Read Full Story Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski announced the appointment of Professor Jonathan Zittrain as the agency’s Distinguished Scholar.He will be based in the Office of Strategic Planning & Policy Analysis and will work on a range of issues related to 21st-century communications networks. He succeeds Stuart Benjamin, the commission’s first Distinguished Scholar in Residence.FCC Chairman Genachowski said, “I am very pleased that Jonathan will be contributing. His deep expertise on Internet and broadband policy issues will be invaluable to the commission’s work.”Zittrain is a professor of law at Harvard Law School and the Kennedy School of Government, co-founder of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society, and professor of computer science at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS).He is a member of the board of trustees of the Internet Society and is on the board of advisers for Scientific American. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a Forum Fellow of the World Economic Forum, which has named him a Young Global Leader.Previously, he was professor of Internet governance and regulation at Oxford University.His research interests include issues related to digital property and content, cryptography, electronic privacy, and the roles of intermediaries within Internet architecture. His 2008 book The Future of the Internet—And How to Stop It focuses on the future of the now-intertwined Internet and PC. read more

The Center for Ethics and Culture (CEC) will welcome new leadership as law professor Carter Snead prepares to take over as director July 1, according to a University press release. Snead said in an email interview that his most general goal in his new position would be to build upon the CEC’s existing achievements. “The Center for Ethics and Culture is an essential, indispensable institution dedicated to the pursuit of matters that lie at the heart of Notre Dame’s distinctive educational and religious mission,” Snead said. “It has been a vibrant forum for dialogue and exchange for elite and emerging scholars from a diversity of viewpoints and disciplines.” The Center hosts “lectures, conferences, film and literature series, awards, student formation programs and other initiatives” since its founding in 1999, according to the release. The annual CEC Flagship Fall Conference will be held on campus from Nov. 10 to 12. Snead said the Center’s unique work facilitates an exceptional platform for scholarly ethical debate. “[The Center] has been a place for students, scholars and public figures inside and outside of Notre Dame to explore together the richness of the Catholic tradition, including especially its unique resources for engaging concrete ethical problems in the broader culture,” he said. John McGreevy, dean of the College of Arts and Letters, said in the release that Snead would build upon the Center’s existing programs. “We all welcome Carter Snead into his new role and look forward to the programs and publications that will emerge under his leadership,” McGreevy said. Snead’s area of expertise focuses on the relationship between bioethics and law, and he has previously served on the President’s Council on Bioethics, the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee on Bioethics and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) International Bioethics Committee, the release stated. His work has been published in the New York University Law Review and the Harvard Law Review Forum. Snead will replace professor of Philosophy W. David Solomon as director. Solomon, in addition to his role as CEC’s founding director, has lectured on ethical theory and medical ethics at more than 100 colleges and universities and co-authored “Abortion and Public Policy” and “The Synoptic Vision: The Philosophy of Wilfrid Sellars,” the release stated. In the release, McGreevy praised the achievements of the center made possible under Solomon’s leadership. “All of us are grateful to David Solomon for his work at the center as its founding director and visionary, and his continued effort to enrich not just scholarly conversation but student intellectual life at Notre Dame,” McGreevy said. read more

View Comments Need a crash course in all things Neverland? The Today Show’s Natalie Morales took one for you as she was given a guided tour of Peter Pan Live!’s set by the star-studded cast. From getting a flying lesson with Allison Williams (bruises included), to sliding down into the Lost Boys’ lair with F. Michael Haynie to sword fighting with Christian Borle, Morales has got it covered. And then there’s Kelli O’Hara admiring Christopher Walken in her bathrobe. Take a look at the interviews below, and also check out NBC’s in-depth “Making Of” special, which charts the live event from casting through rehearsals and all the way up to just days before the big night. Be sure to tune in to watch the telecast on December 4. Short of Christmas present ideas? The original soundtrack will be released by Broadway Records on December 16! read more

Are you ready to join the Polar Bear Club? The Frigid 5K at the National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., is ready to test your limits this weekend.  After warming up on a 5K run on Saturday, February 14, a dive into the roadside river will shock your system with a whole new level of winter chill (but hey, it’s good for that immune system…right?).The race will wind along the National Whitewater Center’s parkway path, which parallels a man-made whitewater river that boaters use for playing and training in the warmer months. This time, though, that river is all yours. Upon finishing the 5K course, participants will take a quick dip in the “frigid” water to ramp your run up a notch.At 8 AM Saturday morning, those of you bold enough to compete will gather at the starting line by the Whitewater Center Headquarters. Packet pick up and race-day registration will take place from 6:30 to 7:30 before the race begins. For early registrants, there will also be a packet pick up opportunity on Friday evening from 5 to 7 at the NoDa Brewing Company. Race-day registration will continue as long as spots are available, for $33 per runner.Stick around after the run and plunge for an awards ceremony, as well as fire pits and refreshments to help you recover from the cold. Plus, there’s no better way to make new friends than huddling together for warmth.The Charlotte National Whitewater Center can’t wait to host such a unique race, so come on out and show winter who’s boss. read more

It is no secret that outdoor adventures pair perfectly with a delicious craft beer and that is exactly what you will find in Haywood County, NC. This area of the North Carolina Smokies is serving up the perfect pairing of outdoor activities and unique craft brews that will have you coming back year after year to see what is on tap. Home to 46 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway and a large portion of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Haywood County and its five towns of Waynesville, Maggie Valley, Lake Junaluska, Canton and Clyde are a Mecca for outdoor enthusiasts.From hardcore backpackers taking on the Appalachian Trail via Max Patch to families adventuring through Graveyard Fields in search of seasonal berries and local wildflowers, the North Carolina Smokies offer year-round activities for all ages and skill levels. And what could be more perfect after a long day on the trail than kicking back with a delicious craft brew? Haywood County is home to four award winning local microbreweries: Bearwaters Brewing, Boojum Brewing, Frog Level Brewing and Tipping Point Tavern and Brewery, and during the month of April, you can come celebrate North Carolina Beer Month with a visit to with each one them!Bearwaters Brewing artfully crafts its beer from English tradition with a blend of true American style. Many of the regularly flowing brews give nod to the area’s well-known rivers and creeks like the Sliding Rock Ale and Shining Creek Bourbon Aged Red. Beyond that you can find numerous creative brews rotating throughout the year like the Sunburst Saison and Pecan Pie Porter.Located on the banks of Richland Creek, Frog Level Brewing is known for its froggy brews and back porch beer garden. Some of the favorite brews on tap include the Tadpole Porter, Salamander Slam IPA and Hopscotch Ale. Frog Level Brewing also brought a whole new meaning to the term “homegrown” when it released, “Frog P”, the first Haywood County hopped beer in over 150 years.Take a stroll down Waynesville’s historic Main Street and stop in at Tipping Point Brewery and Tavern. The Tavern offers a variety of taps like the Chunky Girl Amber, Hiking Viking Blonde, and the Plott Hound Porter. In addition, they are one of two breweries in the county that serve up a tasty menu alongside their crafty beers.Boojum Brewing, Waynesville’s newest microbrewery, dubs its name after a Haywood County folk tale about a Big Foot like creature who roams the local mountains. Boojum offers two locations to enjoy their brews: the main brewery and a brewpub on Main St. in Waynesville. In addition to their name, they have also given nod to the local area with beers like the Graveyard Field Blueberry Coffee Porter and the King of the Mountain Double IPA. They also pride themselves on a variety of unique seasonal brews like the Headless Hippie Imperial Pumpkin Ale and the Mur Raspberry Saison.Beyond the breweries, you will find a number of other area businesses who specialize in offering a fine selection of local craft beer like Mad Anthony’s Bottle Shop and Beer Garden, Bosu’s Wine Shop, The Classic Wine Seller and Sunburst Market.So what are you waiting for? Get to Haywood County, NC to enjoy your perfect flight of authentic outdoor experiences and exceptional local craft brews. read more

The Conservation Fund announced that a 91-acre tract of land in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley has been permanently protected and preserved. In a press release, the organization announced that the newly protected property is the rock-topped end of Short Mountain, known as the Knob. The land will be managed as part of the George Washington National Forest. Virginia House of Delegates votes to ban Styrofoam across the state A new study by RunRepeat analyzing 19.6 million results from over 16 thousand marathons has found that marathoners around the world, and especially in the U.S., are getting slower. The study found that in 1986 the average finish time was 3:52:35 and today it’s 4:32:49, a slowdown of over 40 minutes. In February, Tennessee-born kayaker Dane Jackson made the second tallest waterfall descent in known history down Chile’s 134-foot Salto del Maule waterfall. Jackson originally set his sights on Salto del Maule over five years ago and has spent years preparing to pull off such a feat. Jackson’s achievement now ranks as the second tallest waterfall descent on record behind Palouse Falls in Washington. “This is what happens when obsession becomes reality,” Jackson said.   On February 11, the Virginia House of Delegates voted 55 to 44 to pass Del. Betsy Carr’s bill (HB533) to ban polystyrene cups and take-out containers in the state. Polystyrene is the most frequently observed plastic litter in the ocean. The bill now heads to the Senate for action. The land will be used to develop a significant segment of the Cumberland Trail, eventually connecting Ozone Falls State Natural Area to existing state-owned land. When completed, the Cumberland Trail will extend more than 300 miles from Cumberland Gap National Historic Park to its southern terminus at the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park, just outside Chattanooga.  Tennessee-born kayaker makes second tallest waterfall descent on record Trail runner crawls for eight hours to find help after breaking leg on trail A trail runner in Olympic National Park crawled for nearly eight hours after injuring his leg on a run. Joseph Oldendorf was about 10 miles from the trailhead when he broke his leg after slipping on ice. With no cell phone service and temperatures below freezing, Oldendorf knew his only chance at survival was to crawl to safety. Oldendorf eventually crawled to an area with cell phone reception, called 911, and kept crawling, according to a report by CNN. He told the press he feared that if he stopped to wait for rescuers, he would die.  Cover photo: View southeast towards The Knob on Short Mountain from Mount Jackson Road (Virginia State Secondary Route 703) at Bonny View Lane just north of Mount Jackson in Shenandoah County, Virginia / photo by famartin, courtesy wikimedia commons  More than 90 acres of the Knob conserved in the Shenandoah Valley Over 6,000 acres added to Tennessee’s Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park New study finds runners in the U.S. are getting slower George Hood, 62, reclaimed a Guinness World Record he previously held for longest time spent in a plank position. Hood, a former Marine, first set the record in 2011 with a time of 1 hour, 20 minutes, and 25 seconds, according to a press release. His new record, 8 hours, 15 minutes, and 15 seconds beat out Mao Weidong’s record set in 2016. Hood trained nearly seven hours a day for 18 months to prepare for his world record. “I’ve taken the plank as far as I can take it,” he told USA TODAY. Man planks for over 8 hours, setting world record In late February, 6,229 acres were added to the Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park. According to a release by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, the land, known as the Lone Star property, will support wildlife habitat and native ecology and will be a critical connecting point for the Cumberland Trail, Tennessee’s first “linear park,” which runs through 11 counties and two time zones.  “A lot of waste comes from things we don’t need, and we know we shouldn’t use, such as foam cups and take-out containers,” state director of Environment Virginia Elly Boehmer said in a press release. “This trash ends up in our open spaces and waterways, where it endangers wildlife. Polystyrene never breaks down, so it harms our environment for decades. Nothing we use for five minutes should pollute our planet for generations to come.” read more

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More from newsMould, age, not enough to stop 17 bidders fighting for this home5 hours agoBuyers ‘crazy’ not to take govt freebies, says 28-yr-old investor5 hours ago39 Cochrane St Paddington afterThe three-level house is positioned on a 405 square metre corner block and offers over 360 square metres of floor space.Mr Argent said the side road frontage reduces the need for a boundary setback, so the owner was able to maximise the size of the dwelling.“It’s an absolutely magnificent house,” he said.The top level can be accessed off the front-street level and provides the best outlook across the suburb and to the city vista from the living/dining/kitchen area that opens onto the deck. The kitchen prior to the renovation. 39 Cochrane St Paddington before Postcard views from the upper level living area.“You come in at the top level and it’s got absolutely insane city views that can never be built out,” Mr Argent said.Bedrooms and bathrooms occupy most of the second level while the ground level provides car accommodation, additional living space and a deck leading to the pool.Mr Argent said the home stands out due to the high quality of the build.“You can just see the workmanship. You see it everywhere you look — you can’t fault the workmanship anywhere. And the fixtures and fittings are all of the highest standard.”Mr Argent said the monster marble kitchen bench is just one example where no expense had been spared. The finish after the renovation is of the highest quality, according to the agent Daniel Argent. Marketing agent Daniel Argent said this renovation is “ … one of the best properties I’ve ever seen …”WHEN talking to selling agents, you quickly become accustomed to superlatives.But this home at 39 Cochrane St, Paddington has prompted Daniel Argent of Urban Property to go one step further and make a very big call.“It’s a 1930s Queenslander which has been completely renovated and extended and redeveloped to now be one of the best properties I’ve ever seen in Paddington.“They bought it in 2013 and they renovated it over about 12-months before moving in. The most incredible thing is where it’s come from to where it is now.” read more

The bottom joint system that will be used to moor Minesto’s DG500 tidal energy device to the seabed off Wales has been installed onto the gravity-based foundation.The bottom joint functions as a locking mechanism between the power plant’s tether and the seabed foundation.Dimensioned for Minesto’s needs, the system used for its 500kW installation is a version of Subsea Riser Products’ (SRP) Rocksteady.The bottom joint is articulated in two axis, which enables the kite to fly its full pattern while being safely linked to the foundation, according to the Swedish tidal developer.The device is made up of two parts, where one part is integrated in the seabed foundation and the other to the tether.The two parts are joined together with an hydraulic locking device. This integrated solution makes it relatively easily to connect and disconnect the bottom joint subsea, which in turn reduces cost of installation, service and maintenance compared to other available solutions, Minesto said.SRP is a UK-based company that designs and builds mechanical connectors, tooling and risers for the offshore energy industries. read more

The Antique National School in San Jose de Buenavista has suspended its afternoon classes due to typhoon “Tisoy.” Fourteen of the province’s 18 towns have suspended their classes on Monday. PNA/Annabel Consuelo Petinglay PAGASA expects “Tisoy” to make alandfall over Catanduanes, Albay, or Sorsogon, between Monday night and Tuesdaymorning.(With a report from PNA/PN) SAN JOSE, Antique – Fourteen towns ofthe province have suspended classes on Monday due to typhoon “Tisoy.”     He added all roads in the provinceremained passable. Public utility vehicles from Antique to Iloilo City andAntique to Aklan were on their regular operations. The PDRRM Operations Center,meanwhile, was on “blue alert” – which means local government agencies willhave a close monitoring of the situation. In its 11 a.m. severe weatherbulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical ServicesAdministration (PAGASA) said “Tisoy” was last seen 235 kilometers eastsoutheast of Virac, Catanduanes, or 250 kilometers east of Juban, Sorsogon. Train said fishermen were prohibitedto sail in open seas until the weather has improved.  Some municipalities ordered thesuspension of classes from pre-school to senior high school level while othershave suspended classes in all levels. Gov. Rhodora Cadiao urged residents totake precautionary measures as the typhoon approaches.  “Tisoy” packs maximum sustained windsof up to 150-kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to185 kph. It was moving west at 25 kph.  Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction andManagement (PDRRM) officer Broderick Train said as of Monday, classes had beensuspended in the towns of Libertad, Pandan, Valderrama, Sibalom, San Remigio,Hamtic, Tobias Fornier, Anini-y, Patnongon, San Jose de Buenavista, Belison,Caluya, Barbaza, and Tibiao.     read more