text:
/* */
"format cjs";
/**
 * @license
 * Copyright Google Inc. All Rights Reserved.
 *
 * Use of this source code is governed by an MIT-style license that can be
 * found in the LICENSE file at https://angular.io/license
 */
import { ViewEncapsulation, isDevMode } from '@angular/core';
import { Identifiers, createIdentifier } from './identifiers';
/**
 * @return {?}
 */
function unimplemented() {
    throw new Error('unimplemented');
}
export var CompilerConfig = (function () {
    /**
     * @param {?=} __0
     */
    function CompilerConfig(_a) {
        var _b = _a === void 0 ? {} : _a, _c = _b.renderTypes, renderTypes = _c === void 0 ? new DefaultRenderTypes() : _c, _d = _b.defaultEncapsulation, defaultEncapsulation = _d === void 0 ? ViewEncapsulation.Emulated : _d, genDebugInfo = _b.genDebugInfo, logBindingUpdate = _b.logBindingUpdate, _e = _b.useJit, useJit = _e === void 0 ? true : _e;
        this.renderTypes = renderTypes;
        this.defaultEncapsulation = defaultEncapsulation;
        this._genDebugInfo = genDebugInfo;
        this._logBindingUpdate = logBindingUpdate;
        this.useJit = useJit;
    }
    Object.defineProperty(CompilerConfig.prototype, "genDebugInfo", {
        /**
         * @return {?}
         */
        get: function () {
            return this._genDebugInfo === void 0 ? isDevMode() : this._genDebugInfo;
        },
        enumerable: true,
        configurable: true
    });
    Object.defineProperty(CompilerConfig.prototype, "logBindingUpdate", {
        /**
         * @return {?}
         */
        get: function () {
            return this._logBindingUpdate === void 0 ? isDevMode() : this._logBindingUpdate;
        },
        enumerable: true,
        configurable: true
    });
    return CompilerConfig;
}());
function CompilerConfig_tsickle_Closure_declarations() {
    /** @type {?} */
    CompilerConfig.prototype.renderTypes;
    /** @type {?} */
    CompilerConfig.prototype.defaultEncapsulation;
    /** @type {?} */
    CompilerConfig.prototype._genDebugInfo;
    /** @type {?} */
    CompilerConfig.prototype._logBindingUpdate;
    /** @type {?} */
    CompilerConfig.prototype.useJit;
}
/**
 * Types used for the renderer.
 * Can be replaced to specialize the generated output to a specific renderer
 * to help tree shaking.
 * @abstract
 */
export var RenderTypes = (function () {
    function RenderTypes() {
    }
    Object.defineProperty(RenderTypes.prototype, "renderer", {
        /**
         * @return {?}
         */
        get: function () { return unimplemented(); },
        enumerable: true,
        configurable: true
    });
    Object.defineProperty(RenderTypes.prototype, "renderText", {
        /**
         * @return {?}
         */
        get: function () { return unimplemented(); },
        enumerable: true,
        configurable: true
    });
    Object.defineProperty(RenderTypes.prototype, "renderElement", {
        /**
         * @return {?}
         */
        get: function () { return unimplemented(); },
        enumerable: true,
        configurable: true
    });
    Object.defineProperty(RenderTypes.prototype, "renderComment", {
        /**
         * @return {?}
         */
        get: function () { return unimplemented(); },
        enumerable: true,
        configurable: true
    });
    Object.defineProperty(RenderTypes.prototype, "renderNode", {
        /**
         * @return {?}
         */
        get: function () { return unimplemented(); },
        enumerable: true,
        configurable: true
    });
    Object.defineProperty(RenderTypes.prototype, "renderEvent", {
        /**
         * @return {?}
         */
        get: function () { return unimplemented(); },
        enumerable: true,
        configurable: true
    });
    return RenderTypes;
}());
export var DefaultRenderTypes = (function () {
    function DefaultRenderTypes() {
        this.renderText = null;
        this.renderElement = null;
        this.renderComment = null;
        this.renderNode = null;
        this.renderEvent = null;
    }
    Object.defineProperty(DefaultRenderTypes.prototype, "renderer", {
        /**
         * @return {?}
         */
        get: function () { return createIdentifier(Identifiers.Renderer); },
        enumerable: true,
        configurable: true
    });
    ;
    return DefaultRenderTypes;
}());
function DefaultRenderTypes_tsickle_Closure_declarations() {
    /** @type {?} */
    DefaultRenderTypes.prototype.renderText;
    /** @type {?} */
    DefaultRenderTypes.prototype.renderElement;
    /** @type {?} */
    DefaultRenderTypes.prototype.renderComment;
    /** @type {?} */
    DefaultRenderTypes.prototype.renderNode;
    /** @type {?} */
    DefaultRenderTypes.prototype.renderEvent;
}
//# sourceMappingURL=config.js.map


A vacation certificate is an arrangement whereby you pay in advance for the use of travel accommodations or facilities at some later date, and no specific dates for traveling or use of the accommodations or facilities are designated. A typical vacation certificate will be offered by sending consumers post cards or letters telling them that they have been "chosen" or have been "selected to receive" a "fabulous vacation." You may see these offers in newspapers, or the sellers of travel certificates may contact you by telephone. The vacation may include travel and accommodations, or simply the accommodations, making you responsible for paying to travel to your vacation spot.
You should be especially careful when buying this type of service, since you will be paying today for a service which you might not want to use for a few months or even longer. You will be throwing your money away if you buy from a company that will be out of business by the time you want to take your trip. You will also be making the purchase of these services "sight unseen." Even if you are able to take your trip, the "bargain" price could end up being way too expensive for less than satisfactory accommodations, or accommodations which are non-existent.
Be wary of any seller of travel who tells you that you must make up your mind about purchasing during the call. Before deciding on any vacation certificate arrangement, you should always call the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at 1-800- 435-7352 to determine whether the company is registered, how long it has been in business, and whether there are any complaints against it. Additionally, The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services have helpful information on its website at http://www.800helpfla.com/sot.html. Consumers can file a complaint online or have the form sent to them.
Be particularly wary if the seller of travel certificates is located out of state. Chapter 559, Florida Statutes, requires all sellers of travel operating within the state to be registered and to comply with stringent requirements. For example, all advertising by registered sellers must include the seller's registration number.
"Valuable" coupons for restaurants or local attractions, offered to induce you to buy the vacation certificate, may be non-existent, or may not be bargains at all due to the limited conditions under which you may redeem these bonus items.
Do not give your credit card number to anyone over the telephone unless you initiated the call and are sure that the company's offer is legitimate. It is never a good idea to give your checking account number during a telephone sale. And if the seller advises you that he will send a runner to your house to pick up your check, be cautious about buying, it could mean that the company wants to cash your check before you change your mind, or even that the company wants to avoid laws regulating anything sent through the mails.
Be wary of any seller of travel offering you free accommodations if you purchase airfare through the seller. You may pay more than if you arrange the trip on your own through a travel agent.
If you decide you want to buy the certificate, the seller is required to send you a contract telling you all the terms and conditions of the vacation certificate, including your total financial obligation, all eligibility requirements, and instructions on how reservations are to be made.
You have a right to cancel your purchase and receive a refund within 30 days of the date of purchase or receipt of the vacation certificate, whichever occurs later. You may also have the right to cancel at anytime if the accommodations or facilities are not available pursuant to a request for use provided in the contract if certain statutory terms and conditions are met. You must advise the seller in writing of your wish to cancel, and include the certificate. The seller has 30 days from the time of receipt of your notice of cancellation to send you a full refund.
If you decide to keep the certificate and take the trip, don't leave home without confirming all your hotel accommodations personally.


text:
By: angiehongmn September 13, 2012
Keeping water clean
Clear Lake, Happy Campers
Spring Lake near Akeley, MN
Olympians stormed the northwoods during the weekend before Labor Day. Starring Amber, who medaled in cane twirling, Katie, the champion thumb wrestler, Krista, the champion of hide and seek, Lynn, who competed in both low and high skipping events, and myself, a competitive guitar-athalon athlete, our three days in the woods near Akeley, Minnesota met all expectations for an eighth annual Girls Weekend Camping trip. There were mint Oreos, reduced fat Cheez-Its, cucumbers and hummus to eat. There were hand-crafted costumes, as well as matching medals and tank-tops for our promotional appearances. Most importantly, we had a scenic destination with a pristine lake on site.
When you spend your working days talking to people about how to clean up their waterways and how to fight problems like invasive species and algae blooms, it's nice once in a while to visit a lake that seems to be perfect. There are only two docks on Spring Lake and both are far away from the cabins they serve. One of the cabins, site of our Olympic retreat, belongs to friend Katie's grandparents, while another, about a mile away, is owned by her aunt and uncle who, it should be noted, cook an excellent fish dinner. Though we could see the lake from our campfire ring, it was a fifteen minute walk down to the water through the woods and once we were at the dock, both cabins were completely out of view.
Though the Spring Lake is small and fairly shallow, I was shocked to see crystal clear water when we first reached the dock. The water was so clear that, were it not for the reflection of sky and trees on its surface, one might walk straight into the lake, imagining it to be merely a meadow in the woods. The water was so clear that after we gathered and hauled two buckets to the cabin for dishwashing, we had to constantly remind one another which buckets were lake water and which were for drinking. The lake was so clear that we could see each and every fish that swam by, as well as copious amounts of native aquatic vegetation growing in the shallow water. For years I have heard it told that shallow lakes exist in one of two states, either clear and weedy, or murky and weed-free, but here in the metro area there are precious few examples of healthy and clear shallow lakes like the ones we see up north.
We spent one afternoon floating in the lake, using inflatable rafts and life-jackets to suspend ourselves safely above the weeds. A few lilies grew around the dock and insects and snails crawled across the surface of their over-sized leaves. On the far side of the lake a beaver voiced its displeasure about our presence by slapping its tail loudly against the water every few minutes. Bam bam. Bam bam. After swimming for a while, we lay down on the deck and dozed in the sun while dragonflies zipped about overhead.
There are many reasons why little Spring Lake near Akeley is clear while most of the shallow lakes near us are not. For one, there is no development within several hundred feet of Spring Lake's shoreline, just two cabins set far from the water with no sandy beaches and no grassy lakesides. In fact, these two cabins and a network of grassy trails are just about the only development in the lake's entire watershed. In contrast, the lakes in and around the metro are surrounded by houses, roads, driveways, parks, businesses and farms. Around many, natural vegetation has given way to lawns and retaining walls, which offer the lakes little protection from runoff pollution and contribute to erosion and other problems. Oftentimes lakeshore landowners have removed aquatic vegetation to make pathways for swimming and boating, unknowingly loosening sediment from the lake bottom and creating space for invasive aquatic plants to take hold. Little by little these changes eat away at our lakes, until one day everything flips and a clear but plant-filled lake is suddenly opaque and covered in algae.
It was wonderful to visit Spring Lake last weekend, but the truth is that not everyone can have a private lake surrounded by acres of untouched forest. There are roughly 5.3 million people in Minnesota and even with an abundance of nearly 15,000 lakes, it still works out to be at least 356 people per lake. It is important to protect the places in our state and in our greater river basins where the water is still clear, but at the same time, we can and should continue working to improve our local lakes for the enjoyment of all.
It takes a neighborhood to save a lake
Continuing the Learning outside the Classroom
2 replies to Clear Lake, Happy Campers
I lived in Minnesota as a child around Minneapolis & St Paul. My great Grandmother had a cabin on the shores of Big Carnelian Lake that our family would visit. This picture reminds me of that. Absolutely beautiful!
Angie Hong says:
Love Big Carnelian!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
"This Is Baseball's Disease": ESPN's Jon Sciambi Rallies Names Around Baseball to ALS Gala
For those who grew up on Roosevelt Island, it was just like being back in Little League.
They were playing ball with their friends at Tony Capobianco Field, the park they grew up playing at. They still talked to friends and family through the fence as they waited for their turn to bat. If they shanked a foul ball down the first base line, with some luck they could see the ball splash into the East River. The only difference was why they were there.
The Fourth Annual Tim Sheehy Softball Classic was this past Saturday, and was the second half of a week of fundraising efforts by Project Main St. and Team Gleason. The two organizations seek to improve the quality of life for individuals living with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease. This week they raised over $300,000, which will be used to provide direct financial assistance for home health care, eye gaze machines to facilitate speaking, wheelchairs and transportation, and more ways to assist people with ALS.
Tim Sheehy and his friends grew up on Roosevelt Island, the 147-acre narrow island in the East River between Manhattan and Queens. They all played little league together on a local field on Saturdays, before adults took the field on Sunday to play softball. When people returned from college, they would join the Sunday softball games.
In 2005, Sheehy was diagnosed with ALS, and Project Main St. was founded to help people living with ALS. At the time, much of the costs associated with living with ALS were not covered by health care, and there were few organizations that served to help people with ALS be able to continue living meaningful and productive lives. ESPN baseball play-by-play announcer Jon Sciambi was one of Tim's friends and is a board member of Project Main St., and has helped bring awareness of the cause and the organization to the larger baseball community. Sciambi hosted Project Main St.'s other event this week, the second annual Tim Sheehy Gala, on May 29th at the Museum of the City of New York. Attendees included former players such as Al Leiter, Derrek Lee and Robin Ventura, as well as media members like Ken Rosenthal and Julie Stewart-Binks. There were silent and live auctions, with items including jewelry, signed memorabilia from players like Bryce Harper, Jose Altuve, and Ken Griffey Jr., a trip to MLB All-Star week, as well as the ability to donate directly to Team Gleason.
"I'm pretty overwhelmed by the support in the baseball community," said Sciambi, who is also a board member of Project Main St. "The Yankees have been amazing, the Red Sox have been incredible, the Cubs have been so supportive. I got a poster from the Fenway Park show that Pearl Jam played. They signed it, and then retweeted the auction link and it went for over $4,000."
According to the ALS Association, over 6,000 people are diagnosed with ALS in America annually. ALS causes the degeneration of motor neurons, causing those who have it to lose motor functions. Individuals with ALS can lose the ability to breathe without life support when the muscles in their chest and diaphragm stop working. People who live with ALS usually retain their cognitive abilities and their senses. There is no cure for ALS yet, and the cause is unknown.
Ryan Connolly
Project Main St.'s motto is "until there is a cure, there is care." They help people who are living with ALS by providing financial assistance to help people cover expenses associated with ALS. They partnered with Team Gleason last year not only to help grow their size and impact, but also because Team Gleason is additionally focused on developing and providing technology and equipment, including communication devices and home automation devices.
With ALS largely recognized and associated with one of the sport's all-time greats, still commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, baseball has continued to be involved with ALS issues. In 2009 and 2014, MLB honored the 70th and 75th anniversary of Gehrig's speech by forming "4 ALS", reading Gehrig's speech during the 7th inning stretch of games on the 4th of July, and raising money for four different ALS organizations. Last year, inspired by Pete Frates, the former Boston College outfielder who was diagnosed with ALS in 2012 and was one of the people behind the ice bucket challenge, MLB launched #MLBFightsALS, a week-long effort to raise funds for home health care.
"This is baseball's disease, let's not kid ourselves," said Sciambi. "I mean it's called Lou Gehrig's disease. I do think that baseball should own it, and we should have a day designated, however you want to do it. Pick a color. They do pink for Mother's Day and blue for Father's Day, but we can pick green, and even something as simple as that. If everybody in baseball is wearing green socks on the day that we pick. 'Hey, why were the Yankees and the Mets wearing green socks today?' 'For ALS awareness.' That's the type of thing I would love to see happen going forward."
While they weren't all wearing green socks for ALS at the Sheehy softball classic, they had shirts donated by Nike, and hats donated by New Era. This was the fourth year of the softball classic, and last year's players included Derrek Lee, Jessica Mendoza, and Aaron Boone. Generations of Roosevelt Islanders had raised money together, even going door to door to raise awareness, and now got to play together and support a cause started by a friend.
"Obviously you want to get the message out there, and you want to find more people with deep pockets to contribute to the cause," said Sciambi. "The other part of it that I really love is this: we get to talk about Tim. Ok it's sad. It's sad, alright. But I get to talk about my friend."


The Old Course at St Andrews is considered one of the best and oldest golf courses in the world. Known as the 'home of golf', United Private Hire offer tours to the historic St Andrews Old Course from Edinburgh and Midlothian.
Located in Fife, Scotland, St Andrews Old Course was used from the 1400s for golf and was even banned as a sport for a short period by James II of Scotland, who felt that young men were prioritising golf over practicing the combat methods of archery.
More recently, St Andrews Old Course was host to the 2010 Open Championship and was voted the Greatest Golf Course outside of the USA by Golf Digest.
If you would like to visit this historic golf course from Edinburgh and Midlothian, please contact us for a quote.
The approx. journey time from Edinburgh to St Andrews is 1.30 hours.
Visit Muirfield Golf Course on the coast of Gulane, East Lothian which hosted The 2013 Open Championships.
The 1973 Ryder Cup was also hosted in Muirfield and is open to the public during the week. United Private Hire can transfer you to this famous Scottish golf course with our 4 or 8 seat executive private hire taxis or as part of a Scottish Tour.
The approx. journey time from Edinburgh to Muirfield is 40 minutes.
Visit Turnberry Golf Course with United Private Hire. Located on the coast of the Firth of the Clyde and used as an airbase during the First World War, Turnberry offers the choice of three links golf courses to play; The Alisa Course which hosted the 2009 Open Championships, the Kintyre Course and the nine-hole Arran Course.
Turnberry Golf Tours from Edinburgh and Midlothian include pick-up and return in the comfort of your 4 seat or 8 seat private hire taxi.
The approx. journey time from Edinburgh to Turnberry is 2 hours.
Carnoustie Golf Links are in Angus, Scotland. Golf has been played here since the 1500s. Carnoustie Golf Links consist of 3 courses; The Championship Course, The Burnside Course and the shorter though just as much a test Buddon Links.
United Private Hire can take you on a Carnoustie Golf Tour from Edinburgh/Midlothian. Our 4 seat executive private hire cars and 8 seated people carriers have more than enough room to accommodate golf clubs and luggage.
The Championship Course is a public course and is as challenging for one as it is the other, it was originally designed in 1850 as by Alan Robertson and improved 20 years later by Old Tom Morris who made it 18 holes. Some years later in 1926 the course was redesigned by a famous architect James Braid. Recently it hosted The Open Championship in 2007 and The Senior Open in 2013.
If you would like to take one of our Carnoustie Golf Tours please drop us an email for a quote.
Traveling from Edinburgh to Carnoustie Golf Course takes approximately 2 hours.
Gleneagles Golf Course Tours from Edinburgh/Midlothian are to the Gleneagles Hotel, this is an amazing Luxury Hotel and Spa incorporating one of the most famous names in world golf "Gleneagles". Gleneagles is owned by the alcoholic drinks giant Diageo, there are 4 courses , The PGA Centenary Course which is the host venue to the 2014 Ryder Cup, The King's Course, The Queen's Course and the aptly named small 9 hole course The Wee Course.
Gleneagles is near Auchterarder, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. Edinburgh Airport to Gleneagles Golf Course is less than 1 hours' drive. Why not take advantage of our meet & greet service at the airport and have one of our 4 or 8 seat private hire cars or taxis take you to the 2014 Ryder Cup.
United Private Hire can cater for all your travel needs, from simply being transferred from Edinburgh Airport or a more detailed itinerary of a multiple Golf Course Tour. Call now for a quote.
Midlothian/Edinburgh to Gleneagles 2014 Ryder Cup is approximately a 50 minute drive.


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Obama's Man in China Now Beijing's Man in Washington
Yuichiro Kakutani
Chinese Companies Are Buying American Military Academies, Lawmaker Warns
China Spied on Americans' Phones in Caribbean, Expert Finds
Jack Beyrer
China allegedly used telecommunications networks in the Caribbean to spy on Americans traveling abroad, according to a network security expert's findings reported by the Guardian.
Using a state-controlled tech giant, Chinese officials allegedly conducted surveillance attacks to track and intercept communications of mobile phone users without their knowledge. China has engaged in the practice since at least 2018, targeting 3G and 4G phone users, a former telecommunications security executive told the Guardian.
The surveillance attacks largely occurred in countries such as Barbados and the Bahamas, affecting potentially tens of thousands of users, including U.S. citizens abroad.
The majority of the attacks on mobile phones were routed through the state-owned telecommunications company China Unicom, according to the security expert. Simultaneous surveillance intrusions were traced to Caribbean-based companies, though the expert suggested they may not have knowingly participated in malicious data theft but simply leased a network address to a Chinese entity carrying out surveillance.
In April, Federal Communications Commission chairman Ajit Pai declared China Unicom vulnerable to control from the CCP.
New reports about China's ability to spy on Americans in the Caribbean only add to existing concerns about Beijing's influence in the region, American Enterprise Institute research fellow Ryan Berg told the Free Beacon.
"The revelation that China has spied on U.S. citizens through Caribbean mobile phone networks ought to give every single government in the Western Hemisphere pause—especially those committed to allowing Chinese telecoms to build their 5G networks and other critical infrastructure," Berg said. "Today, it's American citizens on vacation in the Caribbean, but tomorrow it could be Brazilians, Mexicans, and Colombians."
Beijing's influence in the Caribbean does not end with surveillance of phone networks. China has developed strong ties with Cuba, allowing China to project greater influence at the United Nations. And Beijing has reportedly sought to reduce international recognition of Taiwan's sovereignty by winning support in the Caribbean.
The Trump administration has set competition with China in Latin America at the top of its agenda for the region. Through the Blue Dot Network and Clean Path initiatives, Washington has formed a growing coalition to build infrastructure and telecommunications hubs throughout the region free of Chinese influence. The innovative plans also minimize public expense, as they primarily receive investment and development from private companies.
"The Clean Network will facilitate private sector-led infrastructure development in Latin America as well as investment from the innovation sector," said Adam Boehler, CEO of the U.S. Development Finance Corporation. "A commitment to the Clean Network serves as a big catalyst for growth in the Americas."
Published under: 5G , China , Cuba , Latin America


text:
Entrepreneur in Residence
Interview with Dr Nessa Carey
In January 2020, the MSD Translational Research Office (TRO) welcomed Dr Nessa Carey as a Royal Society Entrepreneur in Residence (EiR). In this role, Nessa leads the strategic development and implementation of the Entrepreneur in Residence (EiR) scheme in Medical Sciences, laying the foundation of a world-class innovation support ecosystem capable of accelerating the translation of world-leading research into innovative therapies, business and commercial products.
In this interview, Nessa talks about her career to date, the hurdles she has overcome both professionally and personally, and why its never too early to seek expert advice.
First, tell us a little bit about your career to date and why you wanted to be involved in the Entrepreneur in Residence scheme?
I've been successful as an academic, an industry person and as a freelance consultant, specialising in drug discovery. I love working at the interface between different sectors, looking at basic research and unravelling the ways in which its outputs could help make the world a better place, and finding the routes to do that. The Entrepreneur-in-Residence scheme is a great opportunity to put all of that into practise, and includes really fun activities such as working with younger scientists to help them think about their research and their careers in new and exciting ways.
What opportunities does entrepreneurship bring to an academic and scientific career?
So many! Working on exciting challenges; the satisfaction of knowing you're making a difference to people's lives through multiple routes such as job creation or development of better therapies; publishing high impact multidisciplinary papers; more funding for research; building an expanded professional network that supports your future activities; learning amazing skills that are applicable in multiple sectors. You may even get a bit richer.
How will the Entrepreneur and Experts in Residence schemes support early career researchers at Oxford?
We're always available to discuss your innovative ideas, help you test them, give you insight, share our knowledge, connect you to other people. We're also working with some of the Experts to design training courses and workshops, and we're happy to share our experiences of working in multiple types of organisations, which can be invaluable for researchers thinking about where their future lies.
How about researchers with projects that are at an early stage of development, can the schemes help them?
It's never too early to seek expert advice. Often the most useful thing we can do is not to provide answers but to help researchers identify the right questions. If it's your first time working in innovation, it's really easy to start off down the wrong path, such as improving the technical features of an innovation for which there is ultimately no market niche. We can help you to avoid those sorts of mistakes.
The EiR scheme aims to help our research community navigate hurdles to commercialisation and spin-out. What is the biggest hurdle you have had to overcome?
In a professional sense, it was being in a company where the tech was fantastic but we really struggled to find a way that it could meet a market need. We were too in love with the science to take the hard decisions about the commercial reality. In a personal sense, the biggest hurdle is that I come from a working class background and didn't grow up with the same sense of confidence of many of the people I met in the world of start-ups.
What kind of events and opportunities can Oxford researchers look forward to getting involved with over the next 12 months?
Anyone at Oxford who wants to get involved in entrepreneurship and innovation has wonderful opportunities, ranging from lunchtime seminars to MBA-type courses. I'm working with colleagues to try to increase the offerings that really focus on helping researchers engage with innovation very early on in research projects, and to learn to triage efficiently and kill entrepreneurship projects ruthlessly if they are fatally flawed. That sounds brutal but in reality innovation by its very nature is risky and stopping something appropriately isn't failure, it's smart decision-making. Of course, we're also hoping that as we move past Covid-19, we can get our Experts together for some fabulous events where they can interact with, and inspire, even more researchers to get involved in entrepreneurship.
Find out more about the Entrepreneur in Residence scheme and the Experts in Residence scheme
Supporting Oxford researchers
Design a Translational Strategy
Secure Translational Funding
Experts in Residence
Experts in Residence: Two Years in the Making
Product Design in Biomedical Engineering
Medical Technologies - Regulatory and Market Access
Innovation & commercial opportunities
News, Training & Events
Entrepreneur in Residence Masterclass Series 2022
MLSTF Case Studies
Tips for MLSTF applicants
How do you get from an idea to a marketed drug?
Developing a medical device
Translational Research Office Releases Online Toolkit For Researchers
My Favourite Failure - Video Series


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January 28, 2020 January 28, 2020 Mark Noonan
Jared Kushner's peace plan was released – looks like it would be excellent for the Palestinians if they would accept the deal (and the money) and settle down to build themselves a national life…but we can rely on it the Palestinian leadership will reject it out of hand and work up some paid mobs to pretend to be the Palestinian people expressing their righteous anger. Two things will decide the fate of this plan:
1. Trump getting re-elected: if he is, then US policy on this won't change any time soon.
2. Most of the Muslim world telling the Palestinians to accept the deal or get bent.
We'll see how it comes out. Elder of Ziyon has a brief rundown.
The impeachment thing still goes on – now with Bolton being the White Knight who will save the day for the left. What really irks me is now many times we on our side went to bat for Bolton and this is how he pays us back. They really are garbage, these old-line GOPe types, aren't they? You wonder if they ever really believed anything they ever said when they were supposedly on our side. Thanks to RINO's like Mitt and Collins, there's still some back and forth about whether witnesses will be called. Ultimately, the witnesses, themselves, don't matter: there's nothing for them to tell. But it is amazingly irritating that the RINO's keep doing this stuff – they've got to realize by now that we really can't stand them doing this. In the end, though, its all a big nothing: Trump won't be removed – it is only a 1% chance that any GOPer actually votes to convict (10% chance that Manchin votes to acquit).
The Supreme Court ruled that Trump, indeed, has the power to enforce American law which bars welfare bums from immigrating.
Latest on the Coronovirus: 100,000 may already be infected. I'm still pretty "meh" about it.
Some of our Liberal and Never Trump Elite Expert Super Smarty-Pants guys yucked it up about how we Trump supporters are all morons. They have been massively dragged on social media for it, and deservedly so. But it got me thinking: these guys really aren't too bright and really don't know much. They are always insulting us as having not gone to college and that we don't read books. But I'd stack my list of read books against any of these dimwits…and I'll bet mine is a lot larger and covers more variety.
Open ThreadCoronovirus, immigration, Impeachment, Israel, Never Trump, Peace Deal
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29 thoughts on "Open Thread"
Cluster January 28, 2020 / 6:13 pm
Speaking of establishment GOPers, has anyone noticed how many McCain staffers now work for CNN or MSNBC? None of them believed in what they were preaching and we were being taken for a ride … hence our STRONG support of Trump. He is the first GOP President since Reagan to actually believe in what he campaigns on.
M. Noonan January 29, 2020 / 12:34 am
It was a charade – with the only thing really mattering to them is that corporate taxes be kept low; corporations were allowed to move our jobs overseas so they could get an extra 1% in their portfolios, and that the foreign aid/military-industrial grift be kept going. They are all morons, in my view, now: people too stupid to realize that they were killing the goose which laid the golden eggs for them.
Amazona January 29, 2020 / 11:36 am
Re: your comment on keeping corporate taxes low and "allowing" corporations to decided where to put their operations:
"corporate taxes" are usually just consumer taxes, as the cost of taxation is built into the pricing of the goods or services. We end up paying that difference. And creating a good business environment where corporations can make the same profits here as elsewhere means more jobs for Americans.
When we have to compete with low labor costs to keep companies in the United States—which is just another way of saying "jobs in the United States"—-we have to offer other reasons to stay. We need to focus more on the benefits of those companies staying here and less on how we feel about their bottom line. In a free society we can't force companies to stay here, or dictate how they are run. All we can do is have a business climate that encourages domestic expansion and domestic job creation.
Cluster January 29, 2020 / 9:36 am
While they are in all probability the most annoying and insufferable people on the planet, we all owe a huge debt of gratitude to Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, Jerry Nadler, and Chuck Schumer:
Nearly 22 percent of identified supporters at President Trump's rally in Toledo, Ohio, were Democrats, and another 21 percent were independents. An astounding 15 percent of identified voters who saw the president speak in Battle Creek, Michigan, has not voted in any of the last four elections. In Hershey, Pennsylvania, just over 20 percent of identified voters at the rally were Democrats, and 18 percent were non-white.
Also, last night in NJ, over 100,000 people requested to be at the rally that only held 10,000. Now consider the fact that regardless of who the Democrat nominee is, that party will most likely split in two and we may be witnessing the lead up to the largest electoral landslide victory ever. While Trump signs two landmark trade deals and brokers peace in the middle east, the Democrats are worried about transgendered athletes. 2020 is going to be a very good year.
https://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2020/01/trump-rally-data-shows-clear-winning-coalition-2020/
Retired Spook January 29, 2020 / 9:51 am
Is anyone here really surprised by this?
Cluster January 29, 2020 / 11:09 am
Um ….. no
No. And I love it. I hope Sanders does get the nomination—it will do more to promote a massive Republican landslide than any other single event could. It would split the Democrat Party, it would drive Democrats to vote Republican, and in a list where it's hard to figure out which is number one it would give us a chance to show, clearly and in their own words the agendas and philosophies of the Left.
If we are smart enough to connect those dots and get that message out to the people, that is. For that, I remain skeptical. Though I have to admit, Conservative messaging HAS gotten better, as the impeachment has not only forced some Republicans to find backbones and voices it has showed us that this is a winning strategy.
Retired Spook January 29, 2020 / 9:30 pm
Sanders has said one of the first things he would do as President is undo the new USMCA trade deal. That'll get him a lot of blue collar and union votes/NOT!
Would he do that before or after he rounds up all the Trump voters and sends them to "reeducation" camps to become slave labor?
Just heard a report that Bolton's manuscript contains classified information, some of which is top secret so the NSC is demanding it be deleted or rewritten. Good job John, you opportunistic POS
He also didn't mention any concerns about the infamous telephone call in a taped interview about three weeks after the call. I hear the Dems, after seeing the video of that interview, are rethinking their Bolton witness efforts. That, and the threat of the Republicans calling Schiff, and/or Ciaramella. Personally, I would trade a Bolton testimony for a Schiff grilling, as I would love to get his lies told under penalty of perjury for a change—just think of him squirming when asked about the lies he has already told, but under oath this time. Well worth anything Bolton could possibly say.
Cory Gardner is now saying he doesn't need to hear any more witnesses. I understand Utah is fed up with Mittens. I wrote to the state GOPs in both Colorado and Utah saying if those senators screw this up those organizations can count on me for support and donations if they primary the incumbent with solid Republican candidates. I think that is the only way to get messages through to them.
Mittens – too funny
I caught Sekulow and the other lawyer (name starts with H) deliver blistering responses yesterday to questions. Lawyer H detailed Hunter Biden's years of corruption in Ukraine including his partnership with Devin Archer and then proceeded to demand House Managers present the investigation that debunked this story. They can not because there has NEVER been an investigation – it was impactful.
Sekulow followed shortly afterward and proceeded to challenge the House's request for witnesses to which he emphatically said "so you want witnesses? Well so do I". And as he looked directly at Schumer, he said "I want Adam Schiff, I want the whistle blower, I want Hunter Biden, I want Joe Biden". "If you want to go there, that's where we're going"
Two responses that hit the Democrats between the eyes. There will be no witnesses and this case ends Friday.
I heard one pundit say, "the longer House managers talk, the weaker their case gets" LOL
Imagine this. The Senate acquits Trump on Friday then he marches into Nancy's House on Tuesday and delivers one of the strongest State of the Union speeches ever.
If you heard yesterdays proceedings, the House managers essentially argued that the House intelligence and judiciary committees have unchecked power when it comes to impeachment. They argued that they do not need the full house vote to issue subpoena's, that they should be able to circumvent the courts, and that the WH should be compelled to present all incriminating evidence upon request. In other words, whatever the House committees request, should be presented without question and without delay which ultimately then places the House as the unquestioned final authority. This is not how the Constitution is written. No branch has unchecked power. Not one.
Moreover, Schiff quashed the subpoena issued to Bolton's assistant to prevent the court from ruling on Executive Power. A ruling of which would not benefit the Democrats.
(emphasis mine)
Before he was detailed to the White House, Vindman served in the U.S. Army, where he once received a reprimand from a superior officer for badmouthing and ridiculing America in front of Russian soldiers his unit was training with during a joint 2012 exercise in Germany.
His commanding officer, Army Lt. Col. Jim Hickman, complained that Vindman, then a major, "was apologetic of American culture, laughed about Americans not being educated or worldly and really talked up Obama and globalism to the point of [it being] uncomfortable."
"Vindman was a partisan Democrat at least as far back as 2012," Hickman, now retired, asserted. "Do not let the uniform fool you. He is a political activist in uniform."
After the CIA analyst was coached on how to file a complaint under Intelligence Community whistleblower protections, he was steered to another Obama holdover — former Justice Department attorney-turned-inspector general Michael Atkinson, who facilitated the processing of his complaint, despite numerous red flags raised by career Justice Department lawyers who reviewed it.
The department's Office of Legal Counsel ruled that the complaint involved "foreign diplomacy," not intelligence, contained "hearsay" evidence based on "secondhand" information, and did not meet the definition of an "urgent concern" that needed to be reported to Congress. Still, Atkinson worked closely with Schiff to pressure the White House to make the complaint public.
Fleitz said cloaking the CIA analyst in the whistleblower statute provided him cover from public scrutiny. By making him anonymous, he was able to hide his background and motives. Filing the complaint with the IC inspector general, moreover, gave him added protections against reprisals, while letting him disclose classified information. If he had filed directly with Congress, it could not have made the complaint public due to concerns about disclosing classified information. But a complaint referred by the IG to Congress gave it more latitude over what it could make public.
On Oct. 8, after more media reports revealed the whistleblower and Schiff's staff had concealed their contacts with each other, the whistleblower called Atkinson's office to try to explain why he made false statements in writing and verbally, transgressions that could be punishable with a fine of up to $10,000, imprisonment for up five years, or both, according to the federal form he signed under penalty of perjury.
In his clarification to the inspector general, the whistleblower acknowledged for the first time reaching out to Schiff's staff before filing the complaint, according to an investigative report filed later that month by Atkinson.
"The whistleblower got caught," Ratcliffe said. "The whistleblower made false statements. The whistleblower got caught with Chairman Schiff."
He says the truth about what happened is documented on pages 53-73 of the transcript of Atkinson's eight-hour testimony. Except that Schiff refuses to release it.
"Michael Atkinson is a key anti-Trump conspirator who played a central role in transforming the 'whistleblower' complaint into the current impeachment proceedings," said Bill Marshall, a senior investigator for Judicial Watch, the conservative government watchdog group that is suing the Justice Department for Atkinson's internal communications regarding impeachment.
https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2020/01/22/whistleblower_was_overheard_in_17_discussing_with_ally_how_to_remove_trump
Finally, Atkinson's role is being made public and discussed. I understand the Senate's decision to not clutter up the impeachment sham with a lot of stuff not directly related to the alleged charges. But I do hope that the Senate will proceed with its own investigation into the facts stated here, or the DOJ, or some agency with authority, Ciaramella should be hit with that "up to $10,000, imprisonment for up five years, or both" penalty for perjury in the filing of his form. Atkinson should be held accountable, as much as the law allows, for his participation in what really IS a conspiracy. A real conspiracy, not a theory. And Vindman should be court-martialed, held to the highest standard of military justice. Ditto for his brother, if he is the source of the "leak" of the Bolton material, which BTW was not a quote but an attribution of its meaning, another editing of what someone really said to tell us "what he really meant". This is the Vindman M.O. and it must be dealt with.
Retired Spook January 30, 2020 / 12:02 pm
I would bet a month of my navy pension that at least half of the GOP senators are not aware of most of what you just posted. I have nearly zero confidence that the entire truth of the last 3 years will ever be made public. There is just too much incentive to preserve the status quo inside the beltway.
Amazona January 31, 2020 / 12:30 pm
If they are not aware of it, they should be, which is why I have thought calling some witnesses would be important to not just kill this impeachment charade but put a stake through its heart by making it clear it was always a setup, put in place by political activists with histories of this kind of agenda.
You think the rhetoric is bad now?
Jason Johnson, a favorite pundit of the left-wing cable channel, went on a tirade and warned viewers that an acquittal of President Trump would embolden him to "shut down voting" in the entire state of California ahead of the 2020 election.
Wait until Trump is acquitted? Progressive heads are going to explode.
https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/kyle-drennen/2020/01/30/msnbc-pundit-if-acquitted-trump-will-shut-down-voting-california
"Imagine Donald Trump deciding sometime in June, 'Well, I heard this conspiracy theory that a lot of illegal immigrants voted in California, so I've decided that during the presidential election California has to undergo extreme vetting because we can't trust their votes. We're going to shut down voting in a state.' "
(1) The new must-be-constantly-repeated theme of the howling Left is "conspiracy theory". They seem to think it is such a powerful and evocative phrase it should be used as often as possible.
(2) Johnson evidently either idolizes Adam Schiff and wants to use him as a role model, simply inventing statements by other people, or he thinks this has been a successful gambit and one to imitate.
(3) Dems already know the next election will be marked by record-breaking voter fraud and are trying to get out ahead of it by sending out intellectual cannon fodder like Johnson to set up preemptive lines of defense.
Cluster February 1, 2020 / 4:22 pm
The latest complicit media line now is …. monarchy. The President is now a Monarch and Republicans have abandoned our representative republic. Never underestimate the Left's ability to go to extreme levels.
Retired Spook February 1, 2020 / 4:36 pm
I guess we'll find out in November, but my sense is that the more over the top the Dems go, the more votes of ordinary Americans they lose.
Amazona February 1, 2020 / 9:45 pm
The shrill whining hysteria of the Left is so bizarre, I really don't know what to think of it. If they truly believe the nonsense they are spouting then they are truly mentally unbalanced. Emotionally unbalanced, we already knew, but this would show a level of mental instability that is alarming. I think it more likely that they know it is bunkum (I'm trying to channel Joe Biden's modern slang) but hope they can sway some of the more feeble minds out there.
The thing is, this kind of insanity can only appeal to feeble minds, and I agree with you, Spook—-the crazier they sound the more people will decided this is not the party with which they want to be affiliated.
Hopefully in a few weeks, or months, we will have a flood of ads quoting these loons, with that same message—-that the line has been drawn, with sanity on one side and the American Left on the other. They have given us so much ammunition I hope we can figure out how to use it. If we only look at their blatant and disproved lies we should be able to bury them.
I think a Senate investigation of the process leading to the impeachment, accompanied by testimony and proof that the leaders of the movement know all along it was bogus, will seal the deal.
Retired Spook February 2, 2020 / 9:49 am
the crazier they sound the more people will decided this is not the party with which they want to be affiliated.
Well, not all of them. I know — I was shocked too.
Cluster February 2, 2020 / 11:03 am
Kristol is such a loser and this is just a desperate plea of his to try and be liked again.
What Kristol openly admitted was that his purported conservatism was bogus, because it was based on his emotional reaction to other conservatives and not on the conservative principles of Constitutional governance.
If you can flip to a party which represents the very opposite of conservative political principles just because you don't like the person currently representing the party enacting those principles that just means those principles were never part of your alleged allegiance in the first place.
That is how I felt about the Bushes supporting Hillary, as well. I expect the hyper-emotional sheeple of the mainstream Dem party to vote in complete ignorance of the actual POLITICAL structure represented by the party, but I expect political leaders and professional pundits to have at least a cursory grasp of the structure of their chosen political allegiance and of the opposition. People like Kristol and the Bushes and others who supported Hillary or talk about moving to the Dem party are basically just admitting that their supposed political beliefs were always shallow and rooted in emotion.
If and hopefully when, the whistleblower is confirmed to be Eric Ciaramella, the Democrats' own abuse of power and obstruction of justice will be revealed. Once President Trump is acquitted next week, the Senate committee chairs need to investigate the origin of this fraud. If they don't, the Democrats will be emboldened and unless the Republicans can retake the House and keep the Senate, the President's second term will be bogged down by a new series of investigations and/or impeachment inquiries.
I have been hoping that the Senate made the decision not to just abandon any investigation into the origins of the impeachment hoax but deal with it separately from the impeachment trial itself. Perhaps some public encouragement to follow the trial with such an investigation will help nudge them in that direction, if they haven't already decided to do so.
https://www.redstate.com/elizabeth-vaughn/2020/02/01/775442/
Cluster February 2, 2020 / 9:52 am
unless the Republicans can retake the House and keep the Senate,
That's the key right there. If the GOP doesn't take the House the next 4 years will be nothing but more impeachment nonsense with the volume turned way up. It will be unbearable. But I have to think that Nancy, Adam, and Jerry have done everything they can to assure their loss.
This is a good article on an issue we're all too familiar:
'Our society is falling apart,' says Desaulniers.
'If people do not play by some rules, society does not function. But it feels like there is no order, there is no shame.'
….. the tide of homeless, addicted and mentally ill people washing up here has become so severe that a global expert on slums claimed San Francisco may be more unsanitary than some of the poorest parts of Africa and Asia.
And this is why this current Democrat party should NEVER wield government power again. They have destroyed the Cities they govern, they cheat in their own primaries, they are never honest to their constituents, they manufacture chaos and then exploit it, and they routinely engage in character assassination against their opponents.
While Democrat POTUS candidates once again engage in deceiving their constituents on the "shared prosperity" of socialism and how much "they care" … all you have to do is look at the cities of San Fran, Portland, an Seattle to see how they plays out in real life.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-7956517/IAN-BIRRELL-tech-giants-turned-San-Francisco-dystopian-nightmare.html
Back in the '70's and '80's, my dad was an executive with the San Francisco Chronicle so I spent a lot of time exploring the City and going to Candlestick Park and watching Joe Montana dissect defenses and win championships. San Francisco was a very cool city back then, but that is no longer the case and it's sad to see the mental disease of liberalism destroy that once great city however they can't destroy the team …. I have been a faithful 49er fan for a long long time (even thru the Colin Kaepernick days) and I have not been more excited about a 49er team since the 1988 team of Montana, Rice, Taylor, Craig and Rathman. This team has all the right ingredients to be dominate once again so ….
GO 49ERS !!!


Do you need a simple way to post and share large files on the Web temporarily?
Is sending an attachment over email a bad option, for whatever reason?
You could try Amazon S3 or FileURLs, both of which offer the ability to transfer files around. You could use the tried and true method of posting to a server and FTP client. You could even set up a BitTorrent tranfer between machines.
Or you could check out Drop.io. Launched in November of 2007, this New York City-based storage-as-a-service provider makes storing and sharing files anonymously a breeze. Allen Stern covered the launch of the Drop.io alpha for Center Networks.
You don't need to register or sign up for an account. Drop.io allows a user to create a "drop" — a dedicated storage space, with all of two clicks. Basic drops are free and include 100MB of storage space.
You creates a drop URL with a unique name more than seven characters long.
You upload a file to it and sets an expiration time (1 day to 1 year) for when it will be deleted, along with passwords for access and administration.
You then can choose what level of access (read, read/write, read/write/delete) any non-admin users will have.
Once you've created a drop folder, you can continue to add files and notes to it over the Web, cellphone, email, SMS or even fax.
Each drop also has a dedicated phone extension that allow you to call in and record voice messages that are then added to the drop.
Drop.io isn't indexed by Google or other search engines, so your data will remain as private as your friends and clients are with the access information.
The service doesn't require you to give your email address or create a permanent account or profile. Once the drop expires, so does everything related to it.
Just any time you're uploading large files, there can be freezes or time outs if your upstream connection isn't all it could be, as David Weinberger noted when he tried it out. I didn't have any issues when I dropped a screencast for a colleague onto the service.
Drop.io has another cool feature: an RSS feed created for the drop. As a fan of RSS, this is a snazzy feature that instantly opens up new means of collaboration and distribution.
If you post an audio or video file into a drop, bingo: instant podcast, complete with a player. Remember: You can also leave voice messages on a given drop, so this is about as easy a podcasting method as you'll find.
As Lifehacker pointed out, Drop.io features free, simple faxing. Other folks can send faxes to your dedicated number, where the document are converted into a PDF and syndicated to any portable device that can handle that format. You'll need to send an automatically generated cover sheet to the sender to ensure proper conversion. Conversely, you can upload a document to Drop.io, enter a destination fax number and click "Fax" to send.
There's even a way to embed the Drop.io widget in a Web page or wiki, which allows visitors to *send* you files. Password protection is included if you're leery of malware (an excellent idea, in this writer's opinion).
Your friends, colleagues and clients can also post to the drop simply by emailing a file to it, though given that the service specifically works *around* sending large files through email servers, this is probably best kept to smaller bits and bytes of content. Just address the message to yourdropname@drop.io.
Read the Drop.io FAQ for more information or check out the brief tutorial.
Watch a video interview with the founders of Drop.io, Sam Lessin and Darshan Somashekar, from CenterNetworks.
Leo Laporte and Amber MacArthur also had Sam and Darshan on the 46th episode of the Net@Night netcast.
The service isn't perfect: As Dave Winer and Michael Arrington both noted, files posted to Drop.io are not added as an enclosure to the RSS feed, which means you'll have to go back to the service to retrieve the media.


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