By Xuefei Chen Axelsson
STOCKHOLM, Feb. 12(Greenpost) –Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde has just presented the Government’s Statement of Foreign Policy to the Riksdag.
The Statement summarised the Swedish Government’s foreign policy priorities for 2020, includes a new announcement on strengthened efforts to combat organised crime. Also notable in the Statement is a stronger focus on security in Europe ahead of Sweden assuming the role of Chair of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in 2021.
Photo: Government Offices of Sweden/Kristian Pohl
“My principal duty is to work for security in Sweden. International developments affect us, regardless of whether they involve security in our neighbourhood, climate change or the pushback against democracy. Organised crime is a good example of this, because it has clear international links,” said Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde.
Another new announcement is that the Government is strengthening its focus on trade union rights abroad as part of its Drive for Democracy, launched last year in the Statement of Foreign Policy.
The whole text is as the following:
The Government’s Statement of Foreign Policy 2020
Mr/Madam Speaker, Honourable Members, Representatives of the Diplomatic Corps, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Sweden’s foreign policy is conducted with the aim of creating security in our country and around the world.
The conflicts, climate emergency and refugee flows of recent years show that events far from our national borders also affect us in Sweden.
The world is becoming increasingly unpredictable – and it’s getting closer. The ongoing coronavirus outbreak shows how interconnected the world is.
There are those who think we should close the door to cooperation. As if the problems would disappear if we just shut our eyes. I am convinced that we must respond to a troubled world by increasing cooperation and solidarity. International problems require international responses.
People around the world are demonstrating for freedom and justice. The climate movement brings millions of people together on the streets. We have a responsibility to listen to their urgent calls.
Well-functioning international cooperation and international law are the foundation of an international order in which rules and agreements take precedence over the concept of ‘might is right’. This order is necessary for Sweden to be safe and secure.
We stand up for diplomacy, dialogue and cooperation. This is how we defend our interests, values and security. This is how we make the world safer.
The EU is our most important foreign and security policy arena. No other actor is a greater guarantor of Sweden’s economy, security and peace. Sweden will participate fully in EU cooperation and in shaping it in a way that safeguards Sweden’s interests.
The United Kingdom has now left the EU and the time has come to look to the future. Sweden will continue to maintain as close and comprehensive a relationship as possible with the United Kingdom.
We are also strengthening relations with leading Member States, such as Germany and France, and enhancing Nordic cooperation. This makes our region more secure and sustainable. In the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Government is pushing for implementation of the common vision that the Nordic region will become the most sustainable and integrated region in the world by 2030.
A renewed Arctic Strategy will be presented during the year.
For several years, the rule of law and respect for the EU’s fundamental values have been undermined in some Member States. Together with the European Commission and other Member States, Sweden takes a clear stand against this trend.
Many people today are concerned that EU enlargement is moving too fast. We take this seriously. At the same time, close relations with the countries of the Western Balkans are important to our common security and economy. We want to find a way forward that unites the EU and that clearly contributes to reform efforts in the Western Balkans. Here, the prospect of eventually becoming a member is important.
The European Commission has previously proposed that negotiations be started with Albania and North Macedonia. Sweden has been prepared to support this.
Sweden supports the proposal for a review of the enlargement process, and it is important that all essential requirements are met before a country can become a member.
Diplomacy is our primary line of defence.
The Defence Commission emphasises the importance of safeguarding our sovereignty and Swedish interests. This means being able to use all the instruments we have at our disposal – political, diplomatic, economic and military – in a coherent manner. This is how we build common security.
I would like to express special thanks to the Swedes taking part in our civilian and military operations in areas such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Mali and Ukraine. You are making an invaluable contribution to peace and security – internationally and in Sweden.
Europe must take greater responsibility for its own security.
The EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy must be strengthened so as to defend the EU’s interests and values around the world.
Our security is strengthened by stability and economic growth in the EU’s neighbourhood. We stand by our commitments to support reform processes in Ukraine and other countries in the EU’s eastern neighbourhood.
The Eastern Partnership recently reached its 10-year milestone. Sweden will continue to promote the Partnership in the EU.
We also want to show that a southern partnership is possible. Close cooperation with the countries of North Africa is already in place. But this must be enhanced and the EU must provide support for the stability and development of these states.
Sweden’s security policy remains firmly in place. Our non-participation in military alliances serves us well and contributes to stability and security in northern Europe. It requires an active, broad and responsible foreign and security policy combined with enhanced defence cooperation – particularly with Finland – and credible national defence capabilities. We will contribute to long-term stability and security in our part of Europe.
Rapid technological advances, not least within cyber security and AI, are creating new challenges in the grey area between competitiveness, trade and security policy.
Sweden’s foreign and security policy builds on cohesion in the EU and increased cooperation on a broad front: in the Nordic and Baltic Sea regions, in the UN and the OSCE, and through partnership with NATO. A strong transatlantic link is important for the security of Europe and the United States.
The UN plays an important role for peace and security, development and human rights, and is a central arena for Sweden’s response to global challenges. The UN will remain a cornerstone of our foreign and security policy. We support Norway’s candidacy for a seat on the United Nations Security Council.
Sweden will not remain passive if another EU Member State or a Nordic country suffers a disaster or an attack. We expect these countries to act in the same way if Sweden is affected. We must therefore be able to both give and receive support, civilian as well as military.
Sweden’s role as Chair of the OSCE in 2021 will be based on our strong engagement for the European security order. Upholding the OSCE’s jointly agreed principles and commitments is a major security interest for Sweden.
Everyone has the right to live in safety regardless of where they live. This applies both here at home and in other countries. No one should need to look anxiously over their shoulder on their way home from school or work.
Since autumn 2014, the Government has implemented a range of measures against organised crime, including stricter penalties and more police officers, and has also conducted important crime prevention activities.
But we know that this kind of crime also has links abroad.
We are therefore introducing new initiatives to reinforce law enforcement via our embassies and international cooperation.
We will appoint an ambassador at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs tasked with coordinating the MFA’s work against organised crime and supporting Swedish law enforcement authorities.
Our embassies will be instructed to monitor the issue of crime with links to Sweden. Our embassies in places such as the Western Balkans, the South Caucasus and Latin America will be specially tasked with prioritising this issue.
The Government will continue the successful efforts against organised crime in the Council of the Baltic Sea States and within the framework of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council, the EU Eastern Partnership and the Nordic Council of Ministers.
Sweden will enhance efforts to stop the flow of weapons and drugs, and take new steps against cross-border crime and terrorism. Europol and Eurojust are central to this work.
Global warming is affecting us here and now.
It is not just a matter of direct consequences of more extreme weather – an unstable climate also disrupts the economy, food security and our welfare and security.
Climate change exacerbates tensions and conflicts. Sweden will continue to show leadership through climate diplomacy that encourages other countries to raise their ambitions.
The EU is a necessary force in global climate action. Sweden will continue to show leadership both in and outside the EU and will be the world’s first fossil-free welfare nation. Our climate efforts are ranked the highest in the world. We have doubled our contribution to the Green Climate Fund. We are working at home and internationally for a just transition.
Functioning ecosystems are essential for all life. Forests, wetlands and oceans are home to a rich biodiversity. The marine environment is under enormous pressure from climate change, overexploitation, pollution and eutrophication. The Government wants to see a global target of 30 per cent of oceans designated as marine protection areas.
Democracy around the world continues to be challenged and questioned.
This trend is threatening the foundation of our safety and security. Sweden is therefore increasing its efforts to defend and promote democracy around the world through the Drive For Democracy initiative.
We are building alliances with like-minded countries and organisations that want to help strengthen democracy. The appropriation to democracy aid has been increased.
We are increasing support to ensure open societies, particularly for free and independent media and freedom of the press.
We are defending and promoting the rights of LGBTI people.
We are strengthening our measures to combat corruption, which is one of the worst obstacles to development. All suspicions of corruption in aid are followed up and addressed.
We are boosting the significance of trade as a platform for dialogue on human rights and democracy. Swedish export credits for investment in exploration and exploitation of fossil fuels must cease by 2022.
Increasing antisemitism is a growing concern all over the world and a threat to democracy. The Prime Minister has therefore taken the initiative to hold an international conference in Malmö in October 2020 for Holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism.
The rights of women and girls are under attack. Conservative forces are trying to restrict the right of women and girls to decide over their own bodies and lives.
Issues relating to women, peace and security, as well as women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, are especially important to stand up for.
To reverse this trend, courageous action is needed at all levels. This is why we are pursuing a feminist foreign policy.
It is gratifying that we have been joined by countries such as Canada, France, Luxembourg and Mexico.
Within the EU, Sweden and France have taken the initiative to improve the effectiveness of the EU’s gender equality work, and we are establishing a feminist trade policy.
Around the world, more than 165 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. The 2030 Agenda provides a roadmap for sustainable development that permeates Sweden’s work. Sweden’s development assistance is effective and world-class. The Government remains committed to the 1 per cent goal.
War is a catastrophe for people and societies. Children are often the worst affected. Here at home, in the UN and in the EU, Sweden is working to safeguard rights and strengthen the protection of children.
It is important that the EU has a common asylum system that provides legal certainty, is humane and sustainable, and in which all countries take their responsibility. The right to asylum must be protected.
Extreme poverty has been falling since 1990, but inequality is rising.
Inequality is not only unjust and a barrier to economic development – it also creates a breeding ground for tensions and conflict. We have seen examples of this in several major demonstrations around the world, not least in Chile. Greater equality is part of Sweden’s foreign policy.
The Global Deal initiative promotes social dialogue and sustainable growth globally. In certain countries, standing up for trade unions and decent working conditions means risking your life. Trade union rights are part of our Drive for Democracy and will be raised in all Ministry for Foreign Affairs country reports on human rights.
World trade contributes to lifting entire countries out of poverty and to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
As a member of the EU, Sweden is pursuing a policy for free and fair trade that contributes to sustainable development and creates jobs throughout the country. Every third job in Sweden depends on our trade with the rest of the world.
We are mobilising our efforts with an updated export and investment strategy for the whole of Sweden.
Expo 2020 in Dubai will showcase Swedish companies’ competitiveness in innovation and sustainability.
We cannot take a passive stance on the nuclear threat.
Developments are alarming: arms control agreements are being abandoned. Nuclear weapons arsenals are being expanded and modernised.
Disarmament and non-proliferation are central foreign and security policy priorities for the Government.
Through the Stockholm Initiative on Nuclear Disarmament, the Government is contributing to the upcoming Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. This work is now being advanced at a new ministerial meeting in Germany.
As Chair of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors, Sweden is taking responsibility for non-proliferation. Compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal is central.
Within the framework of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, Sweden is pushing for an effective international ban on lethal autonomous weapons systems that are incompatible with the requirements of international law.
Our close relationship with the United States is of central importance to Sweden’s security and prosperity.
A functioning international community presupposes an engaged United States. It is troubling that the United States is withdrawing from multilateral cooperation. The Government is working to ensure that trade relations with the United States work well, and that threats of new trade barriers are not carried out.
The Government’s Russia policy remains unchanged.
Where we have common interests we, like the EU, can and should cooperate with Russia. This benefits our security, and stability in our neighbourhood.
We condemn Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and its illegal annexation of Crimea. These breaches of international law challenge the European security order. Sweden supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and every country’s right to choose its own security policy path.
We are working to ensure that the EU sanctions against Russia are maintained for as long as the reasons for their introduction remain.
Sweden stands ready to contribute to the easing of regional tensions and to dialogue in the Middle East.
We are continuing our engagement in the global coalition against Daesh. Kurds, Christians and other minorities in the region must be protected.
The Government is keen to have good relations with both Israel and Palestine. Sweden – like the rest of the EU – is working for a solution based on international law in which two states can coexist in peace and security.
The Government has condemned Iran for the shooting down of a civilian aircraft which claimed the lives of 17 people who were resident in Sweden. We demand an independent and transparent investigation.
We both cooperate and engage in critical dialogue with Turkey. The EU has condemned Turkey’s offensive in north-eastern Syria. At the same time, the Syrian regime has ruthlessly bombed its own country to rubble for almost nine years. All licences for Sweden’s exports of military equipment to Turkey have been withdrawn.
The humanitarian, political and economic crisis in Venezuela is worsening day by day. Together with the international community, we are working for a peaceful solution.
Increasing polarisation in Bolivia is serious and has led to escalating violence and vandalism.
China’s increasingly active role in the global arena presents opportunities and challenges. We welcome the Riksdag’s consensus on the written communication on our China policy.
We are conducting a frank and open dialogue with China based on our own interests and those of the EU. Human rights and freedom of expression are important aspects of this.
India is an important global actor and partner for Sweden. It is a significant market that will play an increasingly important role for growth and employment in our country.
At the UN Climate Action Summit in New York, Sweden and India launched the Leadership Group for Industry Transition to ensure a fossil-free future for heavy industry.
The African continent has a young population. If the many young people there receive access to education and employment, a number of African countries could develop at a rapid pace. But the challenges are also great.
Human rights, democracy and gender equality are priorities in Sweden’s Africa policy, along with migration and trade. It is important to support sustainable development in Africa. This can involve girls’ schooling and increased access to electricity.
The security situation in the Sahel continues to be very troubling, not least in Mali. The region is characterised by weak states. The situation is a breeding ground for radicalisation.
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs handles many consular cases. These can involve anything from crises and disasters to deprivation of liberty. Most people are helped without publicity, but some cases receive a lot of attention.
The work to help Swedes in distress abroad is always conducted with the best interests of those affected in mind.
In troubled times, with a harsh tone from world leaders and aggressive big-power behaviour, Sweden is showing that another path is possible.
With an open and democratic environment, with tough debates but also a striving for consensus, we are showing that freedom, equality and openness are not yesterday’s solutions.
Sweden is, and will continue to be, one of the world’s best countries to live in, and we are making a difference around the world. This is something we Swedes should be proud of.


text:
rue, (Ruta graveolens), also called common rue, small perennialshrub in the family Rutaceae used as a culinary and medicinal herb. Native to the Balkan Peninsula, rue is cultivated for its strongly aromatic leaves, which can be used fresh or dry in small amounts.
Rue is an evergreenplant with gland-studded foliage. The feathery pinnately compoundleaves usually have two or three leaflets and are often gray-green or blue-green in colour. The dull yellow flowers are borne in clusters and produce lobed capsules with numerous seeds.
Rue has a bitter flavour and is not used widely. It is a component of berbere, a characteristic spice mixture of Ethiopia and Eritrea, and is a traditional flavouring in certain Mediterranean countries. The fragrant leaves can be used as an insect repellent and in nosegay bouquets.
The plant has a long history of use in traditional and herbal medicine, particularly to stimulate menstruation and as an abortifacient. Such preparations are unlikely to terminate a pregnancy; they also may induce vomiting, hemorrhages, and liver damage, which can be lethal in severe cases. In addition to rue being hepatotoxic in large doses, skin contact to the plant can cause severe phytophotodermatitis and burnlike blisters following sun exposure.

domain: medical


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Short-Barreled Rifle (SBR)
A shoulder-stocked rifle having a barrel less than 16″ (as measured from the face of a closed bolt to the end of the permanent muzzle) or an overall length less than 26″. Also included are certain pistols that accept detachable shoulder stocks. Antique guns and some guns listed on the Federal Curios & Relics list may be exempted from registration. Full automatic variants are not considered SBRs and are registered as machine guns. The Federal Transfer tax on any SBR is $200.
Any firearm that fires more than one bullet at a time with each pull of the trigger. Because their method of operation already places them in the NFA classification, the configuration of the stock, barrel, bayonet lug, and flash hider is not restricted. If a suppressor is permanently attached to the machine gun, it too is considered a part of the gun and not subject to a separate tax. Machine guns range in size from small .22 caliber pistols such as the Mexican Trajoe up to the .50 caliber Browning M-2 heavy machine gun.
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Please Note: There are 2 general classes of Class 3 (or NFA) weapons: Transferrables, and Restricted Items (Dealer Samples). Transferrables may be owned by civilians in most states. Dealer Samples or Restricted guns may only be owned by Class 3 gun dealers or law enforcement and government agencies. Many newer machineguns are NOT able to be owned by civilians, only those that were manufactured and registered prior to May of 1986 are considered transferrable.
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Prof. ST Hsieh
Director, US-China Energy Industry Forum
March 14, 2022
The following public notice from the US State Department, like may similar notices, is useful but not informative at all for the reader to make any judgement about such information. On the headline, the important dialogue is between Ambassador Sung Kim and PRC Ambassador Liu Xiaoming. Of course, DPRK missiles launches are important issue for the US as well as China. But the attached text amounts to a pronouncement of unilateral US positions. It would be much more informative if the State Department includes China’s reaction and/or proposals for moving forward. In fact, it makes more sense for Special Representative for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Ambassador Sung Kim have a call with his DPRK counterpart. But US and DPRK have no direct communication for a while, why and what is next?
Diplomacy is a dialogue, if US is contend with a pronouncement of US request only, then a letter or email should serve the purpose. There is no need to send any ambassador travelling around the world and/or make phone calls!
Special Representative for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Ambassador Sung Kim’s Call with The People’s Republic of China (PRC) Special Representative on Korean Peninsula Affairs Ambassador Liu Xiaoming
03/13/2022 11:22 AM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
The following is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price:
On March 10, Special Representative for the DPRK Sung Kim called PRC Special Representative on Korean Peninsula Affairs Liu Xiaoming to discuss the DPRK’s February 26 and March 4 ballistic missile launches, which the U.S. government has concluded were tests of a new DPRK intercontinental ballistic missile system.
Special Representative Kim strongly condemned the launches, which violated multiple UN Security Council resolutions and present a serious threat to international peace and security. He expressed concern that these launches demonstrate the DPRK’s determination to advance its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs and continue an increasingly escalatory path. Special Representative Kim emphasized that the PRC and United States share an interest in ensuring regional stability, and he called upon Beijing to join Washington in publicly condemning the DPRK’s missile launches. Special Representative Kim also encouraged the PRC to urge the DPRK to cease its destabilizing activity and return to dialogue. Special Representative Kim reiterated that the United States remains open to diplomacy with the DPRK to make progress toward our shared goal of the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.


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Conventional semiconducting polymer synthesis typically involves transition metal-mediated coupling reactions that link aromatic units with single bonds along the backbone. Rotation around these bonds contributes to conformational and energetic disorder and therefore potentially limits charge delocalisation, whereas the use of transition metals presents difficulties for sustainability and application in biological environments. Here we show that a simple aldol condensation reaction can prepare polymers where double bonds lock-in a rigid backbone conformation, thus eliminating free rotation along the conjugated backbone. This polymerisation route requires neither organometallic monomers nor transition metal catalysts and offers a reliable design strategy to facilitate delocalisation of frontier molecular orbitals, elimination of energetic disorder arising from rotational torsion and allowing closer interchain electronic coupling. These characteristics are desirable for high charge carrier mobilities. Our polymers with a high electron affinity display long wavelength NIR absorption with air stable electron transport in solution processed organic thin film transistors.
Within the field of organic semiconductors, there is considerable interest in highly performing polymers for applications such as solar cells, organic light emitting diodes and transistors1,2. Conjugated polymers have the potential for solution processability, compatibility with flexible substrates, and can be fabricated in large areas at high throughput. To fully exploit this technology, there is still much effort required to improve the parameters affecting device performance. For transistor applications, polymer molecular conformation and thin film morphology have been shown to influence charge carrier mobility, and subsequently the device electrical properties3. Understanding and controlling the molecular features that impart a favourable backbone orientation and facilitate close intermolecular interactions are required to optimise morphology and long-range order for efficient charge transport. Additionally, it is also important to exert control over the frontier energy levels in order to minimise barriers to charge injection and reduce charge trapping, particularly for electron transport where high electron affinity semiconducting polymers are required4,5,6. There are now established molecular motifs that facilitate high charge carrier mobilities in conjugated polymers, including side chain organisation, short contacts and low energetic disorder3,7. Central to many of these design approaches is to introduce molecular functionality that can induce dipole−dipole interactions, facilitating close intermolecular packing, short π−π distances, and therefore potentially optimal morphology for transport8.
Diketopyrrolopyrrole and isoindigo are two such examples9,10,11. Both comprise an electron-deficient bis-lactam motif, which has been demonstrated to facilitate strong intermolecular interactions through the dipolar carbonyl groups, and subsequently high ambipolar charge carrier mobilities in many of the copolymers containing these units8,11,12,13. Electron transport is attributed to the combination of a delocalised LUMO level along the polymer backbone, and a sufficiently large electron affinity to facilitate electron injection. In addition, a high electron affinity is also required for ambient stability, as it prevents common redox reactions involving water and oxygen which can occur under device operation, and lead to degradation. The electron withdrawing bis-lactam functionality in these structures are responsible for increasing electron affinity and is typically diluted by the requirement for a more electron rich repeat unit to undergo a transition metal-mediated cross coupling polymerisation. Therefore, a design strategy that only incorporates electron-deficient repeat units into the polymer backbone is desirable14.
Here we report an aldol polymerisation scheme that circumvents cross coupling and links repeat units with carbon−carbon double bonds, in contrast to the single bond links in all conjugated polymer backbones prepared in the literature to date. This aldol polymerisation enables access to a class of fully fused polymers15,16,17. Motivation for this approach originates from recent work showing that the energetic disorder in conjugated polymers can strongly influence charge transport; we expect therefore that elimination of rotational torsion between conjugated repeat units along the polymer backbone, through removing single bond links, reduces conformational disorder and eliminates this impediment to charge transport. In addition, non-covalent interactions have been shown to enable backbone planarisation in isoindigo polymers leading to high charge transport18,19. Our approach aims to combine these strategies3.
Five rigid polymers were synthesised using aldol polymerisation conditions. Within this series of polymers, we explored the effect of aromatic size, backbone dihedral angle and alkyl chain density on the charge carrier mobility as measured in transistor devices. Air stable, electron mobilities of up to 0.03 cm2 V−1 s−1 were achieved.
Synthesis of rigid polymers
The aldol condensation is a useful tool in synthetic organic chemistry for crafting carbon frameworks, particularly in natural product synthesis. Over the years, there has been a steady increase in the introduction of sophisticated catalysts to tackle challenges of regioselectivity, chemoselectivity, diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity. Here, we capitalise on the traditional Lewis acid catalysed aldol condensation using p-toluene sulphonic acid. The enolisable carbonyl and nucleophilic carbonyl are bis-oxindole and bis-isatin monomers respectively, as illustrated in Fig. 1. These monomers enable bi-directional aldol condensation resulting in rigidification of the subsequent polymer backbone. Polymerisation is expected to proceed without synthetic side reactions or mis-couplings, given the high molecular weights (Mn = >200 kDa) obtainable. Despite this, a model study of the condensation reaction was carried out, confirming the lack of side reactions, as shown in the Supplementary Methods. We also observed no quantifiable side products when isatin and oxindole are subjected to the polymerisation conditions. This model reaction provides a simple template to examine the fidelity of the polymer synthesis via aldol polymerisation. Furthermore, the potential for Michael additions to the polymer backbone were simulated by heating isoindigo with stochiometric oxindole in the polymerisation conditions and in basic conditions with triethyl amine to replicate conditions conducive to Michael additions. In the case of a Michael addition in basic conditions, the oxindole enolate would attack the central double bond in the isoindigo compound and the resulting carbanion would protonate from the triethyl amine conjugate acid. This species would be identifiable in the proton NMR by the upfield shift in the aromatic protons relative to isoindigo due to the loss in conjugation. However, no Michael addition products were observed in either of these reactions. The potential for Michael addition side products is reduced for these bis-isatin and bis-oxindole systems in the acidic polymerisation conditions20,21,22,23. Michael additions to isatins and oxindole systems generally require basic conditions and stronger nucleophiles than are available during polymerisation. Likewise, sulphonation of the monomers or polymers is likely insignificant due to low electron density24. The repeat unit structure also comprises a high density of electron withdrawing lactam groups, advantageous for increasing the electron affinity. A series of very electron-deficient rigid fused polymers have been prepared in good yields and their property−structure relationship examined.
Minor self-condensation of oxindole was observed between the coupling of bisisatin and oxindole in air (Supplementary Methods), resulting in the formation of a small molecule dimer naphthalene-isoindigo, possibly via oxidation of the oxindole to the isatin. It is therefore necessary to conduct the polymerisation under an inert atmosphere to prevent the potential oxidiation of the bisoxindole; this side reaction could cause the continuation of polymerisation propagation, which would lead to stochiometric imbalance of the monomers and limit molecular weight.
The conjugated π−electron systems of our polymer backbones are locked into a fully rigid conformation, with no single bond twisting, thus minimising conformational disorder. A variety of aromatic cores can be incorporated into the polymer backbone providing control of the frontier energy levels, and electronic coupling. In addition, the synthetic approach via a metal-free aldol condensation polymerisation circumvents conventional polymerisation mechanisms such as Suzuki-Miyaura, Stille or Kumada coupling in which the use of transition-metal catalysts is required. Importantly, highly toxic reagents such as organostannannes and the resulting organotin by-products that require careful removal from both a hazardous and electrical impurity perspective are avoided. Our polymerisation route is more environmentally benign, with water as the only by-product, and there is no need for transition metals or their sequestering purification steps.
The synthesis of the phenyl and naphthalene core monomers is shown in Fig. 2. The phenyl and naphthalene bis-isatin and bis-oxindole monomers were synthesised as reported in the literature25,26,27. Preparation of the phenyl bis-isatin and bis-oxindole (Supplementary Methods) begins with oxidation of cyclohexanedione in ethanol, with amination and aromatisation in the same reaction, followed by acylation with acetoxyacetyl chloride and ester hydrolysis to expose two hydroxyl groups. A Swern oxidation of the intermediate dialcohol (4) generates a diglyoxamide prior to a Pummerer-type cyclisation28. Oxidation of the resulting tricyclic intermediate (5) produces the phenyl bis-isatin (7), while a reduction furnishes the complementary bis-oxindole (6). The naphthalene bis-isatin is prepared by a Martinet isatin synthesis on 1,5-diaminonaphthalene followed by alkylation with the desired alkyl iodide. Similarly to the naphthalene bis-isatin, synthesis of naphthalene bis-oxindole also starts with 1,5-naphthalenediamine. First, 1,5-naphthalenediamine undergoes acylation with the desired alkanoyl chloride to give naphthalenediamide (12). The diamide is reduced and the resultant diamine reacted with chloroacetyl chloride to give an intermediate (14) suitable for a Heck-type cyclisation to afford the naphthalene bis-oxindole units.
Figure 3 shows the synthesis of the thieno[3,2-b]thiophene bis-isatin monomer. 3,6-dibromothieno[3,2-b]thiophene is lithiated and the dicarboxylate (18) is formed with the addition of solid carbon dioxide. The acyl azide is synthesised and a Curtius rearrangement is carried out in a one-pot reaction in tert-butanol to furnish 3,6-bis(N-Boc)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (19) in good yield. The resulting amino groups in the 3- and 6-position carry Boc (tert-butoxycarbonyl) groups allowing alkylation and subsequent deprotection to give the desired 3,6-di(alkylamino)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (21). Synthesis of the thieno[3,2-b]thiophene bis-isatin monomer by alkylation of 3,6-diamino thieno[3,2-b]thiophene suffers from poor yield, as this substrate is unstable. Nonetheless, treatment with oxalyl chloride in diethyl ether forms the required bis-isatin in poor yields. The amine (21) is rapidly diacylated in the presence of base, the addition of which was found to lower yields, which then undergoes a ring-closing reaction by nucleophilic attack of the ring on the acyl chloride. The main source of low yields is believed to be due to the deactivation of the ring system to the second ring closing step after the completion of the first due to the electron withdrawing effect of the isatin. The polymers were subsequently prepared from the bis-oxindole and bis-isatin in good yields by simply refluxing a toluene solution of the monomers in the presence of p-toluene sulphonic acid monohydrate.
Characterisation of rigid polymers
We initially selected the phenyl-bis-oxindole and phenyl-bis-isatin monomers with linear dodecyl side chains for the aldol polymerisation. The resultant polymer, P1 (Fig. 1) exhibited a relatively low number-average molecular weight (Mn) of 14 kDa arising from the lack of solubilising alkyl chain density and subsequent precipitation of the growing polymer chain before the degree of polymerisation reached an appreciable level. To obtain a higher molecular weight, larger, branched alkyl chains were required to be incorporated on the polymer backbone. Consequently, branched 2-decyl tetradecyl chains were introduced on both the bis-phenyl-isatin and bis-phenyl-oxindole. In this case the resultant polymer, P2, exhibited a higher Mn of 58 kDa with a PDI of 2.3 (Table 1), and good solubility in a range of solvents. Since the reorganisation energy and charge carrier mobility are associated with the size and rigidity of the acene, an extended conjugated core length has the potential to lower the reorganisation energy and facilitate charge transport29. To further evaluate the influence of the aromatic core, the side chain shape and density on polymer properties, naphthalene bis-oxindole and naphthalene bis-isatin have been synthesised with linear and branched chains. Homopolymers P3 and P4 were also prepared by this condensation method, differing in that P3 has all branched side chains, whereas P4 comprises alternating branched and linear side chains30. The lack of alpha C−H bonds on a thieno[3,2-b]thiophene aromatic unit has been shown by density functional theory (DFT) calculations to enable an increased coplanarity along polymer backbones, giving greater π-orbital overlap that can be beneficial for (intra-chain) charge transport properties31. Therefore, an alternating copolymer, P5, derived from naphthalene bis-oxindole and thieno[3,2-b]thiophene bis-isatin comonomers was also synthesised. With an exact stoichiometric balance, increasing the reaction time can be used to obtain polymers of longer chain lengths as there is no termination of the polymer reactive end. The acid concentration and subsequent monomer concentration used here allow for monitoring and controlling the molecular weight during polymerisation. For example, the number average molecular weights (Mn) of P2 increased three-fold from 18 to 58 kDa by changing the concentration from 0.03 to 0.055 m (Supplementary Table 2).
This operationally simple aldol polymerisation method, successfully synthesised electron-deficient, soluble conjugated polymers without employing any metals and with water as the only by-product. All the polymers exhibited good thermal stability, with a 5% weight loss occurring at just over 400 °C for P1 and above 360 °C for the other polymers as determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). No discernible thermal transitions were observed for any of the polymers when analysed by differential scanning calorimetry between 0 and 350 °C. A strong effect of alkyl side chain length and molecular weight on the polymers solubility was observed. P1 is poorly soluble in common solvents chosen for thin film fabrication, such as chlorobenzene (CB) and ortho-dichlorobenzene (o-DCB) despite the low polymer molecular weight. P2 on the other hand is highly soluble, easily dissolving in hexane, by virtue of the large branched alkyl chain, while P3 is soluble in chlorinated solvents, such as dichloromethane, chloroform and chlorobenzene upon prolonged heating. Although P3 has a higher molecular weight than P4, it is more soluble in chlorinated solvents due to its higher chain density. P4 dissolves only in CB and o-DCB due to its very high molecular weight. Although the molecular weight of P5 is low, it lacks solubility in most solvents, other than chlorinated solvents, perhaps due to its more planar backbone and enhanced aggregation.
Density functional theory calculations were performed to offer an insight into the polymer conformations and frontier energy level features. All geometries were fully optimised at the omega tuned ωB97XD/6-31G(d,p) level of theory for oligomers comprising three repeat units, as shown in Fig. 4. For simplicity, the long alkyl side-chains were replaced by methyl groups. The common feature emerging among the series of oligomers is that, even in the case of isolated chains, the dihedral angles between adjacent aromatic units are very small indeed, on the order of 10–20° in the all-phenylene (PP) and -naphthalene (NN) systems, a feature previously observed for substituted isoindigo32, while the thienothiophene-naphthalene (TN) oligomers are fully coplanar; see Fig. 4. The reason for the slight deviations from coplanarity in the PP and NN oligomers is the presence of steric interactions between a carbonyl oxygen and an adjacent C−H group (with an oxygen−hydrogen distance on the order of 2.3 Å). To further explore the conformational implications of steric effects between the fused units, a single-crystal X-ray structure analysis was carried out on a representative dimer of the naphthalene polymers P3 and P4. The synthesis and structure of NIID are given in Supplementary Figure 1. In the solid state, the dihedral angle between the two lactams cores is observed to be 12.8°, again ascribed to short contacts between the carbonyl oxygen and the nearest hydrogen of the adjacent aromatic core, ca. 2.06 Å. These values are in good agreement with the DFT-optimised geometries of the NN oligomer.
The replacement of one of the acene rings with the heteroaromatic thieno[3,2-b]thiophene affords the polymer TN, which removes one of the two adjacent C−H bonds and the related steric interactions, making the coplanar conformation optimal. The DFT potential energy surfaces (PES) calculated as a function of dihedral angle are presented in Supplementary Figure 3. We note that around the minimum, the PES is shallow, which allows for fluctuations in dihedral angles at room temperature on the order of ±10° in isolated oligomers of PP and NN, and ±20° in isolated oligomers of TN (Supplementary Figure 4). This energetically accessible disorder on increasing the dihedral angle is potentially detrimental to planarity, and is in fact similar in energy to more conventional, single bond linked polymers33. However, it is expected that such fluctuations will be hampered in the solid state, in view of the tight polymer inter-chain packing discussed below. Also, as we anticipated, the barriers for full rotation are very large, on the order of 25 kcal mol−1, which is much higher than the values typical of chains with single-like inter-unit bonds (in the range of 2−8 kcal mol−1); this is expected to lead to better chain ordering in the solid state.
The thin film UV-Vis NIR absorption spectra of the polymers are shown in Fig. 4. All polymers exhibit two absorption peaks, with a broad NIR absorption band and a higher-energy band in the visible. Polymers P1 and P2 both show broad and asymmetric long-wavelength absorption peaks extending from around 750 nm to over 1000 nm. P3 and P4 on the other hand have a longer wavelength maximum of 927 nm, due to increased aromatic delocalisation. P5 has the longest wavelength absorption maximum of 1128 nm with a low energy absorption onset of over 1450 nm. The narrower optical gap of 0.84 eV for P5 is due to the combination of a less twisted backbone, and frontier molecular orbital hybridisation between the alternating electron rich thieno[3,2-b]thiophene and electron poor naphthalene lactam. Such low optical gaps are unusual, although not unknown34, for typical conjugated aromatic polymers35,36,37,38,39.
The vertical excited-state energies were calculated at the time dependent (TD) tuned ωB97XD/6-31g(d,p) level of theory. The absorption spectra calculated for the isolated oligomer chains are presented in Supplementary Figure 5. The energies and strengths of the lowest optical transitions along the PP, NN and TN series closely follow the experimental trends. An analysis of the natural transition orbitals involved in the S0- > S1 transition, which are illustrated in Supplementary Figure 6, indicates that in all three oligomers both hole and electron wavefunctions are significantly delocalised along the conjugated backbone. The resulting substantial electron-hole spatial overlap leads to large transition dipole moments and oscillator strengths. This finding is consistent with the experimental observation that there is no significant solvatochromic shift (see Supplementary Figure 13), which suggests that these optical transitions do not have a marked charge transfer character. We note that the widths of the low-energy absorption bands are likely to originate in the underlying vibronic progression; and the possible fluctuations in dihedral angles at room temperature (as discussed above). This is consistent with the experimental observation that the broad peaks are not sensitive to thermal treatment, suggesting they are not arising from aggregation. The higher-energy absorptions appearing in the visible also correspond to transitions with significantly delocalised electron-hole wavefunctions; see Supplementary Figure 7.
The reorganisation energies (λ) of the PP, NN and TN oligomers were calculated upon injection of an extra electron; the results are collected in Supplementary Table 1 and the anionic geometries and polaron wavefunctions are illustrated in Supplementary Figure 8. The reorganisation energies are in the range of 0.3−0.4 eV with the TN oligomer exhibiting the lowest reorganisation energy in the series, which is mainly due to its maintaining a coplanar conformation even in the presence of the excess electron.
Electrons transport and stability properties of the rigid polymers
Thin-film transistors with bottom gate top contact architecture were fabricated to investigate the electron transport of the polymers. The charge carrier mobilities were observed to depend on both acene size and the nature of the side chain, and their subsequent influence on intermolecular interactions and therefore on transport. Polymers P1 exhibited low charge transport characteristics, with electron mobility in the range of 10−5 cm2 V−1 s−1. Due to the combination of both a small aromatic core as well as high side chain density, shielding intermolecular contacts, P2 showed no charge transport. Increasing the size of the aromatic core from phenyl to naphthyl, in the case of P3, resulted in an improvement in electron mobility in the order of 10−3 cm2 V−1 s−1. Previous literature side chain optimisation for fluorene polymer charge carrier mobility has demonstrated the potential advantages of alternating bulky side chains groups with more sterically available segments of the backbone, to register short intermolecular contacts30. This approach was exploited in the molecular design of P4 where alternating shorter linear chains and longer bulky branched chains were combined, in comparison to the fully branched polymer P3. This resulted in a large increase in electron mobility with a value of 0.03 cm2 V−1 s−1 obtained. The reduced torsion angle of P5 was also expected to enhance the intermolecular electronic coupling, and thus possibly the transport properties. However, the electron mobility obtained was slightly lower than P4; this could be due to transport being predominately one-dimensional in these polymers, and hence directly related to molecular weight, which in this case was low, because of the low solubility40. Interestingly, the large electron affinities of the polymers contribute to excellent ambient stability. Figure 5 compares the transfer characteristics of transistors stored and measured in air for both p(NDI2OD-T2)41, an exemplary-type polymer, and P4. The mobility of p(NDI2OD-T2) drops from an initial 0.22 to 0.012 cm2 V−1 s−1 in around 300 h, whereas the mobility of P4 remains relatively stable with a threshold voltage shift from 17 to 27 V.
It has been demonstrated that a deep LUMO is required for n-type electron transport semiconductors to prevent oxidation of the negatively charged polaron in the presence of oxygen42. This corresponds to an electron affinity of about 4.2 eV at standard pressures and concentrations. Our polymer design exceeds this threshold, thus eliminating a key electrochemical reaction that can reduce transport in ambient conditions.
Grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) measurements were carried out to gain insight into the polymer microstructure and probe the effect increased conjugation has on molecular packing, as shown in Supplementary Figure 14. Most films exhibit a distinct face-on morphology that appears to be more amorphous in texture, with measured coherence lengths from 1.6 to 2.8 nm. In some cases, morphology was impacted by strong surface temptation due to the limited solubility and reduced film volume displaying strongly oriented face-on texture when compared to bulk measurements. Polymer P4, being the notable exception, which also has significant population of edge-on crystallites that upon annealing coherence lengths increase from 5.5 to 7.1 nm, which garners insight into its enhanced mobility. Figure 6 represents P4 as cast displaying both in-plane and out-of-plane layer stacking peaks. The scattering vector along the intermolecular stacking direction decreases from P1 to P5. The unit cell of these polymers however is complex; therefore, the relationship between interplanar distance and pi−pi stacking distance is not necessarily the same in all compounds. As a result, a firm correlation between the XRD data and the theoretical calculations across molecules in terms of pi−pi stacking distance would only be possible with a more complete understanding of the structure of the unit cell.
Several strategies could be employed to improve polymer properties such as mobility and ambient operational stability. Moving the branch point of the side chain away from the conjugated core is a well-known method to assist inter-chain electronic coupling and as a result, increasing mobilities43. Extending the aromatic core or acene could also increase transistor performance. Here, the transport properties were enhanced through extension of the phenyl aromatic core to naphthalene. Further rigid polymer structures fulfilling this design strategy would be central to achieving more competitive charge transport properties. Use of more electron withdrawing aromatic cores such as phenazine would increase the polymer electron affinity and consequently increase operational stability with respect to water and oxygen. Mobility is not an intrinsic value to an organic semiconducting material, it is highly dependent on both device fabrication and measurement method. Future device optimisation will further increase mobilities, by facilitating uniaxially aligned polymer chains through techniques such as blade coating or zone casting44, which have been successful in other polymer systems.
In summary, we have outlined a facile synthetic approach to a class of fully fused rigid polymers from a metal-free acid catalysed aldol polymerisation. This polycondensation is the only feasible synthetic strategy to obtaining these fused polymers in metal-free conditions. A series of polymers containing phenyl, naphthalene and thieno[3,2-b]thiophene building motifs with high electron affinities and impressively long wavelength absorption were synthesised. Steric repulsion introduced twists between aromatic cores along the backbones; this however does not hinder crystallisation as shown by the XRD data of the polymers where there are well-defined diffraction features along qxy and qz, and some weaker off-axes reflections. UV-Vis NIR spectra of the polymers show absorption in the near infra-red due to extensive delocalisation of the electron and hole wavefunctions along the polymer backbone. Transistor results demonstrate that air-stable electron mobilities of up to 0.03 cm2 V−1 s−1 can be achieved.
All solvents and regents were used as purchased from commercial sources unless otherwise specified. Purifications via flash column chromatography were conducted manually using Merck silica gel (Merc 9385 Kielselgel 60, 230–400 mesh) under positive air pressure with eluent systems as described or on Biotage Isolera.
Proton and carbon NMR spectra were recorded on Bruker DPX0 400 MHz spectrometer. Abbreviations of the peak multiplicity are: bs, broad singlet; s, singlet; d, doublet; t, triplet; q, quartet; m, multiplet, integration and coupling constants (J) are quoted in Hz (hertz) as appropriate. Proton solvent residual peaks are 7.26 ppm for CDCl3 and 2.52 ppm DMSO-d6. Mass spectra were recorded by the Imperial College London Department of Chemistry Mass Spectrometry Service on a Micromass Autospec Premier/Agilent HP6890 GC. Thermal gravimetric analyses were conducted using Perkin Elmer Pyris 1 TGA.
The polymer molecular weights (number-average Mn and weight-average Mw) and dispersity were obtained from an Agilent Technologies 1260 series gel permeation chromatography in chlorobenzene at 80 °C. Agilent Technologies Cary Series UV-Vis-NIR spectrometer, Cary 5000, was used for measuring the UV-Vis NIR spectra.
Grazing-incidence wide angle X-ray diffraction methods
X-ray scattering was conducted at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource at 11-3 (2D grazing-incidence wide-angle with MAR225 image-plate area detector). Incident photon energy was 12.732 keV (0.973 Å). He (g) environments for all measurements were used to minimise air scatter and beam damage to samples. 2D grazing-incidence sample-detector distance was 315 mm calibrated with a polycrystalline lanthanide hexaboride (LaB6) standard at a 3.0° angle with respect to the critical angle of the calibrant. For grazing-incidence geometries, the incidence angle was set below the critical angle of 0.1° which is above the critical angle underlying the native oxide substrate. Data was processed using Nika 2D data reduction homebuilt WxDiff Software. The terms q xy and q z denote the component of scattering vector in-plane and out-of-plane with the substrate, respectively. Data from 2D grazing-incidence measurements were corrected for the geometric distortion introduced by a flat, plate detector and processed for subsequent analysis with the software WxDiff and GIWAXSTool for Igor45. Device parameters were measured on Agilent 4155B Semiconductor Parameter Analyser.
DFT calculations methods
All geometries were fully optimised at the tuned ωB97XD/6–31G(d,p) level of theory without any constraints. The long alkyl side-chains were replaced by methyl groups to reduce computational costs. All calculations were carried out with the Gaussian-09 software46. The range-separation parameter (ω) was optimised for each oligomer chain using the gap-tuning method47; the optimal ω values for PP, NN and TN are 0.104, 0.100 and 0.087 bohr−1, respectively.
The reorganisation energy (λ) is calculated using following equation.
where EnN [EaA] is the total energy of the neutral [anionic] molecule in its optimal neutral [anionic] state geometry and EnA [EaN] is the total energy of the neutral [anionic] molecule in the optimised anionic [neutral] geometry. All calculations were carried out at the OT-ωB97XD/6–31G(d,p) level of theory.
Excited-state energies were calculated at the TD-DFT OT-ωB97XD/6-31G(d,p) level of theory using the ground-state (S0) geometries obtained at the OT-ωB97XD/6-31G(d,p) level of theory. Natural transition orbital analyses were also carried out.
The authors declare that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the paper and its Supplementary Information files. Additional data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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We acknowledge funding from BASF, as well as FP7 Marie Curie IEF (622187), EPSRC Project EP/G037515/1, EP/M005143/1, EC FP7 Project SC2 (610115), EC FP7 Project ArtESun (604397), EC FP7 POLYMED (612538), EC H2020 and Project SOLEDLIGHT (643791) for the financial support. M.K.R. and J.-L.B. thank generous internal competitive funding from KAUST; they are grateful to the KAUST IT Research Computing Team and Supercomputing Laboratory for providing continuous assistance as well as computational and storage resources. We thank the State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology for the single crystal XRD experiments of NIID. Mingfei Xiao thanks the Cambridge Overseas Trust and Chinese Scholarship Council for Ph.D. funding.
The authors declare no competing financial interests.
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Onwubiko, A., Yue, W., Jellett, C. et al. Fused electron deficient semiconducting polymers for air stable electron transport. Nat Commun 9, 416 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-02852-6
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RVs lined the Rincon in Ventura County. Families with prime parking spots have front- row seats to Hurricane Norbert-generated waves.
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The last hurricane damaged a lifeguard building and a couple of piers.
Norbert is not expected to pack as big a punch.


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This paper describes some results of an analytical calculation and the measurements of a pulsed field loss on the Japanese LCT conductor. The conductor, whose aspect ratio is around 2.5, is wound edge wise to reduce the pulsed field loss. The Japanese LCT coil, with the conductor thus designed, was evaluated to have a pulsed field loss of about 19W. This includes the loss of the helium vessel under the normal LCT test with a pulsed field of 0 to 0.14T. In addition, the loss measurement has been carried out up to 25 T/s. Measured results on the relation between the loss of a single strand and that of a whole strand pack well supports the validity of the loss analysis which includes a newly arranged set of analytical equations.


text:
The story so far: Taylor Wythe has returned to her childhood home on the Peninsula. Adamant that she left against her will years ago, Taylor is determined to face her past. After a confrontation with Carter, who lives at the house, and an accusation of murder from 8-year-old Chessie, Taylor prepares to spend her first night in the family house. Meanwhile, Carter plots a way to deal with Taylor's arrival, and two reporters start researching local unsolved crimes.
Later that night, after checking on Chessie, Taylor slowly walked to the bedroom where she was to spend the night. Aunt Lillian had given her the room that long ago had been Taylor's mother's. Wallpaper with tiny pink and blue flowers still covered the walls. After so many years away, being in the house again, in this room, felt very strange to her, but also somehow comforting.
With her small suitcase in hand, Taylor paused just inside the door. Aunt Lillian had left a lamp on. The room, with its pale pink chaise longue and antique cheval glass mirror, welcomed her.
Taylor smiled as she closed the door.
"Home. It's good to be home."
She put her bag on the bed, then went to the chaise. Trailing a hand along the fabric, Taylor's smile grew wistful. Her mother had read stories to her as they cuddled together there. Those were special times, memories she liked. Slowly she sat down and then leaned back, settling herself in the soft comfort of the chaise. She always loved listening to her mother's voice as she read fairy tales from their special storybook.
Sitting up, Taylor looked at the small table next to the bed. They had always kept that storybook in the bottom drawer.
"I wonder if it's still there," she said as she moved to the table.
Taylor pulled the drawer open and looked inside. A book was there, but she could tell it wasn't the volume of fairy tales. Swallowing her disappointment, Taylor lifted the big, thick Bible, its outer pages yellowed with time.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, she opened the Bible to the page marked with a faded purple ribbon. Her gaze fell on the 23rd Psalm. Taylor hadn't been to church in a long time, but she remembered the verses she'd learned as a little girl. I will fear no evil.
She closed the heavy book and placed it back in the drawer. She'd learned to fear a long time ago.
"But that's all in the past," she whispered.
Unfortunately, Taylor knew that returning to the area meant she'd have to face the unresolved issues from her past. She wasn't going to let the bad outshine the good.
She patted her hands on her slacks and stood up. "First thing tomorrow, you go to the Charles Taylor Library and find a copy of that storybook. Then, a job and a place to live."
Despite her boasting in front of Carter, Taylor knew she couldn't stay here. Living in the house would be out of the question.
She opened her suitcase and shook out the skirt and blouse she'd put on in the morning. Then she reached for a carefully bound package. Under plastic bubble wrap and layers of tissue paper was one of her most treasured possessions. Carefully, she unwrapped the layers until she held a sterling silver frame. Taylor fingered the intricate swirls and flourishes at its edges as she stared at the image, a much younger Taylor sitting on a quarterhorse as her mother held the reins. The picture had been taken at Potato Neck Farm, her favorite place to . . .
A creak outside her bedroom door made Taylor glance up. She placed the photo on the open suitcase and leaned toward the door, waiting for a knock. None came.
"Who is it?" she called.
The response was another creaking floorboard. Taylor dashed to the door and yanked it open. She glanced around the hall but saw no one. She stared long and hard at the room where Carter slept. Claiming an appointment, he'd left the house hours ago. Had he been lurking outside her door?
Taylor wasn't sure.
Old houses make noises, you know that, she told herself as her gaze again swept the hall.
This time she closed and locked her bedroom door.
Taylor made fast work of pulling out the things she'd need in the morning. About to put her make-up and toiletries bag on the dresser, she paused as she noticed for the first time a large oval hatbox on the nearby vanity. Her bag forgotten for the moment, Taylor lifted up the faded green Miller & Rhoads boxtop.
She peeked inside, then shrieked and dropped the top.
What's in the box? Who or what was outside her door?
CONTRIBUTOR UPDATE. Thanks to Marquita Jones of Newport News, a 9th-grader at Woodside High School. Much thanks to Emanuela H. of Newport News, and to Linda Carson of Hampton, who are on the same most excellent wavelength about NPC.
To add to the story line:
Fax: 245-8618 or 247-4848
1-Line: 928-1111, Category 1300 to leave ideas; Category 1301 to hear the story so far. Speak clearly, spell your name and leave a phone number.
Mail: 7505 Warwick Blvd., Newport News, VA 23607

domain: artistic


St Mirren moved up to fifth in the Scottish Premiership table courtesy of a 1–0 win over Ross County in Paisley.
Declan Gallagher’s eighth-minute header proved to be the difference between the two sides, with the Staggies unable to find a response.
St Mirren started the game on the front foot, pinning their visitors inside their own half and applying plenty of pressure.
They would get the early rewards too, going ahead in the eighth minute at a corner kick when Gallagher met Ryan Strain’s corner at the near post and headed past Ross Laidlaw and into the net.
With an advantage to defend, the Paisley outfit did drop their press slightly deeper, quite happy for County’s defenders to pass the ball amongst themselves, and the Staggies still struggled to find a foothold in the game.
As far as the away contingent were concerned, their best chance of the first half would also come from a corner, with George Harmon’s delivery finding an on-rushing Keith Watson at the back post – only for the volley to fly over the bar.
Perhaps sensing that a result was slipping away from his side, Malky Mackay made an triple attacking substitution at half-time to try and spark a comeback, and County did have the early chances after the restart.
Nohan Kenneh and Ross Callachan each missed the target, but an equaliser was not forthcoming for the Staggies.
Instead, St Mirren regained a measure of control over the game, and going into the last 10 minutes they again looked the most likely to score.
They forced multiple blocks and one excellent double save out of Laidlaw, denying Kieran Offord and then Strain, but they could not add to the scoresheet.
Gwion Edwards, making his Staggies debut, did have a chance to find a late leveller only to be denied by Trevor Carson.
Owura Edwards had been charging in and bundled Carson over, and although initially playing on referee Graham Grainger was instructed by VAR to take another look – eventually deciding to show the on-loan Bristol City man a red card and forcing County to see out the game with 10 men.
St Mirren would suffer a blow of their own, though, as match-winner Gallagher limped off in stoppage time after pulling up with an apparent hamstring injury.
Defeat leaves County second-bottom – one point ahead of next opponents Dundee United.


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For those of you who have not heard of Eurovision, it is a phenomenon of pageantry and politics: started in 1955 by the European Broadcasting Union, member countries each submit one performer or group to represent them at the annual competition, which is watched by well over 100 million viewers worldwide. Long before there was American Idol, there was Eurovision. At first I was worried this topic would appear too trivial for a first blog post, but the frivolity of the campy songs and outfits is tempered by very real issues of cultural identity and nationalism. A Washington Post article on the significance of Eurovision that appeared the day after the contest confirmed my conclusion that the accessibility of the topic doesn’t make it any less newsworthy.
Belgrade is hosting Eurovision this year, and I arrived the night of the final competition. The contest is always held in the capital city of the country whose entry won the previous year – 2007’s winner was Serbian songbird Marija Serifovic, who performed a ballad called Molitva, or “Prayer.”
[youtube]0Sp9OOoxCJo[/youtube] Belgrade is not yet high on the list of European tourist destinations — a trip to a large bookstore in Washington, D.C. will yield shelves of travel books on Croatia, tons on Prague, even several on Slovenia; Serbia is lucky if it has one. The weekend of Eurovision, however, the capital was filled with an estimated 3,000 journalists and 15,000 visitors. Hotels were booked solid. So for a city which has more recently been in the news for hotly contested elections and riots protesting Kosovo’s declaration of independence, this would appear to be a public relations windfall. But…
Here’s where things become confusing, at least to an outside observer. As a representative of a cultural event that is pan-European in the most expansive sense (the competition includes countries without even a pretension to EU membership, such as Israel and Russia), Serifovic has been named a European Ambassador for intercultural dialogue by the European Commission.
However, during recent elections, she supported Tomislav Nikolic, whose RSS party is firmly opposed to EU membership. Read more about this here. Why would Serifovic choose to take on these two roles, which would appear to be mutually exclusive? I’ve heard some theories, and I’m reading more about it, but am not in any position to have a truly informed opinion yet.
I watched last Saturday’s competition on TV with a mixed group of Serbs and Americans. Many people liked the entry from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Laka, and thought the beautiful young girl representing Albania had a good voice. Croatia’s entry was deemed “classy.”
At the end of the night, however, Russia’s Dima Bilan was the winner, and there were comments by some that he only won because he got the votes of all the ex-Communist countries. Indeed, it turns out many neighboring countries – even ones which were in a state of war relatively recently – vote for each other (no country can vote for itself). Again, the theories on how and why this happens are varied: when the competition spans such a large variety of countries and cultures, does a sense of regional pride assert itself? Or do the immigrant populations (i.e. Russians in Ukraine voting for Russia, Serbs in Bosnia voting for Serbia) skew the numbers?[youtube]ZB2Ddqag8Wc[/youtube]
I don’t want to give too much weight to something intended purely for entertainment purposes (check out the winning entry above); however, as noted in the WaPo article, entire dissertations have been written on the political significance of Eurovision! It ended up being a fitting way to start off a summer which is already living up to its promise, both in terms of intensity and complexity…
Posted By Janet Rabin
Posted May 30th, 2008

domain: news


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Dejounte Murray announces he’s cleared by his doctors and Spurs medical staff to finish summer with no limitations
San Antonio Spurs point guard Dejounte Murray has announced he’s been cleared by his doctors and the Spurs medical staff to finish the summer with no limitations.
Murray tore his right ACL last preseason and missed the entire 2018-19 season.
Dejounte Murray just announced on social media he was cleared today by his doctors and #Spurs medical staff to finish the summer with no limitations. Tweeted this video⬇ to go with announcement. He’s back and ready. #KSATsports #KSATnews #NBA pic.twitter.com/y9Z4vdUYhC
— RJ Marquez (@KSATRJ) August 10, 2019
Dejounte Murray averaged 8.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists during the 2017-18 season while shooting 44.3 percent from the field, 26.5 percent from beyond the arc and 70.9 percent from the free-throw line. He will be the Spurs’ starting point guard next season and can’t wait to show the world he’s going to be a special player in San Antonio despite the ACL injury.
The Spurs are going to have a lethal defensive backcourt next season with Murray and Derrick White. San Antonio, with Murray back in the fold, has a nice Big 4 of Murray, White, DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge.
The Spurs lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2019 playoffs in seven games. They will be a more explosive offensive unit next season with Murray back in action running the offense.
In a loaded Western Conference, San Antonio is eager to show it belongs at the top. As long as the Spurs have head coach Gregg Popovich, they will always be considered contenders since he’s one of the brightest basketball minds on the planet.


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The Minority in Parliament has called on government to demote the High Commissioner of South Africa, Mr. George Ayisi Boateng for stating publicly that his first commitment as a public officer, is to members of the New Patriotic Party.
According to the Spokesperson of the Minority, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the dismissal of the South African Ambassador will serve as a deterrent to public officials who are discriminatory and unfair in the discharge of their duties.
“A clear message ought to be sent to public officials that Article 17 of the Constitution of Ghana which forbids discrimination must be respected and that people with the Ayisi Boateng mindset which suggests some Ghanaians are more Ghanaian than the rest of us will have no hiding place to nurture their bigotry and prejudice,” he said.
During the inauguration of the tertiary wing of the NPP, Tertiary Students’ Confederacy Network (TESCON) at the Kumasi Technical University, Mr. George Ayisi Boateng that his first priority as a public official was to the members of the ruling party.
Below is the full statement from the Minority in Parliament:
PRESIDENT AKUFO-ADDO MUST ACT NOW
The Minority in Parliament has taken judicial notice of the rather defiant, intransigent, stubborn, obstinate, obdurate, adamant, stiff-necked and unremorseful posture of Ghana’s disgraced High Commissioner to South Africa, H.E. George Ayisi Boateng.
While Ayisi Boateng’s apparent suicidal mission in the face of overwhelming condemnation by decent minded Ghanaians has made him the “Chemical Ali” of Ghana’s Diplomatic Service, the Minority in Parliament like most Ghanaians believe the ball is now squarely in the court of His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to show this dangerous envoy the exit.
For a country that is famed for producing internationally celebrated and distinguished diplomats of the highest caliber in the persons of H.E. Kofi Annan, Dr. Alex Quaison-Sackey, Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambers, Mr. Alex Quartey, just to mention a few. It surely must be an affront of monumental proportions to keep Ayisi Boateng in this reputable league of diplomats for an extra minute.
It is generally understood that anything short of giving the disgraced High Commissioner to South Africa the sack by President Akufo-Addo can only mean that the President endorses his deplorable statements and perhaps explains Ayisi Boateng’s continuous show of rare spiteful bravado.
Thus far, the loud silence of Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Hon. Ms. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey and the Government led by President Akufo-Addo especially in the face of some reprehensible support from sections of the NPP led by its Acting Chairman Freddie Blay is most troubling as it has the tendency to convey a tacit approval of the egregious sins of their chief diplomat in South Africa.
Ghanaians have heard enough from virtually everyone including former Foreign Ministers and Ambassadors who have lined up to condemn Ayisi Boateng and attempt to salvage what is left of the hitherto enviable reputation of Ghana’s diplomatic service. However, the time to hear from current officialdom is NOW.
The Minority will not relent in demanding action on this matter. We have considered our options under the Constitution and the Standing Orders of Parliament and can indicate our readiness to trigger further processes if Government inertia continues.
A clear message ought to be sent to public officials that Article 17 of the Constitution of Ghana which forbids discrimination must be respected and that people with the Ayisi Boateng mindset which suggests some Ghanaians are more Ghanaian than the rest of us will have no hiding place to nurture their bigotry and prejudice.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
MP, North Tongu
Ranking Member, Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament.
Source: Jennifer Avemee


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The decision came after the committee heard testimony and discussion on Senate Bill 76 and determined further input from the Department of Education was needed. DOE Finance Director Tamara Darnall briefly testified, but had to return to the department’s joint appropriations budget hearing.
SB 76 had eight supporters testify and zero opposition. ASBSD Executive Director Wade Pogany was among the vocal supporters under the direction of the association’s resolution C3, which called for “full funding” return to ESAs.
“School boards clearly understand the impact ESAs can have,” Pogany testified. “I think it’s time for rekindling the ESAs.”
The bill proposes $500,000 in one-time funding for ESAs, which bill sponsor and committee member Sen. Ryan Maher (28) said was allocated for ESAs in the past.
Committee members’ questions about the bill included how the funding would be dispersed to the six agencies and why funding wasn’t provided in the DOE’s budget.
“We will have this (funding) problem every year, if you will, from a consistency stand point… until you make this (ESA) a part of somebody’s budget,” Sen. Bruce Rampelberg (30) said. Darnall told the committee ESA funding was not part of the DOE’s recommended budget.
Pogany referenced the beginning stages of DOE initiatives such as teacher and administrator evaluations and Common Core Standards as being areas ESAs could provide valuable assistance.
“What I hear superintendents and boards telling me is, ‘we just need help with the design and implementation of all these things (initiatives),” Pogany said.
Pogany, who worked closely with the development of ESAs during his tenure with the DOE, urged the committee to continue the conversation related to ESA funding because of their value to education and the instant benefits they could provide with the foundation already in place.
“Even if the dollar amount varies or changes, please keep this (reinstatement of funding) going as a conversation,” Pogany said. “All the infrastructure is in place. All that’s missing is the funding.”

domain: politics


text:
DiCesare Engler Productions
The company was formed in late 1973 when Pat DiCesare, who was the dominant concert promoter in the region, chose Pittsburgh native Rich Engler to form a new partnership. Engler was a drummer in a band and ran his own promotion company 'Go Attractions'. The firm promoted most of the major rock concerts and festivals in the Pittsburgh tri-state area (Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia) where the words 'Produced by DiCesare-Engler' became a familiar tagline in radio and television ads.
In 1977 the firm purchased The Stanley Theatre in downtown Pittsburgh. The venue was named the number one mid-size concert auditorium in the United States by Billboard magazine in 1978. That same year, DiCesare Engler Productions was named as the number two production team. Bill Graham Presents was number one. The theatre remained number one for several years until it was announced in November 1983 that the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust had purchased it for 12.1 million dollars.
DiCesare Engler also owned or operated other national top grossing venues in the 1980s and 1990s including the Syria Mosque, AJ Palumbo Center, and the IC Light Amphitheatre, as well as co-promoting concerts at the Star Lake Amphitheater in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania.
In July 1998 DiCesare Engler was sold to SFX Entertainment and became known as DiCesare Engler Productions/SFX. DiCesare Engler/SFX promoted the last concert at Three Rivers Stadium and the first concert at Heinz Field – 'N SYNC. They also promoted a pay-per-view concert known as the Rolling Rock Town Fair which averaged 90,000 in attendance.
- Rutowski, R (31 December 1976). "Pittsburgh: a first-rate concert city today". North Hills News Record.
- Barron, J (27 June 2012). "Rich Engler shares stories from 40 years in music business". Pittsburgh Tribune Review. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
- King, Peter B (14 February 1991). "Publications name WDVE top station, hail local concert venues". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- Reinartz, J (3 June 2010). "A Promoter’s Farewell to Mellon". Pollstar Magazine. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
- Masley, E (30 September 1994). "Partners in pop \ in 1964 Pat diCesare brought us the Beatles. Thirty years later, he and Rich engler bring us the Stones. What keeps DiCesare-Engler rocking through the decades?". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
- Staff (23 November 1973). "Ross Man Promoted". North Hills News Record. p. 25.
- D'Astolfo, G (10 May 2012). "A piece of rock & roll history began a half-century ago at YSU". The Youngstown Vindicator. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
- Stack, BW (29 November 1983). "3rd theater suggested for new cultural area". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. pp. 1, 4.
- Lubenski, C (10 February 1991). "Entertainment star still shining". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
- Sheehan, A (10 March 1990). "DiCesare says he'll book acts for Star Lake". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 6.
- Waddell, R (6 August 1998). "SFX Buys Another Promoter, Locks Up Pittsburgh Market". Billboard.
- Suhr, L (19 August 2001). "'N Sync Thrills Fans at Heinz Opening". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
- Barbieri, K (21 August 2000). "First Rolling Rock Town Fair Draws 33,000; Adds to income with pay per view". Amusement Business.

domain: history


text:
FirestarterMKD wrote:I play Red Dragons almost exclusively in ranked and I rarely ever try to contest early game helo drops with drops of my own. My usual counter against a helo drop, specially vs a blufor opponent, is to wait for them to land then burn them to smithereens with 2-3 PHLs/PHZs. If it doesn't do enough damage at least you have the upper hand in terms of morale, and Red Dragons infantry are just beasts
yeah i remember you using those when I played you in ranked (which I put in my deck after that match...so thanks ), anyway I do think you are right in how it is not worth it. With red dragon I feel like I can compete a bit more with those great AA choppers, however, after playing for the last couple days I have not really found myself using airborne that much at all so I have them out for the time being.

domain: hobby


text:
Karlen Grigori Adamyan (Armenian: Կառլեն Գրիգորի Ադամյան, born 19 January 1937) is an Armenian cardiologist, Doctor of Medical Sciences (1971), Professor (1985), Academician of the Armenian National Academy of Sciences (1996).
|Born||19 January 1937|
|Alma mater||Yerevan State Medical University|
|Institutions||Scientific Research Institute of Cardiology|
In 2009 he was named Honoured Science Worker of Armenia.
Adamyan graduated Yerevan State Medical Institute in 1959. From 1962 to 1965 he was a postgraduate student at the Institute of Cardiology and Heart Surgery of Ministry of Health of the ASSR, after which he started working for the same institute. in 1972-1982 he transferred to the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease department. In 1979, he became the director of Yerevan Research Institute of Cardiology. in 1995, he became the Head of the Chair of Clinical Cardiology of the National Institute of Health, as well as filled the position of Chief Cardiologist at the Ministry of Health of Armenia (1979-2001).
Author of 497 scientific papers, and 10 monographs.
Adamyan has been credited for developing the functional heart failure concept in cases of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and birth defects and for suggesting the classification of the pre-cyclone stage of circulatory collapse. Adamyan has introduced the biomedicine and immunology directions in clinical cardiology. Adamyan main research has been in the fields of primary and secondary prevention of pulmonary hypertension and cardiac ischemic disease.
Awards and recognitionsEdit
- Medal after Mkhitar Heratsi,
- Order of Friendship of nations, gold medal after Evgeniy Chazov (2007),
- Gold anniversary medal of National Health Institute of Armenia (2007),
- Gold medal of meria of Yerevan city administration (2011),
- Special diploma of presidium of Russian Society of Cardiology for development of cardiology (one of the tree diplomas with Yevgeniy Chazov and Rafael Oganov).
- State premium of the Armenian SSR in sphere of science and technics (1988).
- ^ a b c d e f g "Karlen G. Adamyan". sci.am.
- ^ "Հայաստանի պատվավոր կոչումներ շնորհելու մասին" [Armenian presidential decree on Honorary Titles of Armenia] (in Armenian).
- ^ Ով ով է. Հայեր. Կենսագրական հանրագիտարան, հատոր առաջին [Who is who? Armenians. Biographical Encyclopedia, Volume First] (in Armenian). Yerevan: NAS RA. 2005. p. էջ 27–28.
- ^ "Главный кардиолог Армении награжден золотой медалью имени Чазова" [Chief Cardiologist of Armenia awarded Chazov Gold Medal] (in Russian). newsarmenia.am. October 19, 2007. Retrieved April 5, 2019.


Though proportional control gets the nod in more applications (33%) than servo control (22%), neither one is dominant say many engineers (45%). That's according to a recent survey of Design News readers by Reed Research Group. That could change, as more vendor companies, including Festo, Parker Hannifin, and HR Textron focus on developing new and better servo technologies for fluid power apps. Major reason for the niche to grow? Lower cost. In fact, two thirds of engineers say that if they could obtain servo control for the price of proportional control, they'd do it.
Festo's BionicKangaroo combines pneumatic and electrical drive technology, plus very precise controls and condition monitoring. Like a real kangaroo, the BionicKangaroo robot harvests the kinetic energy of each takeoff and immediately uses it to power the next jump.
Design News and Digi-Key presents: Creating & Testing Your First RTOS Application Using MQX, a crash course that will look at defining a project, selecting a target processor, blocking code, defining tasks, completing code, and debugging.
Focus on Fundamentals consists of 45-minute on-line classes that cover a host of technologies. You learn without leaving the comfort of your desk. All classes are taught by subject-matter experts and all are archived. So if you can't attend live, attend at your convenience.


EASY-CARE MEETS SELF-CARE WITH CRYPTON CELLIANT
We are so excited to introduce Crypton® CELLIANT®, the first woven upholstery fabric with CELLIANT infrared technology.
Crypton is the leader in high-performance fabrics for contract and residential, renowned for their moisture-resistant, stain-resistant, spill-resistant and odor-resistant properties. Crypton fabrics are the definition of ‘easy-care’. And now those fabrics are infused with CELLIANT to help you care for yourself by increasing local circulation and improving cellular oxygenation, along with a host of other infrared energy wellness benefits.
That’s why we say Crypton CELLIANT is ‘easy-care meets self-care’ — but, we’re very proud to say that care goes beyond ease of cleaning and personal wellness. Both Crypton and Hologenix, the inventors of CELLIANT, take our responsibilities to the earth very seriously.
CELLIANT is created from ethically sourced minerals that are naturally occurring and Crypton CELLIANT is held to the highest environmental standards, being exclusively produced at Abercrombie Textiles in North Carolina. Like all Crypton products, Crypton CELLIANT is GREENGUARD Gold Certified.
“As the category leader and innovator of performance technologies for contract and residential markets, we are proud to introduce Crypton CELLIANT and the enhanced performance properties it represents,” said Lance Keziah, CEO of the Crypton Companies. “This innovation also demonstrates our strong, ongoing commitment to American manufacturing. With the introduction of CELLIANT technology to our fabric offering, we have found a trusted performance partner in sync with our company values and sustainability mission.”
Needless to say, we couldn’t agree more and are not only excited for this launch but the future innovations and growth of our partnership with Crypton.
The first opportunity to interact with this anticipated debut comes at BDNY, taking place Sunday, November 14, 2021 and Monday, November 15, 2021 at the Javits Center in New York. Be sure to stop by for interactive Crypton Fabric demonstrations, and to speak with industry experts.


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Manchester United blew a late lead away at Chelsea yesterday afternoon, and during his post-match press conference, Louis van Gaal had another run-in with the media, as they were once again, accused of inventing stories about his position as manager.
“You are inventing a story. I don’t have to answer and repeat myself every week.” was the Iron Tulip’s response when asked about Jose Mourinho potentially taking over in the summer.
“You didn’t speak with Ed Woodward or the Glazers and you are inventing a story and then I have to answer. I shall not answer.” Van Gaal said.
At the end of the day this is just pure disrespect. If Manchester United have briefed the press that Jose Mourinho might be the new manager over the summer then the board are just as bad.
Louis van Gaal is still our manager, and its up to everyone to get behind him for as long as that may be the case. You can completely understand why he is upset with the media, and they need to respect that.

domain: sports