the province are still hoping to get more rain this fall and lots of snow over the winter to improve soil moisture and pasture conditions for next year.

    Many producers are still working hard to get post-harvest field work done prior to freeze-up. Producers are harrowing, applying fall fertilizer and drying grain. Producers with livestock are currently moving cattle home for the winter and hauling bales. Once the snow flies, producers will enjoy a break from field work and continue planning next year’s operation.

    A complete, printable version of the Crop Report is available online: download Crop Report.

    Follow the 2024 Crop Report on Twitter at @SKAgriculture.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Canadian Forces Snowbirds complete their 2024 Show Season

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    October 30, 2024 – Ottawa – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

    On October 18, 2024, the Canadian Forces (CF) Snowbirds concluded their 2024 season with the Home Closer show at 15 Wing in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, marking the end of their 53rd show year.

    The Home Closer provides the team an opportunity to thank their family, friends and other members of 431 Squadron’s ‘home team’ in Moose Jaw that provides logistical, technical and administrative support while the show team is traveling.

    Since May, the Snowbirds have performed over 40 displays at more than 20 locations across Canada and the United States (US). Highlights included their participation in the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Canada Day Mass Flypast, and other celebrations in recognition of the RCAF’s centennial.

    The season was further distinguished by collaborations with renowned allied air demonstration teams, including the Italian Air Force’s Frecce Tricolori, the Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows, the U.S. Air Force’s Thunderbirds, and the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels.

    The team, consisting of 11 pilots, 17 technicians, one Public Affairs Officer, two Material Management Support Technicians, and three Mobile Support Equipment Operators, will now take a well-deserved break before training for the 2025 season.

    Looking ahead, 2025 will mark the CF Snowbirds’ 54th show season, with the initial schedule set to be announced in the winter.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Rebuilding after the wildfire: Updates to Parks Canada policies will ensure community of Jasper is better prepared for future challenges while maintaining the unique character of the town

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Rebuilding after the wildfire: Updates to Parks Canada policies will ensure community of Jasper is better prepared for future challenges while maintaining the unique character of the town.

    In preparing for the rebuild, planners from Parks Canada and the Municipality of Jasper completed a review of Parks Canada’s existing local development policies for how development can take place in the Town of Jasper. The Jasper Superintendent, in coordination with the Municipality of Jasper administration, approved these updated local policies with the following goals in mind:

    1.      Simplify the development review and approval process to make rebuilding easier for lessees. 

    2.      Rebuild with fire in mind, using the latest FireSmart research to ensure Jasper’s resilience to wildfire.

    3.      Increase housing options for Jasperites, to ensure our actions now assist with housing supply in the long term.

    4.      Rebuild with climate resilience in mind, supporting our efforts to be a community at the forefront of sustainability efforts.

    5.      Enhance Jasper’s built-form character, to ensure the unique qualities of Jasper are maintained.

    The aim of the updates is to identify simple changes that could make rebuilding easier. Bigger changes will be left for community discussion and exploration as part of a future community planning process. 

    All changes have been catalogued and the redlined versions of the updated policies are available on request by contacting jasperrealtymunicipalservices@pc.gc.ca.

    Key changes to improve fire resilience

    By reducing the susceptibility of a home to catching on fire, the chances of a home – and all the neighbouring homes – surviving a wildfire are greatly increased. After review and engagement with Natural Resources Canada on FireSmart guidelines, several key changes were made to Jasper’s development policies to improve Jasper’s future resilience to wildfire: 

    1.      Prohibiting new wood siding or shingles.

    2.      Requiring that there be a 1.5 m buffer zone of non-flammable materials around a home.

    3.      Requiring that landscaping plans align with FireSmart recommendations.

    Key changes to increase housing

    Housing has been a concern in Jasper for many years. Since 2007, the residential vacancy rate for Jasper has been between 0 and 0.4%. Over the last few decades, community consultations have consistently identified additional housing as a priority for the Jasper community. To create potential for additional housing in Jasper, the following changes were made to Jasper’s development policies:

    1. Leaseholders with lots formerly zoned for single-detached dwellings can now build either one or two primary dwelling units on the lot.
    2. Parking requirements are reduced.
    3. There are more options for accessory dwelling units, including garden suites.
    4. Subdivision made easier, including options to build a duplex, divide the lot in two, and sell the other half of the duplex.

    More details are available in the Rebuilding Guide:

    https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ab/jasper/gestion-management/serviceimmobilier-realty/reconstruction-rebuilding/guide

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    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds Announcement of Over $300 Million for Port of Oakland

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Barbara Lee 13th District of California

    October 29, 2024

    Oakland, CA – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) today applauded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement of $322 million for the Port of Oakland to decarbonize Port activities by providing Port tenants and Port users the opportunity to transition to zero emission alternatives. This funding comes after Lee led a letter with her congressional colleagues to EPA Administrator Michael Regan in July pushing for the grant application to be approved.

    This federal funding will advance the EPA Clean Ports Program’s mission of zero-emissions equipment at the Oakland Seaport and will help improve overall air quality at the Oakland Seaport and in neighboring communities. It is the largest-ever amount of federal funding for a Bay Area program aimed at cutting emissions from seaport cargo operations. The grant will finance 663 pieces of zero-emissions equipment which includes 475 drayage trucks and 188 pieces of cargo handling equipment.  

    “The climate crisis demands that we act urgently and boldly to protect our communities,” said Congresswoman Lee. “This investment will protect Oakland from the damaging effects of fossil fuels and will move us faster toward a zero-emissions future. Further, this investment will improve air quality and reduces pollution in local communities by cutting emissions from diesel-heavy port operations. This brings us closer to an economy that provides good jobs while expanding environmental justice. I’d like to thank the Biden-Harris administration for their leadership and my colleagues in the Northern California Delegation in Congress for their work in helping secure this funding. It is critical that we continue to invest in zero-emissions operations, and I’m proud the Port of Oakland is leading the way.”

    “California’s ports move the goods that power our economy. This historic investment of over $320 million in the Port of Oakland is a monumental step forward in accelerating the zero-emission infrastructure transition,” said Senator Alex Padilla. “Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, we’re decarbonizing our supply chain to produce cleaner air and protect public health in neighboring communities while developing the next-generation East Bay workforce.” 

    As a result of this critical funding, emissions reductions and climate adaptation community initiatives will see actionable and measurable results for the surrounding communities in Oakland.

    “I am thrilled to support the ‘Transforming the Port of Oakland to Zero Emissions Project,’ which will not only strengthen the local workforce but also provide zero-emission transportation alternatives for everyone, especially the region’s most underserved communities. This new EPA funding for the Port of Oakland unlocks critical federal financing to meet the Bay Area’s community priorities, reducing carbon emissions and supporting climate adaptation initiatives,” said Congressman John Garamendi (CA-08). “As a senior member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, one of my top priorities in Congress is securing federal investments that promote economic and environmental justice for all Californians.”

    “The EPA’s $322 million grant to support the ‘Transforming the Port of Oakland to Zero Emissions Project’ marks a huge step in our efforts to maintain the Port of Oakland as a key hub for goods movement and a sustainability leader for our region,” said Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-04). “I was glad to join Rep. Lee as she led Congressional support for the Port of Oakland’s application for this grant. This funding will help adapt Port operations in the face of climate change and I look forward to seeing the project’s community benefits, including improvements to our air quality and opportunities for local clean energy workforce development.”

    “The Port of Oakland is vital to our local economy and it’s critical that we advance its goals to reduce emissions.  Funding through the EPA’s Clean Ports Program, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, will support sustainability, make our air cleaner, and create good-paying jobs. I was proud to join Congresswoman Barbara Lee and my colleagues in supporting for this funding,” said Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17).

    “Special thanks to Congresswoman Barbara Lee for always being a champion of the Port’s decarbonization efforts,” said Port of Oakland Executive Director Danny Wan. “These grant funds and our Clean Ports partnership with our customers and our community are transformative for the Port and the region—and will accelerate all of our zero emissions efforts currently underway.”

    “The Clean Ports grant from the U.S. EPA is a major environmental victory,” said Port of Oakland Board President Michael Colbruno. “We are grateful to U.S. Senators Laphonza Butler and Alex Padilla, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, and the Bay Area congressional delegation who stood together in strong advocacy for this grant. This funding will go a long way toward decarbonizing the Oakland supply chain and providing environmental and economic benefits for the region.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Myanmar fighters battle to hold prized city – AFP

    Source: United States Institute of Peace

    Red flags flutter over bullet-scarred buildings in the strategic Myanmar city of Lashio, which an ethnic minority armed group linked to China seized from the military in its biggest defeat for decades.

    Lashio is the largest urban centre to fall to any of Myanmar’s myriad ethnic minority armed groups — who have been fighting the central authorities on and off for decades — since the military first seized power in 1962. 

    But analysts say the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) will struggle to govern Lashio, which straddles a key trade route to China and normally has a population of 150,000.

    Most fled the weeks of fighting that culminated in the city’s capture last month, and those who remain fear a return to the bloody violence.

    Residents and rescue groups say dozens of civilians were killed or wounded as the military pounded the town with air strikes and both sides launched rockets and shells at each other.

    While the fighting has eased since August, junta planes are still flying sorties and conducting air strikes, including on Monday and Tuesday night. 

    “We cannot say Lashio is back to normal but everyone is trying to act like it’s normal,” real estate agent Soe Soe, 30, told AFP.

    She fled in July but returned after the MNDAA took over and said she will stay, even as smaller clashes continue in the vicinity. 

    “The situation is uncertain right now,” she added. “Everyone is afraid.”

    – ‘No experience’ –

    The MNDAA was part of a trio of ethnic armed groups that launched a coordinated offensive against the junta — which ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government in 2021 — a year ago, taking it by surprise and seizing swathes of Shan state.

    Junta jets are still pounding the city and targets have included hospitals and administrative buildings, according to the US Institute of Peace’s Myanmar programme chief Jason Tower.

    They “seem to be focused on preventing the MNDAA from advancing post-conflict reconstruction and returning the city to normal under its governance”, he said.

    Running Lashio will stretch the MNDAA’s manpower and capacity, he told AFP.

    “It is now trying to govern a much larger territory and faces a wide range of challenges it has no experience dealing with.”

    – ‘Everyone is afraid’ –

    Lucrative lead, silver and zinc mines lie near Lashio, while hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of trade passes along the highway that snakes northeast to China through the jungle-clad Shan hills each year, according to the junta’s commerce ministry.

    Reaching the city is difficult due to fighting along the road.

    Within it, rifle-toting MNDAA policemen in black uniforms patrol the streets as the group — which analysts say maintains close ties with Beijing — works to convince former residents and businesses to return.

    Vendors marked out new plots at a market damaged during the fighting, but schools were shuttered and traffic was thin on the usually busy highway.

    As the group tries to restore normality, MNDAA-affiliated media have released regular updates about new administrative measures, from reorganising the main market to distributing rice and supplies to needly families.

    But many who fled the fighting are yet to return. 

    “Everyone is afraid because the fighting only just finished,” said Mae Gyi, 28, a vendor.

    Junta air strikes have killed and wounded several civilians, according to the MNDAA.

    And the ethnically Chinese MNDAA are an unknown quantity for Lashio’s diverse population of Bamar, Shan, and other groups.

    In areas controlled by the group in its Kokang homeland along the border with China’s Yunnan province, the language of administration, the currency and internet providers are all Chinese.

    It has other echoes with the People’s Republic: in April the MNDAA executed three of its members in the border city of Laukkai for murder and selling stolen weapons, following a public trial in which each of the accused wore a placard detailing their crimes in Chinese. 

    – Nowhere to go –

    The approach has alarmed some Lashio residents, with one former inhabitant — speaking on condition of anonymity — telling AFP they would not return until the MNDAA left.

    “Only our parents went back to Lashio,” the former resident said.

    But others have welcomed the tough approach.

    “The MNDAA has cleaned the town, and they have been helping the people… They helped to prevent prices from becoming too high,” said another former resident, whose family have returned.

    AFP has contacted the group on its plans for administering Lashio but received no response.

    Only “around 20-30 percent” of the town’s population had returned, said Soe Soe, but she was determined not to flee again despite the continuing low-level fighting.

    “We don’t have anywhere else to go,” she said. “So I came back to Lashio and am trying my best to stay here.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sectors strengthen ties for expanded Basilan peace works – The Philippine Star

    Source: United States Institute of Peace

    John Unson – Philstar.com

    September 22, 2024 | 4:18pm

    Brig. Gen. Alvin Luzon of the Army’s 101st Infantry Brigade huddles with Haroro Ingram, Philippine country director of the United States Institute of Peace at the sideline of the multi-sector peace dialogue in Lamitan City, Basilan on Sept. 20, 2024.

    Photo courtesy of Philstar.com / John Unson

    COTABATO CITY — The military, police, the United States Institute of Peace and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Basilan have strengthened ties to keep the tranquility now felt in the island province.

    All of the 11 towns and the Lamitan City in Basilan, scenes of bloody clashes between Moro secessionist groups and government forces in decades past, had all been cleared from presence of the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group via joint peacebuilding programs of local government units, the police and the military’s Western Mindanao Command.

    Radio reports in Cotabato City on Sunday, September 22, stated that officials of the Army’s 101st Infantry Brigade, the Basilan Provincial Police Office and representatives of the joint Government-MILF Coordinating Committee agreed to continue cooperating on programs complementing the Mindanao peace process during a dialogue in Barangay Matatag in Lamitan City on Friday, September 20.

    Haroro Ingram, the Philippine country director of the United States Institute of Peace, or USIP, was present in the peace and security conference, where cooperation among key players in keeping the peace now in Basilan was discussed by participants, among them the commander of the Army’s 101st Infantry Brigade, Brig Gen. Alvin Luzon, and Basilan provincial police director, Police Colonel Cerrazid Umabong.

    Local officials were quoted in Sunday’s radio reports in Cotabato as saying that the visit to Basilan on Friday of Haroro and in recent months by representatives of different foreign humanitarian entities and peace advocacy organizations, is essential to their efforts of enticing investors from other regions and from abroad to venture into viable agricultural projects in the province.

    Friday’s peace and security conference in Lamitan City reportedly delved partly on the need to maintain cohesion in peacebuilding activities of all sectors in Basilan, including the Government-MILF Coordinating Committee, the 101st Infantry Brigade, the provincial police and its component municipal police stations.

    The 101st Infantry Brigade, units in Basilan of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region and local officials were credited then for the peace and calm now spreading around the four corners of the province. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 60 Years Ago: The First Flight of the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle

    Source: NASA

    President John F. Kennedy’s national commitment to land a man on the Moon and return him safely to the Earth before the end of the decade posed multiple challenges, among them how to train astronauts to land on the Moon, a place with no atmosphere and one-sixth the gravity on Earth. The Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV) and its successor the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle (LLTV) provided the training tool to simulate the final 200 feet of the descent to the lunar surface. The ungainly aircraft made its first flight on Oct. 30, 1964, at NASA’s Flight Research Center (FRC), now NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) in California. The Apollo astronauts who completed landings on the Moon attributed their successes largely to training in these vehicles.
    The first Lunar Landing Research Vehicle silhouetted against the rising sun on the dry lakebed at Edwards Air Force Base in California’s Mojave Desert.
    In December 1961, NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., received an unsolicited proposal from Bell Aerosystems in Buffalo, New York, for a design of a flying simulator to train astronauts on landing a spacecraft on the Moon. Bell’s approach, using their design merged with concepts developed at NASA’s FRC, won approval and the space agency funded the design and construction of two Lunar Landing Research Vehicles (LLRV). At the time of the proposal, NASA had not yet chosen the method for getting to and landing on the Moon, but once NASA decided on Lunar Orbit Rendezvous in July 1962, the Lunar Module’s (LM) flying characteristics matched Bell’s proposed design closely enough that the LLRV served as an excellent trainer. 
    Two views of the first Lunar Landing Research Vehicle shortly after its arrival and prior to assembly at the Flight Research Center, now NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, in California.
    Bell Aerosystems delivered the LLRV-1 to FRC on April 8, 1964, where it made history as the first pure fly-by-wire aircraft to fly in Earth’s atmosphere. Its design relied exclusively on an interface with three analog computers to convert the pilot’s movements to signals transmitted by wire and to execute his commands. The open-framed LLRV used a downward pointing turbofan engine to counteract five-sixths of the vehicle’s weight to simulate lunar gravity, two rockets provided thrust for the descent and horizontal translation, and 16 LM-like thrusters provided three-axis attitude control. The astronauts could thus simulate maneuvering and landing on the lunar surface while still on Earth. The LLRV pilot could use an aircraft-style ejection seat to escape from the vehicle in case of loss of control.
    Left: The Lunar Landing Research Vehicle-1 (LLRV-1) during an engine test at NASA’s Flight Research Center (FRC), now NASA’s Armstrong Fight Research Center, in California’s Mojave Desert. Right: NASA chief test pilot Joseph “Joe” A. Walker, left, demonstrates the features of LLRV-1 to President Lyndon B. Johnson during his visit to FRC.
    Engineers conducted numerous tests to prepare the LLRV for its first flight. During one of the engine tests, the thrust generated was higher than anticipated, lifting crew chief Raymond White and the LLRV about a foot off the ground before White could shut off the engines. On June 19, during an official visit to FRC, President Lyndon B. Johnson inspected the LLRV featured on a static display. The Secret Service would not allow the President to sit in the LLRV’s cockpit out of an overabundance of caution since the pyrotechnics were installed, but not yet armed, in the ejection seat. Following a Preflight Readiness Review held Aug. 13 and 14, managers cleared the LLRV for its first flight.
    Left: NASA chief test pilot Joseph “Joe” A. Walker during the first flight of the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV). Right: Walker shortly after the first LLRV flight.
    In the early morning of Oct. 30, 1964, FRC chief pilot Joseph “Joe” A. Walker arrived at Edwards Air Force Base’s (AFB) South Base to attempt the first flight of the LLRV. Walker, a winner of both the Collier Trophy and the Harmon International Trophy, had flown nearly all experimental aircraft at Edwards including 25 flights in the X-15 rocket plane. On two of his X-15 flights, Walker earned astronaut wings by flying higher than 62 miles, the unofficial boundary between the Earth’s atmosphere and space. After strapping into the LLRV’s ejection seat, Walker ran through the preflight checklist before advancing the throttle to begin the first flight. The vehicle rose 10 feet in the air, Walker performed a few small maneuvers and then made a soft landing after having flown for 56 seconds. He lifted off again, performed some more maneuvers, and landed again after another 56 seconds. On his third flight, the vehicle’s electronics shifted into backup mode and he landed the craft after only 29 seconds. Walker seemed satisfied with how the LLRV handled on its first flights.
    Left: Lunar Landing Research Vehicle-2 (LLRV-2) during one of its six flights at the Flight Research Center, now NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, in California in January 1967. Right: NASA astronaut Neil A. Armstrong with LLRV-1 at Ellington Air Force Base in March 1967.
    Walker took LLRV-1 aloft again on Nov. 16 and eventually completed 35 test flights with the vehicle. Test pilots Donald “Don” L. Mallick, who completed the first simulated lunar landing profile flight during the LLRV’s 35th flight on Sept. 8, 1965, and Emil E. “Jack” Kluever, who made his first flight on Dec. 13, 1965, joined Walker to test the unique aircraft. Joseph S. “Joe” Algranti and Harold E. “Bud” Ream, pilots at the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC), now NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, travelled to FRC to begin training flights with the LLRV in August 1966. Workers at FRC assembled the second vehicle, LLRV-2, during the latter half of 1966. In December 1966, after 198 flights workers transferred LLRV-1 to Ellington AFB near MSC for the convenience of astronaut training, and LLRV-2 followed in January 1967 after completing six test flights at FRC. The second LLRV made no further flights, partly because the three Lunar Landing Training Vehicles (LLTVs), more advanced models that better simulated the LM’s flying characteristics, began to arrive at Ellington in October 1967. Neil A. Armstrong completed the first astronaut flights aboard LLRV-1 on Mar. 23, 1967, and flew 21 flights before ejecting from the vehicle on May 6, 1968, seconds before it crashed. He later completed his lunar landing certification flights using LLTV-2 in June 1969, one month before peforming the actual feat on the Moon.
    Left: Apollo 11 Commander Neil A. Armstrong prepares to fly a lunar landing profile in Lunar Landing Training Vehicle-2 (LLTV-2) in June 1969. Middle: Apollo 12 Commander Charles “Pete” Conrad prepares to fly LLTV-2 in July 1969. Right: Apollo 14 Commander Alan B. Shepard flies LLTV-3 in December 1970.
    All Apollo Moon landing mission commanders and their backups completed their lunar landing certifications using the LLTV, and all the commanders attributed their successful landings to having trained in the LLTV. Apollo 8 astronaut William A. Anders, who along with Armstrong completed some of the early LLRV test flights, called the training vehicle “a much unsung hero of the Apollo program.” During the flight readiness review in January 1970 to clear LLTV-3 for astronaut flights, Apollo 11 Commander Armstrong and Apollo 12 Commander Charles “Pete” Conrad, who had by then each completed manual landings on the Moon, spoke positively of the LLTV’s role in their training. Armstrong’s overall impression of the LLTV: “All the pilots … thought it was an extremely important part of their preparation for the lunar landing attempt,” adding “It was a contrary machine, and a risky machine, but a very useful one.” Conrad emphasized that were he “to go back to the Moon again on another flight, I personally would want to fly the LLTV again as close to flight time as possible.” During the Apollo 12 technical debriefs, Conrad stated the “the LLTV is an excellent training vehicle for the final phases. I think it’s almost essential. I feel it really gave me the confidence that I needed.” During the postflight debriefs, Apollo 14 Commander Alan B. Shepard stated that he “did feel that the LLTV contributed to my overall ability to fly the LM during the landing.”
    Left: Apollo 15 Commander David R. Scott flies Lunar Landing Training Vehicle-3 (LLTV-3) in June 1971. Middle: Apollo 16 Commander John W. Young prepares to fly LLTV-3 in March 1972. Right: Apollo 17 Commander Eugene A. Cernan prepares for a flight aboard LLTV-3 in October 1972.
    David R. Scott, Apollo 15 commander, stated in the final mission report that “the combination of visual simulations and LLTV flying provided excellent training for the actual lunar landing. Comfort and confidence existed throughout this phase.” In the Apollo 15 postflight debrief, Scott stated that he “felt very comfortable flying the vehicle (LM) manually, because of the training in the LLTV, and there was no question in my mind that I could put it down where I wanted to. I guess I can’t say enough about that training. I think the LLTV is an excellent simulation of the vehicle.” Apollo 16 Commander John W. Young offered perhaps the greatest praise for the vehicle just moments after landing on the lunar surface: “Just like flying the LLTV. Piece of cake.” Young reiterated during the postflight debriefs that “from 200 feet on down, I never looked in the cockpit. It was just like flying the LLTV.” Apollo 17 Commander Eugene A. Cernan stated in the postflight debrief that “the most significant part of the final phases from 500 feet down, … was that it was extremely comfortable flying the bird. I contribute (sic) that primarily to the LLTV flying operations.”
    Left: Workers move Lunar Landing Research Vehicle-2 from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center for display at the Air Force Test Flight Museum at Edwards Air Force Base. Right: Lunar Landing Training Vehicle-3 on display outside the Teague Auditorium at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
    In addition to playing a critical role in the Moon landing program, these early research and test vehicles aided in the development of digital fly-by-wire technology for future aircraft. LLRV-2 is on display at the Air Force Flight Test Museum at Edwards AFB (on loan from AFRC). Visitors can view LLTV-3 suspended from the ceiling in the lobby of the Teague Auditorium at JSC.
    The monograph Unconventional, Contrary, and Ugly: The Lunar Landing Research Vehicle provides an excellent and detailed history of the LLRV.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA, NOAA Rank 2024 Ozone Hole as 7th-Smallest Since Recovery Began

    Source: NASA

    Healing continues in the atmosphere over the Antarctic: a hole that opens annually in the ozone layer over Earth’s southern pole was relatively small in 2024 compared to other years. Scientists with NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) project the ozone layer could fully recover by 2066.

    During the peak of ozone depletion season from Sept. 7 through Oct. 13, the 2024 area of the ozone hole ranked the seventh smallest since recovery began in 1992, when the Montreal Protocol, a landmark international agreement to phase out ozone-depleting chemicals, began to take effect.
    At almost 8 million square miles (20 million square kilometers), the monthly average ozone-depleted region in the Antarctic this year was nearly three times the size of the contiguous U.S. The hole reached its greatest one-day extent for the year on Sept. 28 at 8.5 million square miles (22.4 million square kilometers).
    The improvement is due to a combination of continuing declines in harmful chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) chemicals, along with an unexpected infusion of ozone carried by air currents from north of the Antarctic, scientists said.

    [embedded content]
    The ozone hole over Antarctica reached its annual maximum extent on Sept. 28, 2024, with an area of 8.5 million square miles (22.4 million square kilometers).Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/ Kathleen Gaeta

    In previous years, NASA and NOAA have reported the ozone hole ranking using a time frame dating back to 1979, when scientists began tracking Antarctic ozone levels with satellite data. Using that longer record, this year’s hole ranked 20th smallest in area across the 45 years of observations.
    “The 2024 Antarctic hole is smaller than ozone holes seen in the early 2000s,” said Paul Newman, leader of NASA’s ozone research team and chief scientist for Earth sciences at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “The gradual improvement we’ve seen in the past two decades shows that international efforts that curbed ozone-destroying chemicals are working.”
    The ozone-rich layer high in the atmosphere acts as a planetary sunscreen that helps shield us from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun. Areas with depleted ozone allow more UV radiation, resulting in increased cases of skin cancer and cataracts. Excessive exposure to UV light can also reduce agricultural yields as well as damage aquatic plants and animals in vital ecosystems.
    Scientists were alarmed in the 1970s at the prospect that CFCs could eat away at atmospheric ozone. By the mid-1980s, the ozone layer had been depleted so much that a broad swath of the Antarctic stratosphere was essentially devoid of ozone by early October each year. Sources of damaging CFCs included coolants in refrigerators and air conditioners, as well as aerosols in hairspray, antiperspirant, and spray paint. Harmful chemicals were also released in the manufacture of insulating foams and as components of industrial fire suppression systems.
    The Montreal Protocol was signed in 1987 to phase out CFC-based products and processes. Countries worldwide agreed to replace the chemicals with more environmentally friendly alternatives by 2010. The release of CFC compounds has dramatically decreased following the Montreal Protocol. But CFCs already in the air will take many decades to break down. As existing CFC levels gradually decline, ozone in the upper atmosphere will rebound globally, and ozone holes will shrink.

    [embedded content]
    Ozone 101 is the first in a series of explainer videos outlining the fundamentals of popular Earth science topics. Let’s back up to the basics and understand what caused the Ozone Hole, its effects on the planet, and what scientists predict will happen in future decades.Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/ Kathleen Gaeta

    “For 2024, we can see that the ozone hole’s severity is below average compared to other years in the past three decades, but the ozone layer is still far from being fully healed,” said Stephen Montzka, senior scientist of the NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory.
    Researchers rely on a combination of systems to monitor the ozone layer. They include instruments on NASA’s Aura satellite, the NOAA-20 and NOAA-21 satellites, and the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite, jointly operated by NASA and NOAA. 
    NOAA scientists also release instrumented weather balloons from the South Pole Baseline Atmospheric Observatory to observe ozone concentrations directly overhead in a measurement called Dobson Units. The 2024 concentration reached its lowest value of 109 Dobson Units on October 5. The lowest value ever recorded over the South Pole was 92 Dobson Units in October 2006.
    NASA and NOAA satellite observations of ozone concentrations cover the entire ozone hole, which can produce a slightly smaller value for the lowest Dobson Unit measurement.
    “That is well below the 225 Dobson Units that was typical of the ozone cover above the Antarctic in 1979,” said NOAA research chemist Bryan Johnson. “So, there’s still a long way to go before atmospheric ozone is back to the levels before the advent of widespread CFC pollution.”
    View the latest status of the ozone layer over the Antarctic with NASA’s ozone watch.
    By James RiordonNASA’s Earth Science News Team
    Media Contact:Jacob RichmondNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.jacob.richmond@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Natural Resources and Environment: Disaster Mitigation and Resilience Subcommittee to Hold First Meeting

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA (October 30, 2024) — On Monday, November 4, at 9:00 a.m., the Senate Natural Resources and Environment Subcommittee on Disaster Mitigation and Resilience, chaired by Sen. Lee Anderson (R–Grovetown), will hold its first meeting in Newnan.

    EVENT DETAILS:                      

    • Date: Monday, November 4, 2024
    • Time: 9:00 a.m.
    • Location: Newnan High School, 190 Lagrange St, Newnan, GA 30263
    • This event is open to the public and will be live-streamed on the Georgia General Assembly website here.

    ABOUT THE MEETING:         

    The Senate Committee on Natural Resources and the Environment has general jurisdiction over issues related to the development, regulation and conservation of the state’s public lands and its natural resources, which includes water, energy and wildlife. Additional Senate members appointed to serve on the subcommittee include Sen. Jason Anavitarte (R–Dallas), Sen. Matt Brass (R–Newnan), Sen. Frank Ginn (R–Danielsville), Majority Leader Sen. Steve Gooch (R–Dahlonega), Sen. Russ Goodman (R–Cogdell), Sen. Marty Harbin (R–Tyrone), Sen. Freddie Powell Sims (D–Dawson) and Sen. Sam Watson (R–Moultrie). More information on the subcommittee can be found here.

    MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:

    We kindly request that members of the media confirm their attendance in advance by contacting Jantz Womack at SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

    # # # #

    Sen. Lee Anderson serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and the Environment. He represents the 24th Senate District, which includes Elbert, Greene, Hart, Lincoln, Oglethorpe, and Wilkes County, as well as most of Columbia County. He can be reached at 404.656.5114 or via email at lee.anderson@senate.ga.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Razor Energy Corp. Announces Sale Transaction

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF U.S. SECURITIES LAW.

    CALGARY, Alberta, Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Razor Energy Corp. (and together with its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Blade Energy Services Corp. and Razor Holdings GP Corp., collectively (unless the context requires otherwise), the “the Corporation” or “Razor”) announces its intention to complete a sale transaction and ancillary steps (collectively, the “Transaction”) pursuant to a Subscription Agreement, dated October 27, 2024 (the “Subscription Agreement”), between the Corporation, as vendor, and Texcal Energy Canada Inc. (the “Purchaser”). The Subscription Agreement was entered into in connection with the Corporation’s proceedings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (Canada) (the “CCAA Proceedings”) and the related sales and investment solicitation process (the “SISP”) approved by the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta (the “Court”), whereby the Purchaser was selected as the successful bidder under the SISP.

    The Transaction, as contemplated by the Subscription Agreement, includes, among other things, that: (i) the Purchaser will subscribe for certain common shares in the capital of the Corporation; (ii) all other equity interests in the Corporation shall be retracted and cancelled, for nominal consideration of $0.00001 per common share; and, (iii) upon the closing of the Subscription Agreement, the Purchaser shall obtain and hold one hundred percent (100%) of all issued and outstanding common shares of the Corporation, all on and subject to the terms and conditions of the Subscription Agreement.

    The Transaction is a result of the implementation of the SISP, is conditional upon the approval of the Court, and is to be given effect by way of a reverse vesting order and certain ancillary relief, to be granted within the CCAA Proceedings.

    The Corporation intends to appear before the Court on November 8, 2024, or as soon as possible thereafter, to seek orders approving the Subscription Agreement and the Transaction. A copy of the Subscription Agreement and more information related to the CCAA Proceedings can be found on the Court-appointed Monitor’s website at http://cfcanada.fticonsulting.com/razor-blade.

    If you have any questions regarding the foregoing or require further information, please consult the Monitor’s website at http://cfcanada.fticonsulting.com/razor-blade or by contacting the Monitor at:

    Phone: 1-403-454-6037

    Email: Cameron.Browning@FTIConsulting.com

    READER ADVISORIES

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release contains certain statements that may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Such statements relate to possible future events, including, but not limited to: the anticipated structure of the Transaction; the ability of the Corporation and the Purchaser to satisfy the conditions to, and to complete, the Transaction; and the anticipated timing of closing of the Transaction and the required Court approvals. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “plan”, “estimate”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “continue”, “may”, “objective” and similar expressions. The forward-looking statements are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by Razor. Although Razor believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because Razor can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. Please also refer to the risk factors identified in the most recent annual information form and management discussion and analysis of Razor which are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and Razor undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws.

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s remarks at the Ministerial Breakfast on the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to end Plastic Pollution [as delivered]

    Source: United Nations – English

    xcellencies, Friends,

    We are here today as we enter the last stretch of a crucial negotiation.

    Next month, Member States will meet in Busan, Republic of Korea to negotiate a multilateral solution to end plastic pollution.

    A solution that is vital for people, planet and prosperity alike.

    My thanks to the Government of Colombia for bringing us together today.

    And I commend you for leading by example – with ambitious national measures to reduce single-use plastics.

    Excellencies, dear Friends,

    We are here because we know the obvious.

    Plastic pollution is everywhere – all around us and even inside us – from our seas to our blood, to our brains.

    We are choking on plastic.

    Every year, people may ingest the equivalent of up to 50 plastic bags due to microplastics in food.

    Each year, humanity produces over 460 million metric tonnes of plastic.

    Half of it is designed for single-use purposes – used once and tossed away.

    By 2050, there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish.

    And so, it is clear that we need action, and fortunately, people are now demanding it.

    Excellencies, dear Friends,

    We would not be here today but for the historic step taken by Peru and Rwanda in introducing a joint proposal that paved the way for the adoption, in 2022, at the UN Environment Assembly, of a landmark resolution to begin the process to end plastic pollution.

    Since then, solidarity has been the hallmark of these negotiations.

    We see this solidarity enshrined in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework that has reinforced the importance of addressing pollution from all sources to reduce the impacts of pollution on ecosystems and biodiversity.

    And we see this solidarity in the Pact for the Future, through which Member States recommitted to work towards the conclusion of a plastics agreement “with the ambition of completing negotiations by the end of 2024”.

    In Busan, Member States will have the chance to deliver on these promises and agree on a global treaty to end plastic pollution – once and for all.

    This has not been a road without challenges, but it has been a journey of progress.

    I thank the Chair of the International Negotiating Committee, Luis Vayas Valdivieso, as well as his predecessor Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, for getting us through five rounds of complex negotiations.

    This is an opportunity to demonstrate that multilateralism, while not always easy, can deliver for people, health and the environment.

    The ball is now in the court of Member States to land an agreement that is ambitious, credible and just.  

    An agreement that addresses the life cycle of plastic – tackling single-use and short-lived plastics;

    An agreement that responds to the needs of people and communities and that unleashes a just transition for all – including 20 million waste pickers around the world. 

    Excellencies, dear Friends,

    As the Montreal Protocol demonstrated almost forty years ago, international cooperation underpinned by meaningful legally binding agreements remains the most fruitful avenue to address global environmental challenges.

    I urge you to step up for human health, equity and justice.

    To step up for the future of people and planet.

    An ambitious agreement is the only way to end plastic pollution.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN, GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL, AND MAYOR YVONNE FLOWERS ANNOUNCE LANDMARK FUNDING TO TACKLE CITY’S LEAD PIPE CRISIS

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pat Ryan (New York 18th)

    Congressman Pat Ryan, Governor Kathy Hochul, and Mayor Yvonne Flowers Announce Landmark Funding to Tackle City’s Lead Pipe Crisis

    Lead pipes can leach the toxin into drinking water, exposing families to the extreme health hazard; Nearly $12M will help Poughkeepsie remove the toxic pipes from the city’s drinking water infrastructure

    Announcement builds on Ryan’s record of fighting for clean water for Hudson Valley families and his commitment to eliminating sources of lead exposure from NY-18 communities

    POUGHKEEPSIE, NY  –  Today, Congressman Pat Ryan, Governor Kathy Hochul, and Mayor Yvonne Flowers announced $11,869,472 in funding to tackle Poughkeepsie’s lead pipe crisis and remove the toxic service lines from the city’s drinking water system. The funding from New York State will help the city identify the locations of lead service lines, inventory the extent of the city’s lead pipe crisis, and fund the beginning of lead pipe removal projects. Congressman Ryan has fought for federal resources to help Poughkeepsie address its lead pipe crisis, including bringing Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) leadership to the city last year. 

    “Freedom means every American has the right to breathe clean air and drink clean water, and that’s why I’m pushing relentlessly to remove every last toxic lead pipe from the Hudson Valley,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “Today’s funding is a huge step towards ensuring that parents in Poughkeepsie never have to worry if the water coming out of the faucet is safe for their kids. I’m proud to work alongside Governor Hochul and Mayor Flowers in this fight – we will not rest until our communities are free from toxic lead pipes for good.”

    “When it comes to New York’s water infrastructure, we’re getting the lead out,” Governor Hochul said. “We’re continuing to give municipalities the resources and support they need to replace lead water pipes and protect public drinking water.”

    “I thank Governor Hochul and Congressman Ryan for their tremendous efforts on this critically important public health issue,” said City of Poughkeepsie Mayor Yvonne Flowers. “The city recognizes it cannot complete this work without strong state and federal partners. We need their financial resources to address the significant costs it will take to replace thousands of lead pipes throughout our city to reduce our residents’ risk of lead poisoning. The city intends to methodically move forward with the allotted money and will continue to aggressively seek more funds.”

    There is no safe blood lead level for children. The corrosion of aging and outdated lead water pipes can cause toxic lead to leach into the drinking water supply, which is linked to significant adverse health effects including permanent neurological damage and impaired cognitive abilities, especially in children, as well as fertility and renal issues in adults.

    Today’s announcement comes only weeks after the Biden-Harris Administration announced that all lead pipes in drinking water systems across the country must be removed within the next ten years. Ryan applauded the announcement as a major step towards his goal of removing all lead pipes in Hudson Valley communities. The Biden Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) will deliver $15 billion towards these efforts.

    The $11,869,472 announced today comes from state funding designated to help cover the costs of lead service line replacement projects that received financing through the federal BIL but whose costs were not fully covered by BIL grants. This funding comes in addition to the funding already allocated through the BIL and the State’s Water Infrastructure grant program. This unprecedented move takes the fiscal pressure off communities, allowing them to replace more lead service lines without incurring additional costs. The State’s comprehensive approach continues to provide communities with the resources they need to improve their water infrastructure. Last year, the City of Poughkeepsie was deemed eligible to receive $3.2 million in BIL funding to identify and inventory the locations of lead service lines and begin replacement projects. 

    Ryan has built a record of fighting for clean water for Hudson Valley families and has prioritized removing sources of toxic lead exposure from Hudson Valley communities. Ryan has especially targeted his efforts to addressing the City of Poughkeepsie’s lead pipe crisis and delivering the federal resources needed to eliminate all lead pipes from the city’s drinking water system. On August 1, 2023, Ryan brought EPA leadership to Poughkeepsie to assist the city in securing resources for lead pipe removal projects. Ryan had pressed the EPA to commit to visiting the city in a July 13, 2023 House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing and for it to work closely with the city to usher in the federal resources needed to protect Poughkeepsie families from lead exposures. On July 14, 2023, Ryan also announced his plan to remove all lead pipes in Poughkeepsie. Ryan and his team have worked closely with the city and the EPA to provide technical guidance in helping the city apply for federal funds for lead service line replacements, resulting in the city announcing in April of 2024 that it was eligible for millions in federal funding and assistance for projects.

    Ryan has been at the forefront of combatting the lead contamination crisis in the Hudson Valley, immediately sounding the alarm when the Wall Street Journal reported that major telecommunications companies are allowing a network of decrepit, lead-sheathed aerial cables to shed the toxin into the environment, including at a playground in Wappingers Falls. He has repeatedly demanded that multi-billion dollar telecommunications companies Verizon and AT&T take responsibility and pay for the cleanup of their cables. Earlier this year, Ryan brought together local officials and community advocates to call on the corporations to publicly disclose the locations of the cables after Hudson Valley families reported finding them discarded across the region.

    Ryan has amassed a record of taking on big corporations that pollute Hudson Valley water, air, and soil. He spoke at the Save the River Rally, demanding that Holtec halt its plan to dump radioactive waste into the River and introduced legislation banning additional barges, carrying toxic materials like asphalt, from anchoring on the Hudson. Earlier this year, the bill was passed in the House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan support. Last fall, Ryan organized a coalition of local government officials, community leaders, and organizations to temporarily halt the Coast Guard’s plan to begin allowing barges to anchor on the Hudson River.

    Congressman Ryan has also spearheaded efforts to combat PFAS “forever chemical” pollution, including introducing the landmark PFAS Action Act and cosponsoring the Department of Defense PFAS Discharge Prevention Act.  The EPA has recently implemented many of the components of the PFAS Action Act, including issuing a national standard for PFAS in drinking water. Ryan has made repeated calls for the Department of Defense (DoD) to hasten its cleanup of PFAS pollution at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Read More (Van Hollen, Cardin, Trone Announce $7.7 Million for Airport Infrastructure Projects in Western Maryland)

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative David Trone

    October 30, 2024

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    October 30, 2024

    Van Hollen, Cardin, Trone Announce $7.7 Million for Airport Infrastructure Projects in Western Maryland

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $7,705,850 in federal funding for infrastructure and expansion projects at the Hagerstown Regional Airport and Garrett County Airport. The funding, provided through the Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airport Improvement Program and Airport Terminal Program, will increase the airports’ capacities to meet operational needs and safety standards.

    “Hagerstown Regional and Garrett County airports help connect Western Maryland with greater economic opportunity. We fought for these investments to provide both airports with resources to continue to serving Maryland’s businesses, residents, and visitors in the years to come,” said the lawmakers.

    The federal grants have been awarded as follows:

    • $6,786,262 to Hagerstown Regional Airport to remove a building and relocate fencing identified as obstructions by the FAA and to renovate and expand the existing terminal building to accommodate existing and projected airline passenger demand
    • $919,588 to Garrett County Airport to rehabilitate 7,300 square yards of the existing Terminal Apron pavement

    The Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funds various types of airport infrastructure projects across the country, including repairs and upgrades to runways, taxiways, airport signage, lighting and markings – all while creating thousands of good-paying, local jobs. The members have consistently fought to provide funds for airports and terminal operators, including through the fiscal year 2024 appropriations process, which makes $3.35 billion available from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund and an additional $532 million from the general fund for AIP projects.

    The Airport Terminal Program was created in 2021 through the lawmakers’ efforts to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Funded at $1 billion in fiscal year 2024, the Airport Terminal Program supports safe, sustainable, and accessible airport terminals, on-airport rail access projects, and airport-owned airport traffic control towers.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Researcher Melissa Gish Bridges Chemistry and Physics To Improve Solar Energy Technologies

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    Researchers Bryon Larson, Melissa Gish, Ross Larsen, and Reilly Seban (left to right) are collecting and analyzing data on organic solar cells in the NREL Energy Systems Integration Facility’s Insight Center. Their research is part of a large-scale effort to quantify organic photovoltaics for incorporation into machine learning tools. Photo by Joe DelNero, NREL

    Melissa Gish approaches physics and chemistry problems like puzzles: Control this or that variable, and work out how the jigsaw pieces fit together.

    “I didn’t really like biology because I felt like there were too many variables to adequately control,” said Gish, a chemistry researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

    The journal Trends in Chemistry recently honored Gish in a special issue designed to highlight emerging leaders in chemistry who are innovating in their respective fields, as well as to celebrate Trends in Chemistry’s fifth anniversary and Cell Press’ 50th anniversary.

    That inclination toward controlling variables to chart a path to discovery led her from high school biology experiments on the breeding behavior of mosquitoes to majoring in chemistry in college. In her senior year, Gish studied quantum mechanics and worked in a physical chemistry lab—and that work led her to pursue a Ph.D. in experimental physical chemistry.

    “The intersection of physics and chemistry just made sense to me in a way that other disciplines hadn’t,” she said. “It just clicked.”

    At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), Gish immediately started working in ultrafast spectroscopy, where pulsed lasers are used to study ultrafast events after a system absorbs light—within solar energy research—and her renewable energy research interests then led her to NREL, first as a postdoctoral researcher and now as a chemistry researcher.

    “NREL has world-class fundamental research and amazing physical chemists,” she said, “so I could continue working with ultrafast spectroscopy and solar energy research.”

    Leading on Transient Spectroscopy

    Gish began her work in transient spectroscopy—studying the properties of short-lived excited states of molecules and materials—at UNC and continues that work at NREL.

    “We were studying dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cells, which involved the absorption of light to kick off an electron transfer cascade that would lead to catalysis to generate solar fuels,” she said. “These systems often had two-to-three-plus components, each with its own photophysics that needed to be parsed out with careful control experiments. These problems are puzzles—each puzzle is unique and fun to solve, with the added bonus of working toward new renewable energy technologies.”

    At NREL, Gish has become a leader in using transient spectroscopy to study pathways to more efficient solar cells and solar energy production and uncovering the photophysics of complicated molecular and materials systems, often connecting that information to photochemical reactions. Her work spans much of the periodic table, from organic molecules and polymers to transition and rare earth metal-organic complexes to silicon nanoparticles to semiconductor materials and more. Gish’s recent investigations extend across the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Science Basic Energy Sciences research portfolio at NREL and have targeted the short excited-state lifetimes of conjugated polymers, tuning of singlet fission at mesoporous interfaces, and development of a strategy to differentiate rare earth elements.

    Gish is presently interested in connecting ultrafast photophysics on the very small scale—femtoseconds, picoseconds, and nanoseconds—to photochemical transformations on the seconds-to-hours time scale.

    “Understanding the initial processes after light absorption that may affect the photochemistry or photocatalysis that happens many decades later can help us design better systems for solar energy harvesting or light-induced separations,” Gish said. “I’ve been working on in situ methods to spectroscopically determine intermediates and products on longer time scales to connect the ultrafast experiments.”

    As she looks to the immediate future in her research, Gish is thinking about the photophysics of product selectivity in photocatalysis, in which solar energy is converted to chemical energy.

    “To make usable, storable solar fuels, we need to be able to generate the product that we want—for example, methanol—and there’s a lot we don’t understand about how to drive solar fuel production and photocatalysis to the final product of our choosing,” she said.

    Gish’s work extends to safety in the lab. She is a technical and safety leader for laser-based spectroscopy at NREL, stewarding several ultrafast laser systems and mentoring users of all experience levels in best safety practices for alignment, designing experiments, and operating systems to obtain high-quality data and rigorous data analysis. She has also played an integral part in NREL’s Laser Safety Panel, helping improve the laser operator qualification process and defining the laser system supervisor’s roles and responsibilities.

    Kyle Crabb, Rob Hammond, and Melissa Gish (left to right) pose for a photo in front of the Pride flag at NREL’s South Table Mountain Campus in 2023 after the second annual Full Spectrum Network-organized Pride flag raising at NREL. Photo by Joe DelNero, NREL

    Supporting and Mentoring Others

    Good leaders give back to their communities, and Gish gives back through mentorship and building community.

    At NREL, Gish cofounded two employee resource groups for NREL staff: the Full Spectrum Network (LGBTQIA+ employees and allies) and the Postdoc and Graduate Student Network.

    “My involvement in Full Spectrum and, in particular, my role in starting Pride Month events at NREL means a lot to me,” Gish said. “What I’m most proud of is how the group has continued as I and the initial steering committee passed the torch to the current leadership. Running an employee resource group is a lot of work and requires a lot of dedication and passion, and it’s amazing to see how each iteration of Full Spectrum continues our initial traditions and builds on them. For example, the annual Pride flag raising at the South Table Mountain Campus is something that started after my time and was extended to the Flatirons Campus this year.”

    Full Spectrum has helped bring together the LGBTQIA+ community at NREL and helped them feel seen and embraced.

    “I think it’s important for NREL to show LGBTQIA+ staff that our contributions are recognized and celebrated, which is a legacy I am proud of,” Gish said. “I have had new employees reach out to me and say that our work in Full Spectrum and the visibility it has provided to LGBTQIA+ staff has influenced their decision to come work at NREL because of the safe space that has been created.”

    Gish is also proud of her work with the Postdoc and Graduate Student Network, where she mentors early-career researchers from undergraduate and graduate students to postdoctoral researchers.

    “Postdocs and students are in a unique position where they are actively looking for their next job while producing high-quality scientific research and learning the advanced techniques we have here at NREL,” she said. “We wanted the network to provide professional development opportunities, soft-skills workshops, and networking opportunities to alleviate some of that stress that these early-career folks feel. I have also had opportunities to mentor postdocs, grad students, and undergrads as a staff scientist.

    “I really enjoy watching students and postdocs grow and become confident scientists,” Gish continued. “As the NREL principal investigator of a Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW) project in collaboration with Metropolitan State University of Denver, I’ve had the pleasure of mentoring undergraduate students with limited lab experience who are motivated and passionate about learning spectroscopy as well as what it is like to be a scientist and explore this career as an option.”

    Gish’s RENEW project focuses on understanding spin dynamics of first row transition metal photosensitizers.

    She is continuing her career trajectory by actively solving chemistry puzzles—developing spectroscopic capabilities to answer new questions about next-generation solar energy technologies—and building her portfolio as a principal investigator while mentoring and serving her community.

    “Melissa has developed quickly into a key team member of several of our DOE Office of Science Basic Energy Sciences projects and was recently successful as an NREL principal investigator on a RENEW project focused on harnessing spin physics to drive photochemical reactions,” said NREL’s Andrew Ferguson, spectroscopy and photoscience group manager. “I have been particularly impressed by her resilience, exemplified by her response to the restrictions imposed by the COVID pandemic on her postdoctoral work; her vision to develop the spectroscopic tools to connect ultrafast photophysical processes to much slower photochemical reactivity; and her commitment to effective training and mentoring of early-career researchers. She is certainly worthy of recognition as an emerging leader in chemistry, and I am excited to see where her career goes from here.”

    Learn more about Melissa Gish’s research and NREL’s solar energy research.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Are Carbon-Free Energy Systems Possible? NREL Has a Way To Find Out

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    Live Power Experiments Using NREL’S ARIES Platform Solve Future Energy Challenges in the Present

    Aerial view of NREL’s Flatirons Campus, where researchers demonstrate clean energy solutions for large-scale systems using the ARIES platform. Photo by Josh Bauer and Taylor Mankle, NREL

    Renewable energy generation has risen for years, now supplying 22% of U.S. electricity. But the next gains will not come easy. Looming obstacles include a lack of energy storage, increasing cybersecurity threats and outages, possible electrical instabilities, and sectors that are hard to electrify.

    It’s a heavy list, but those exact obstacles are well known within NREL’s Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES) platform. In fact, researchers replicate these obstacles in both physical and virtual environments every day to vet large-scale energy solutions in action.

    Like constellations that once guided explorers, ARIES helps users to orient their clean energy decisions. Following recent expansions in grid control, hydrogen, and cyber resilience, the platform can help researchers explore the greatest challenges to achieving a clean energy transformation.

    Fine Control Over Experimental Power

    One challenge for clean energy is the integration of diverse technologies. Power systems are becoming hybrid, distributed mixtures of solar, wind, storage, and many other energy resources. Electrically, they are nothing like we’ve had in the past, especially at the sub-second timescales.

    To develop solutions with enough detail, engineers need the real deal for experiments: electricity like it exists in homes, between cities, and during disasters. They need to customize electricity to recreate the big research questions.

    ARIES has that customizability, thanks to the controllable grid interface (CGI), which acts as an envelope on incoming power, shaping it according to scenarios, such as an oil-fired generator failing on an island full of renewables or faults affecting a wind-powered microgrid.

    Past uses include:

    • Validating next-generation transformers that add transmission flexibility in the U.S. Department of Energy project Grid Application Development, Testbed, and Analysis for MV SiC (GADTAMS)
    • Piloting a grid-forming wind turbine with an industry partner
    • Exploring hybrid power plants that mix water, wind, storage, and solar in the multi-laboratory project FlexPower.

    In 2024, the CGI quadrupled in power, and it is better able to answer the many unknowns of clean energy deployed at scale.

    With ARIES, researchers construct fully realistic energy systems to explore solutions for clean energy integrations, both near term and long term. This photo shows a photovoltaic array at right, and just above the array is the CGI, which customizes power flow throughout the research platform. The trailers and boxes in the center are batteries, hydrogen tanks, electrolyzers, fuel cells, direct current devices, and more. Photo by Josh Bauer and Taylor Mankle, NREL

    Clean Energy Demonstrations Get Larger and More Integrated

    With the CGI upgrade, the interface can run two custom scenarios in parallel at 7 megavolt-amperes and 20 megavolt-amperes, and the researchers are taking advantage.

    “It’s bigger, a little faster, and it gives us bandwidth,” said Przemyslaw Koralewicz, an architect of the interface. Prior to CGI2’s completion, projects were bottlenecked by the interface’s availability. Now researchers can switch between two different machines when experiments stack up, or they can even use both in the same experiment.

    “In one interesting experiment as part of the SuperFACTS project, we placed a battery on one interface and a photovoltaic array on the other. Artificially, they were made to act as if they were 1,000 miles away, individually contributing to stability on the same electric grid,” Koralewicz described.

    Przemek Koralewicz, third from left, and colleagues present the latest additions to the CGI. The CGI is housed in a trailer full of power electronic switches that allow researchers to customize real energy system scenarios. Photo by Josh Bauer, NREL

    A top research goal of ARIES is to successfully integrate diverse technologies. The CGI is designed for this purpose, making it possible to catch problems of instability or unreliability within uncommon energy combinations. One example is direct current (DC) microgrids.  

    “It’s becoming popular to explore DC microgrids. I’m pretty excited about the possibility,” Koralewicz said. “DC microgrids could avoid transformers and inject power directly into the grid bus. The CGI uniquely allows us to try this.”

    The DC bus could charge heavy-duty vehicles directly from solar or wind resources, and it could power electrolyzers directly to produce hydrogen, possibilities that ARIES researchers are eager to study for their simpler architectures and unique pathways.

    Although a DC bus is not yet available, other pathways are ready for research at ARIES. Thanks to additional infrastructure, hydrogen energy integration research is underway in a big way.

    From Clean Electricity to Gas and Back

    Hydrogen could singly abate several challenges in future energy systems. It’s a solution for energy storage, a force for grid flexibility, and an energy-dense fuel to rival carbon compounds. It’s a resource with real potential to integrate clean power, but it is lacking in experimental run time. That’s why the ARIES integrated hydrogen capabilities have expanded.

    NREL research technicians Tavis Hanna and Daniel Leighton tighten flanges on a pump for integrated cooling systems. This hardware helps make ARIES a hub for large-scale hydrogen-grid research. Photo by Werner Slocum, NREL

    From storage tanks to fuel cells, and from water deionizers to electrolyzers, ARIES features a full circle of clean hydrogen assets. These capabilities are set apart by their close integration with other renewable assets. At a megawatt capacity, ARIES is also the proper size to pilot hydrogen pathways before going to the full grid scale, the target of the U.S. Department of Energy’s H2@Scale initiative.

    This capability appeals to mining companies and downstream ore processing facilities that want to decarbonize their operations, as well as to automotive companies that are curious about stationary power from fuel cells as an opportunity to enlarge their customer base.

    “We commissioned and built this new equipment, and now we want to answer questions about electrolysis at the relevant scale,” Daniel Leighton, NREL technical lead, said in a public presentation.

    Leighton and colleagues added the new assets so that researchers can explore the options around renewably produced hydrogen.  

    “We’ll have a pipeline that will connect to future underground storage, and we are currently validating a metal hydride storage system for low-pressure hydrogen. To validate electrolysis technologies and how they support other areas, we’re building out a full balance of plant at 6 megawatts for partners to do drop-in validation,” Leighton said.

    Of course, none of this—neither the hybrid power plants nor the underground hydrogen caverns—means anything if integrated energy systems are not secure. It might not be as visible as pipelines, but as another core aim of ARIES, cybersecurity is increasingly everywhere and for good reason.

    Sharper Cybersecurity: Attacking a Wind Turbine, Cloud Security, and Microgrid Communications

    Modern organizations face a daily barrage of cyberattacks and scams, and the situation is similarly problematic for energy systems.

    “We’re seeing hacking software become very cheap and nation states facilitating attacks. At the same time, we see our energy systems becoming much more complex—for example, an increase in the quantity of devices operating as part of the grid,” said Dane Christensen, manager of the Cyber System Assessment group at NREL.

    “A loss of exclusive utility ownership over grid-interactive devices. Less tractable supply chains. A mix of legacy and modern hardware,” Christensen explained. “How do we retain the benefits of all this connectivity and achieve mutual cybersecurity?”

    It’s a question that Christensen and colleagues are answering using the ARIES Cyber Range, which virtualizes, cosimulates, and visualizes energy system experiments.

    An early demonstration of the ARIES Cyber Range was, logically, to attack a wind turbine on NREL’s Flatirons Campus.

    NREL researchers staged a self-cyberattack on a research wind turbine to show a confluence of ARIES capabilities, including cyber-physical emulation, real-time interactivity, power hardware-in-the-loop, and visualization. Photo by NREL

    In front of a live industry audience, NREL researchers established a facsimile of a distribution utility, transmission utility, and independent wind power producer, which the researchers disabled by accessing the wind power plant’s control center through vulnerabilities.

    Using ARIES, they launched an attack to shut down one full-scale turbine at NREL’s Flatirons Campus and an emulated wind power plant. This triggered automated safeties to impact the surrounding transmission system.

    In seconds, NREL’s mock attackers reduced the plant production to zero, cutting power to thousands of (simulated) people, showcasing what consequences could occur if vulnerabilities are left unpatched in energy systems and showing the usefulness of ARIES tools in addressing those vulnerabilities.

    “We leverage the cyber range to employ much more realistic systems and to be able to scale our research,” Christensen said. “We couple the physical and virtual in real time and track it visually. In this way, we can help mitigate the risk inherent in both newly adopted technologies and in the trusted relationships that exist across the energy sector.”

    The cyber-physical union at ARIES has redefined clean energy research. This is evident in a 5G microgrid platform, where utilities can assess wireless operations, and in CloudZero, where they can assess the cloud management of complex energy systems.

    Like all challenges ahead for clean energy systems, cybersecurity becomes surmountable when researchers can have the real systems right in front of them, using ARIES.

    Stay Tuned, Reach Out, Learn More

    New opportunities continually appear for clean energy, which suits the underlying build of ARIES: Its hardware is reconfigurable and with digital simulators, scalable. ARIES researchers have a versatile electric grid at their fingertips, and they are just breaking the surface of what is possible on this research platform.

    Variability in the physical size of new energy technologies being added to the system

    Securely controlling (millions to tens of millions of) interconnected devices

    Integrating multiple diverse technologies that have not previously worked together

    Three key technical challenges guide ARIES research. Partners facing these same challenges can use the ARIES capabilities to evaluate and explore their options.

    Nearing five years of being online, ARIES is equipped for another generation of experiments, and it continues to grow. If you are interested in partnering with NREL, contact ARIES@nrel.gov. These partnering examples are open now:

    Visit nrel.gov/aries to learn more.

    The ARIES platform is supported by the Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NIH-funded scientists uncover clues to precancer and tumor biology

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 2

    Media Advisory

    Wednesday, October 30, 2024

    A collection of new papers highlight discoveries from the Human Tumor Atlas Network, a Cancer Moonshot℠ initiative.

    What

    New insights from multiple studies provide critical information on how cancer tumors develop, spread, and respond to treatments. The 10 studies from the Human Tumor Atlas Network (HTAN), a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Cancer Moonshot℠ initiative to construct three-dimensional maps of human tumors, will be published Oct. 31, 2024, across several Nature journals.

    Several studies explore the role of the tumor microenvironment and the immune system in promoting the spread of cancer and its resistance to treatment. Three studies map the trajectory of precancerous colorectal tissues toward cancer by measuring the contributions of multiple molecular and cellular events. Multiple new HTAN papers describe the development of innovative single-cell technology and analysis platforms. An accompanying research briefing by W. Kimryn Rathmell, M.D., Ph.D., director of NIH’s National Cancer Institute (NCI), and Dinah Singer, Ph.D., NCI deputy director for scientific strategy and development, discusses the history, progress, and future of HTAN.

    Launched in 2018, HTAN constructs three-dimensional maps of human tumors that capture their molecular features and surrounding microenvironments over time. The work is being done by teams of investigators from research institutions across the country using a variety of technologies and computational approaches to study tumors at the single-cell level. This comprehensive, publicly available resource aims to help researchers better understand the development and progression of cancer to inform its prevention and treatment. The first tumor atlas studies from this initiative were published in 2020 and 2021.

    Who

    Shannon Hughes, Ph.D., Division of Cancer Biology, NCI; Sean Hanlon, Ph.D., Center for Strategic Scientific Initiatives, NCI; Sudhir Srivastava, Ph.D., M.P.H., Division of Cancer Prevention, NCI

    The Studies

    The collection page is available at https://www.nature.com/collections/fihchcjehc.

    About the National Cancer Institute (NCI): NCI leads the National Cancer Program and NIH’s efforts to dramatically reduce the prevalence of cancer and improve the lives of cancer patients and their families, through research into prevention and cancer biology, the development of new interventions, and the training and mentoring of new researchers. For more information about cancer, please visit the NCI website at cancer.gov or call NCI’s contact center, the Cancer Information Service, at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).

    About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

    NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®

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    MIL OSI USA News –