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“Miami Rute” features Queens of the Stone Age and The Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore along with Beastie Boys & Gogol Bordello percussionist Alfredo Ortiz
“Rhythm Surfer” features one of the last recordings of guitar icon Dick Dale — lending his legendary and oft-imitated “Machine Gun Staccato” style to the track
alongside L7 guitarist/vocalist Donita Sparks on the entrancing tune
American Instrument is conceptually just as expansive and ambitious as the lush soundscapes within
An 18-song album featuring an array of legendary guest musicians
its theme likewise embodies a profound meditation on selfhood and the Other
Dark Brown’s new album American Instrument is the fifth album under that pseudonym
but Brown has an extensive life-long career in music: Scoring Dave Grohl’s HBO series Sonic Highways (2014) and documentary film What Drives Us (2021) as well as countless other films
as well as numerous stints as a session musician
The album was recorded over a 12-year period at 7 different studios. It features guest appearances by surf guitar innovator Dick Dale, John Stanier (Battles, Helmet), Brad Wilk (Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave), Alfredo Ortiz (Los Lobos,Beastie Boys), Eric McFadden, Jon Theodore (QOTSA), Donita Sparks (L7), marching percussionist Marcus Joyner, Dave Catching (Desert Sessions), Jose Medeles (The Breeders
The predominantly drummer-heavy line up is another element of the album’s exploration into Brown’s relationship with drumming
Brown has a personal connection to almost everyone who played on the album
the album unites many common threads (personal and philosophical) throughout the musician’s life
Dark Brown American Instrument Memory Bulldozer
Pre-order American Instrument HERE
By Irving Mejia-Hilario
say they are hoping to take Courtney and his attorneys back to court over malicious prosecution claims
The pair say they will be seeking monetary damages of more than $5 million against Courtney in an upcoming suit against the doctor
“We reverse and vacate the trial court’s March 1
2021 orders as to [Kelly] Liebbe; reverse the final judgment and render judgment that Dr
Courtney and his professional association take nothing on their claims against Liebbe and Rute for conversion
and violations of the Texas Uniform Trade Secrets Act and reverse the final judgment and render judgment that Dr
Courtney take nothing on his conspiracy claim against Rute,” the July 5 verdict said
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Rute and Courtney did not respond to a phone call requesting an interview with The Dallas Morning News
said the appeals court ruling has liberated Rute and will allow him to file litigation against Courtney and his attorneys
was turned down and rejected because of his lawsuit that was hanging over him,” he said
“It now frees him up to go after the people who put him in this positions
In May and July 2017, WFAA aired two stories about Courtney that compared him to “Dr. Death.” The stories included interviews with Courtney’s former patients who claimed he had prioritized profits over safety by using cervical plates
screws and other tools that could be inserted into the body during surgery
Courtney claimed the WFAA stories had cost his business an estimated $10 million in damages between May 2017 to the end of 2020 when patients stopped scheduling and canceled appointments with him
He said he lost 208 procedures in that time
a 12-person jury awarded Courtney $10,897,774 for damages
Courtney’s ex-business partner turned bitter rival
had secretly been compiling data from 1,571 medical files without authorization from Courtney
The Collin County jury later decided that Carmody
Rute and two others were on the hook for damages caused against Courtney’s business
Rute never started paying back his court-ordered 30% of the near $11 million he and others owed Courtney
Clevenger said he hopes the ruling will prompt the FBI to file an investigation into the judge who oversaw the 2022 case
Roach did not respond to a phone call interview request from The News
“The very first time Jonathan appeared in front of Judge Roach
he was extremely hostile and condescending
He needs a challenge because he is not fit to serve as a judge.”
Thank you for reading. We welcome your thoughts on this topic. Comments are moderated for adherence to our
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Rute Fiuza demands justice for her son Davi
who was forcibly disappeared by 23 military police officers Brazil in October 2014
Chair of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent
presented a report addressing the implications of digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) on human rights
with a particular focus on how these technologies contribute to racial inequality
especially among people of African descent
AI-driven facial recognition software has been criticised for its disproportionate impact on people of African descent
misidentifying them at significantly higher rates compared to other groups
This has led to wrongful arrests and other forms of discrimination
Reynolds resonates deeply with Rute Fiuza’s statement
who is a member of Mães da Bahia collective
Both the report and Rute’s personal story underscore the pervasive systemic racism that disproportionately affects people of African descent
Rute Fiuza shared the harrowing story of her son
who was forcibly disappeared by 23 military police officers in Bahia in October 2014
during the second round of national elections
was taken by the military police and has not been seen since
Rute’s testimony powerfully highlighted the systemic violence faced by Black families in Brazil
which she described as a ‘policy of extermination’
Her son’s disappearance is not an isolated case
it is part of a larger pattern of State violence against marginalised communities
which has resulted in more than 82,000 forced disappearances in Brazil despite the country’s democratic status
transparency and accountability from the Brazilian government regarding the forced disappearance of her son
She demanded that the State provide information about the whereabouts of her son’s body so that he can receive a dignified funeral
highlighting the right of families to know the truth
she calls for broader racial and social justice in Brazil
underlining the need to address systemic violence and oppression faced by people of African descent
Rute Fiuza urges the creation of a safer environment for human rights defenders
pointing out that families like hers face threats and intimidation simply for speaking out against the injustices they endure
My name is Rute Fiuza and I am Davi Fiuza’s mother
I am a member of the Collective of Family Members of Victims of Terrorism by the Brazilian State
My son was 16 years old when he was taken from his home by 23 military police officers in the state of Bahia
execution and vilification of the body of Giovani Mascarenhas
We mothers have our cries silenced by the security forces
by constant threats to our lives and the lives of our young Black men
I demand that the Brazilian State tell me where my son’s body is so that he can have a dignified funeral and that the State ensure a secure environment for human rights defenders working on racial justice
Davi joined the statistics of more than 82,000 forced disappearances in the midst of democracy
There is a policy of extermination of Black people in Brazil
We have never had access to information about where my son’s body is
I have turned my mourning into a struggle for justice
just like the mothers of the young people who were decimated in the Cabula and Gamboa massacre
During the session of the NGO Forum preceding the 83rd Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR)
a panel focused on the enduring impact of colonial-era laws on vulnerable populations across Africa
As the Sudanese armed forces advance in several states
increasing numbers of civilians are being detained
and killed on accusations of 'collaboration with RSF.' Authorities and the international community must act now
ISHR and Haitian Bridge Alliance delivered a joint statement at the 58th session of the Human Rights Council condemning the violations of international law committed against Haitians
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The construction industry is not on track to decarbonise by 2050 and uses more resources than most. In 2020, the UK produced a staggering 59.1 million tonnes of non-hazardous construction and demolition waste
Despite most of this material (92.6%) being recycled
much of it was crushed for use in roads and building foundations
turns high-quality materials into lower-quality products by crushing and mixing them
preventing future use in their original form
Increasing the demand for natural resources and continuously exploiting raw materials is unsustainable
repair or repurpose materials already in use
buildings would need to be carefully taken apart – and their materials kept at their highest possible value
Recycling often compromises the original properties and quality of a material
glass and bricks that could be reused end up in a landfill
a structural beam can be dismantled and installed in another building
Clay bricks can be reused instead of being crushed and recycled as an aggregate material
Downcycling uses energy and resources to transform materials
increasing how much carbon is embedded in a construction project
Prioritising the reuse of existing materials over recycling can significantly reduce embodied carbon – and the construction sector’s carbon footprint
with insulation and other measures that improve their energy efficiency
This process should preserve as many useful materials as possible
Think of buildings as material banks filled with reusable components for future construction
Deconstructing buildings instead of demolishing them – carefully disassembling and salvaging their materials for reuse – can repurpose much of what would otherwise be waste
The problem, as Dutch architect Thomas Rau defines it, is that waste is a material with no identity
Categorising materials is necessary to salvage them and recognise their potential for reuse
A door without a material passport might go to waste. The same door with an ID has its physical dimensions, materials, manufacturer information and product details documented. Such a system could prevent these valuable materials being lost or wasted and enable their reuse as a valuable item.
The door could then be deposited in a take-back scheme, remade according to its details or simply reused straightaway. Assigning an identity to existing materials helps designers understand their physical, social and environmental value and understand their potential. In essence, these passports prevent materials from becoming an undifferentiated mass of waste, extending their lifespan and preventing their disposal.
Old buildings are more than just relics of the past, they are treasures waiting to be salvaged. Creating passports for building materials, before they are dismantled, allows them to be identified, traced, and kept in use instead of being thrown away.
Buildings and materials have not just one life, but the possibility of several.
Visiting 'belenes' (nativity scenes) is a typical Christmas tradition in Spain and across the Andalucía region there are authentic works of art either for the quality of their figures, their composition, their originality. The village of Rute in Cordoba province has a special nativity scene made from chocolate.
For more than 90 years the confectioners at Galleros Artesanos have been creating this unique nativity scene, which is striking for several reasons. Firstly, measuring more than 52 square metres, it is the largest in the world. Secondly, because everything is moulded with chocolate, from the figures to the houses, streets, gates, monuments. And a third point is the theme, which varies every year, and this year it is all about classic and modern fairy tales.
Art and pastry-making go hand in hand in this spectacular work for which more than 1,500 kilos of chocolate have been used and on which six master pastry chefs have worked.
In total there are more than a hundred figures in the nativity scene. There are the classics such as the Virgin Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus, the mule and the ox; the shepherds; the three wise men; merchants; soldiers; washerwomen. Then there are others that will only be there this year - well known characters from fairy tales.
The chocolate nativity scene is open to the public until midday on 5 January, except for afternoons of 24 and 31 December, all day on 25 December and 1 January.
The entrance fee is 1.50 euros, refundable on purchase inside the facilities and it is free for children under four.
A trip to the chocolate Belén can also include a visit to the Museo del Turrón (nougat museum) and also to an anís distillery, which includes a tour and tasting of the traditional Christmas drink .
Flavour, tradition and culture are intertwined in this town in Cordoba, which at Christmas time gives off a special aroma and an unparalleled tradition.
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Registered office Málaga, Avda. Dr. Marañón, 48.
MENUFROM THE MAGAZINERute Merk’s Vision for the Future of PaintingIn 2020
figurative paintings caught the eye of Demna Gvasalia
You make paintings that feature eerily distorted
modelesque figures resembling characters in an apocalyptic video game
But your work had no connection to fashion when Demna Gvasalia
asked you to capture his standout spring/summer 2020 collection for the Italian contemporary art magazine Mousse
That ended up inspiring an exhibition titled “SS20,” at the New York gallery Downs & Ross
I got an email saying that Demna had come across my work
it was funny; they asked how I make my images
I’ve incorporated a photographic quality into my work for the past few years
They wanted me to interpret the collection for a magazine
So when we discussed the technical aspects
It takes a lot of time—a long time just to dry.”
capturing both the pieces in detail and the set
but I really wanted to do this one—especially because Demna is Georgian
and I totally recognize some of the things he designs from my childhood: the trendy jeans
And then when Balenciaga said something like
“We feel there’s a relationship between your work and ours—the relationship between humans and technology,” I totally agreed
I think there is something about the synthetic construction
but Balenciaga combines this ugliness and scariness in a way that makes it not so scary
everyone is trying to run away from clichés
What do you think is your most original trait
The best part of being an artist is being able to swim in your delusions and play with the mix of elements that other people have used
What we were taught in art school was trying to create something new
it was very important to find a visual language that would somehow correspond to the 21st century—something you wouldn’t mix with a painting from 100 years ago
What do you think about when you’re painting
I think that if you’re 100 percent realistic about your capabilities
then there’s no way for you to achieve anything
I don’t want to indulge insanity—there has to also be control
They can have this visionary way of thinking
but that can also sometimes come back to bite you
You start to deny things and ignore reality
There were no artists in my family when I was growing up
Someone who manages to have an authentic way of life and really changes the status quo
She was very inspirational to me growing up
But what I wear on a daily basis is really not inspired by anyone; it’s just very practical for being in the studio
so there’s not much left in myself in terms of expression
What’s the most prized possession in your closet
I got a black T-shirt emblazoned with Barack Obama and Joe Biden
passing by a secondhand shop in Munich—one of those 1 euro things they keep outside in the street
Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte will be the next NATO Secretary General, after all 32 members of the alliance agreed that he should succeed Jens Stoltenberg, transmissions H1
Following support from Hungary and Slovakia on Tuesday
Romania confirmed today that it will vote for Rutte
after Romanian President Klaus Iohannis withdrew his candidacy for NATO chief
During the meeting of the Supreme National Defense Council
Iohannis said that he informed the NATO allies about the withdrawal of his candidacy
which will shape the fate of this military alliance that serves as Eastern Europe's most successful bulwark against Russian aggression
Former US President and current Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has promised to stay in NATO
but has threatened to end US aid to Ukraine if he is re-elected
Rute has been campaigning for the new head of NATO since last November and was considered the favorite
Rutte announced that he would not run for a fifth term and that he would leave Dutch politics after the elections in November 2023
the populist right-wing leader Geert Wilders won
and Rutte's People's Party for Freedom and Democracy took only third place
the longest tenure as Prime Minister in the history of the Netherlands
Serbian students repeated a hundred times that this is a marathon
Similar to Adam Mihnjik in the eighties in Poland
The government in Serbia is on the way to the end - you just need to be patient
With the inclusivity created at the plenums
students should continue during election engagement
including the opposition at some point - whatever it may be
Who mentions the extraordinary elections when the rating of the party in power is falling
Vučić is not the most important political factor in the country
© 2025 Time, Belgrade. Developed by cubes
William Corwin is a sculptor and writer based in New York. Besides the Rail, he writes regularly for Art & Antiques and Art Papers. He is an avid opera fan.
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NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has visited US President-elect Donald Trump at his residence in Florida
Rute traveled on the government plane of the Netherlands
noting that the NATO Secretary General does not have a personal plane and the alliance often hires ones from member countries
Information about the visit was supported by data from online flight tracking applications
which showed that the Dutch government plane had landed in Florida
"Neither the Dutch government nor NATO have so far commented on the information," reports the publication
who is a former prime minister of the Netherlands
is considered one of the most successful European politicians in dealing with Donald Trump during his first term as US president
His visit to Florida is seen as a sign of maintaining strong transatlantic ties in the context of Trump's upcoming inauguration
More news from World
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Provides administrative support to the PT/EU department. She is also responsible for file storage and digital file management of Inventa
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Rute Foundation Systems says its Rute Suntracker system – designed for utility-scale
high-clearance solar – could potentially reduce steel use by 30%
From pv magazine USA
specializes in modular foundations for renewable energy
But in 2021 it focused its sites above ground
designing the patent-pending Suntracker for high-clearance solar installations like agrivoltaics
the practice of co-locating solar energy production with agriculture
has been gaining traction around the world as prime solar land becomes more scarce and the benefits of pairing solar with farmland become more obvious
researchers at the University of Arizona have found that solar arrays improve crop yield in dry environments by providing shade
grazing sheep among solar panels has been used to manage grasses at the site
An agrivoltaic array is typically raised above 8 feet to allow agriculture to continue underneath
and that’s where the Suntracker design comes in
“Despite being beneficial for the landowner
agrivoltaics has historically been a difficult sell for the developer,” said Doug Krause
“Now that we have a system with attractive economics to all stakeholders
we expect dual-use utility scale agrivoltaics to grow exponentially”
The Suntracker system is suspended by cables
rather than mounted on steel driven into the ground
providing what the company says is the lowest levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for high-clearance solar
Rute reports that by using cables rather than steel foundations
Another advantage of the cable system is that the land does not have to be disturbed in order to install the system
which is a benefit in the agricultural industry
It also enables the land to be returned to its original condition in the event that the solar installation were to be removed
Rute compares its Suntracker installation to a cable suspension bridge
The cables not only hold the system in place
but they also use the cables to rotate the panels to track the sun,
The tracking systems provides up to 28% more electricity than fixed panels
With its lower cost and the additional revenue from tracking
Rute says its Suntracker is the first agrivoltaic system to achieve a levelized LCOE competitive with conventional solar
Rute received a grant from the US Department of Energy and Business Oregon to build a pilot
and the company is now building its proving ground at the manufacturing innovation center in Scappoose
More articles from Anne Fischer
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the modular wind turbine tower base cuts the amount of concrete needed by 75 percent over the life cycle of a wind farm and reduces CO2 emissions
segmental foundation at a single 60-tower wind farm would keep about 65 million pounds of CO2 out of the atmosphere,” Doug Krause
CEO of RUTE Foundations tells the Independent. “This CO2 reduction is realized through lower concrete usage
a much longer life cycle of our precast components
and the fact new wind farms can come online a month earlier because our foundations don’t have to cure.”
Traditional poured-in-place foundations require concrete footings that are 60 feet in diameter
weigh almost 2 million pounds and use 40 truckloads of concrete
curing that amount of concrete takes weeks before towers can be installed
and the life of the structure is less than half that of the RUTE foundation
modular components in the RUTE system are made in beam manufacturing plants and use post-tensioning technology (a method of strengthening concrete with high-strength steel strands common in bridge construction)
The first RUTE 30BX Foundation was installed at Palmers Creek Wind Farm in Granite Falls
RUTE partnered on the project with VertueLab and a team of engineering and construction firms
RUTE’s post-tensioning partner based in Maryland
Read the full article here...
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Academic, producer, and open culture enthusiast, Rute Correia is a Lisbon-based doctoral candidate who produces the White Market Podcast, which focuses on free culture and CC music. As both a student of radio and producer herself, she is deeply connected to the Netlabel and CC music communities
utilizing her significant talents to showcase free music
and Creative Commons through community radio and open source
Rute will be joining us at the Creative Commons Global Summit in Lisbon from May 7-9 to talk about her exciting new project, the Open Music Network. Find out more about the Summit, and don’t forget to register soon
info@creativecommons.org
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claims Liverpool’s controversial clash with Tottenham was “rigged” by the “clown” officials taking charge
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Braga’s Ana Rute is the main addition to the 23 chosen by manager Francisco Neto to represent Portugal in the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand between July 20th and August 20th
In relation to the 23 players who were there for the game against Cameroon (that ended 2-1) that
put the ‘quinas’ team into the 2023 World Cup
Ana Rute is entering in the place of teammate Vanessa Marques
Ana Rute was part of the 25 chosen for the Intercontinental play-off
as well as front player Kelsey Araújo (Le Havre)
only Ana Seiça didn’t play in qualifications
as 19 of the 23 chosen were there for the 2022 Euro’s – The new additions are Benfica’s midfielder
The ‘quinas’ qualified on February 22nd after beating Cameroon 2-1 in Hamilton
in the Intercontinental play-off’s Group A final
in a triumph sealed by Carole Costa’s penalty goal at 90+4 minutes
Portugal will face vice-champions the Netherlands (July 23rd) in Dunedin
and defending champions the United States (August 1st) in Auckland
Before the championship’s start on July 10th
on the 7th the ‘quinas’ will face Ukraine in an exhibition match at Estádio do Bessa
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Pursuing active and durable water splitting electrocatalysts is of vital significance for solving the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) process in energy supply
theoretical calculations identify that the local distortion-strain effect in amorphous RuTe2 system abnormally sensitizes the Te-pπ coupling capability and enhances the electron-transfer of Ru-sites
in which the excellent inter-orbital p-d transfers determine strong electronic activities for boosting OER performance
a robust electrocatalyst based on amorphous RuTe2 porous nanorods (PNRs) is successfully fabricated
a-RuTe2 PNRs exhibit a superior performance
which only require a cell voltage of 1.52 V to reach a current density of 10 mA cm−2
Detailed investigations show that the high density of defects combine with oxygen atoms to form RuOxHy species
This work offers valuable insights for constructing robust electrocatalysts based on theoretical calculations guided by rational design and amorphous materials
The obtained amorphous Li-PPS NDs also possess excellent stability under the acidic condition that the decay of current density is negligible after 10000 potential cycles
catalyst designs based on amorphous materials are therefore an attractive strategy for developing highly active and stable electrocatalysts for water splitting under harsh environments
guided by the theoretical mechanism study of the intrinsic high electroactivity revealed in the amorphous structure
the a-RuTe2 porous nanorods (a-RuTe2 PNRs) with bullet-like outline have been designed and synthesized as robust water splitting electrocatalysts
Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that high amorphization degree renders the local short-range disorder to be distinguished
which inevitably induces distortion-strain effect (DS) and thus leads the system to be the meta-stable state
Such energetic trend not only facilitates the variation of local Te-coordination for flexible bonding but also induces a medium-to-long range pπ coupling to efficiently annihilate the notorious crystal-field-splitting effect of Ru for highly active intra- and inter-orbital electron-transfer
From the view of strong electron-lattice coupling effect
the short-range disorder contributes to the intrinsic guarantee for high OER activities within pH-universal conditions
the a-RuTe2 PNRs present a significantly improved OER performance than its crystalline counterparts in harsh environments
it is capable of delivering an overpotential of as low as 245 mV for OER
far better than those of crystalline RuTe2 PNRs (c-RuTe2 PNRs) and the benchmark electrocatalyst Ir/C
By constructing a-RuTe2 PNRs as a two-electrode system in the acidic electrolyte
only a cell potential of 1.52 V is needed to generate 10 mA cm−2
Experimental results demonstrate that the distorted Ru-Te bond can be derived from the high density of defects
the RuOxHy species form by combining the defect with oxygen atoms also contribute to the reaction process
a Local atomic configurations for the amorphous RuTe2
b The real spatial contour plots for bonding and anti-bonding orbitals near EF
c The Brillouin zone of the crystalline RuTe2
and R denote high-symmetry points within the reciprocal space (red)
d The Brillouin zone of the amorphous RuTe2
and Z denote high-symmetry points within the reciprocal space (red)
e Structural formation energy variation trend with related to the Lamé parameters for describing the bulk lattice distortion induced strain effect
g The band structure of the crystalline RuTe2 and h the amorphous RuTe2
i Enlarged display of the amorphous RuTe2 band structure
a PDOSs comparison between amorphous and crystalline RuTe2 systems
b Site-dependent PDOSs variation trend of Te-5p band
c Site-dependent PDOSs variation of Ru-4d band
d Individual PDOSs contributions of O-species from OER process
e Schematic diagram of the electronic activity enhancement in amorphous structure
a The free energetic pathways for acidic OER at U = 0 V
The corresponding reaction mechanism in the acidic is shown in the plot and calculation setup
The different reaction mechanisms with the acidic OER based on key adsorbates and co-reactants is supplied in the plot and calculation setup
c The OER pathways of acidic and alkaline conditions at U = 1.23 V
d Local structural configurations of initial reactant
intermediates or final product on the amorphous RuTe2 surface
e Schematic diagram for illustrating the amorphous RuTe2 boosting the OER performance via highly efficient electron-transfer site-independently
c STEM-ADF image and EDS elemental mappings of RuTe2 PNRs
and h STEM-ADF image and EDS elemental mappings of carbon supported a-RuTe2 PNRs
d structural model and e STEM-ADF image and EDS elemental mappings of carbon supported c-RuTe2 PNRs
Inset in c is the SAED pattern of c-RuTe2 PNRs
b 2 nm; c 0.5 nm; (Inset in c) 5 1/nm; e 40 nm
OER polarization curves of a-RuTe2 PNRs
c-RuTe2 PNRs and commercial Ir/C in a 0.5 M H2SO4 and b 1.0 M KOH
c-RuTe2 PNRs and commercial Pt/C in c 0.5 M H2SO4 and d 1.0 M KOH
e Histogram of overpotentials at 10 mA cm−2 from a–d
commercial Pt/C and Ir/C in 0.5 M H2SO4 for HER and OER
b Polarization curves of a-RuTe2 PNRs||a-RuTe2 PNRs and Ir/C||Pt/C in 0.5 M H2SO4 for water splitting
c Comparison of the overpotential of a-RuTe2 PNRs and recently reported overall water splitting electrocatalysts at 10 mA cm−2
d Time-dependent current density curves of a-RuTe2 PNRs||a-RuTe2 PNRs and Ir/C||Pt/C for water splitting in 0.5 M H2SO4
and d O 1s XPS spectra of a-RuTe2 PNRs and c-RuTe2 PNRs
e Schematic illustration of the OER process under acidic and alkaline conditions
theoretical calculations have supplied an insightful understanding of the intrinsic high electroactivity that directionally guide the experimental synthesis of the a-RuTe2 PNRs as the efficient water splitting electrocatalysts
DFT calculations reveal that the local flexible Te-bonding configurations are yielded from a strong p-d transfer induced p-π sensitivity enhancement
which renders the stabilization of distortion-strain as well as elevates electronic activities near the Fermi level through an effective annihilation of the crystal-field-splitting effect of Ru-sites
the local distorted Ru-Te lattice increases the homogeneity for efficient inter-d-orbital electron-transfer ability among Ru sites
the short-range disorder promotes the electron-lattice coupling effect but also boosts OER catalysis within pH-universal conditions
the a-RuTe2 PNRs exhibit superior HER and OER activities than those of their crystalline counterparts
a relatively low cell potential of 1.52 V has been achieved for reaching the current density of 10 mA cm−2 in water splitting
representing much enhanced activity under acidic conditions
Detailed investigations show that the generation of distorted Ru-Te bonds is attributed to the extensive defects in the amorphous structure
These defects will be substituted by oxygen atoms to form RuOxHy species that will promote the catalytic activity
Our work provides a feasible strategy in amorphous catalysts design and investigation that offers valuable insight to the development of a new generation of catalysts
which will broaden the horizon of future electrocatalyst studies in energy applications
99.5%) was purchased from Aladdin-reagent Inc
Hexaammineruthenium (III) chloride (Cl3H18N6Ru
K15-19) was purchased from J&K Scientific Ltd
hydrazine hydrate aqueous solution (N2H4·H2O
AR) were purchased from Sinopharm Chemical Reagent Co.
99.999%) was purchased from WuGang Gas Co.
Pt/C (20 wt% Pt on Vulcan black) was purchased from Shanghai Hesen Electric Co.
Ir/C (20 wt% Ir on Vulcan black) was from Premetek Co.
6.0 mg K2TeO3 (23.6 µmol) and 65.0 mg PVP (1.1 µmol) were dissolved in 2 mL H2O
2.0 mL NH3·H2O and 1.0 mL N2H4·H2O were quickly injected into the above mixture
The mixture solution was then transferred into Teflon-sealed autoclave and maintained at 180 °C for 3 h
The RuTe2 PNRs were obtained by washed several times with ethanol/acetone solution
RuTe2 PNRs were deposited on VC-X72 carbon (Ru loading of 20 wt%
determined by ICP-AES) in ethanol solution by sonicating for 30 min
The resulting products were separated by centrifugation and washed several times using ethanol/acetone solution
The products were annealed at 250 °C in air for 5 h to yield a-RuTe2 PNRs
The c-RuTe2 PNRs were obtained by annealing treatment at 250 °C in Ar for 5 h and then at 250 °C in air for 1 h
Low-magnification transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was performed on a HITACHI HT7700 at 120 kV
High-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) and HRTEM was recorded on a FEI Talos F200X S/TEM with a field-emission gun at 200 kV
ESR spectra were collected on JEOL JES-X320
XPS was performed on SSI S-Probe XPS Spectrometer
Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) patterns were collected on X’Pert-Pro MPD diffractometer (Netherlands PANalytical) with a Cu Kα X-ray source (λ = 1.540598 Å)
Electrochemical measurements were performed on CHI660 workstation (Chenhua
Shanghai) by using the three-electrode system
Graphite rod and saturated calomel electrode were used as counter and reference electrode
2 mg catalysts were added into a mixture solution including 800 µL IPA
20 µL catalyst ink was deposited on glassy carbon electrode (diameter 5 mm
Polarization curves were then performed in a broad pH range
All polarization curves in this study are the average of the stable polarization curves scanned in three experiments
The solution resistance (Rs) is ~6 Ω in 0.5 M H2SO4
The Tafel slopes were derived from polarization curves and 95% iR compensation in all the solutions
Long-term stability for water splitting was tested by using a two-electrode system
The underpotential deposition (UPD) method was used to qualify active sites
The number of active sites can be calculated with the equation: n = QCu/2F
where Q is the UPD Cu stripping charge (QCu
Cuupd → Cu2+ + 2e−) and F is the Faraday constant
The Faraday efficiency (FE) measurements were conducted on an H-cell reactor where each chamber of ~60 mL was filled with 30 mL of 0.5 M H2SO4 solution and the two chambers were separated by an anion exchange membrane (Nafion 117)
The Ar (30 sccm) was applied throughout the HER and OER measurements
Chronoamperometry measurements were carried out at the voltage that the current density reached 10 mA cm−2
The reactor was directly connected to the gas chromatograph (GC Agilent 7890B)
The FE of a product was calculated as follows: FE = eF × n/Q
where e is the number of electrons transferred of the product
Q is the total charge in HER and OER process
n is the number of moles of the product and F is the Faraday constant
the overall total energy for each step is converged to less than 5.0 × 10−7 eV per atom
The Hellmann-Feynman forces on the atom were converged to less than 0.001 eV/Å
To achieve the mass and electron conservation
the key adsorbates and co-reactants are both considered in the calculation of the energetic diagram for the water splitting reactions
we have fully considered the possible diffusions on the surface to locate the most stable adsorption site and corresponding coordination number (CN) environment in the complicated amorphous structure modelling
the OER process in alkaline medium renders reactions are as below
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request
Tuning orbital orientation endows molybdenum disulfide with exceptional alkaline hydrogen evolution capability
Approaches for measuring the surface areas of metal oxide electrocatalysts for determining their intrinsic electrocatalytic activity
A self-standing high-performance hydrogen evolution electrode with nanostructured NiCo2O4/CuS heterostructures
Carbon-based electrocatalysts for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions
Trimetallic tristar nanostructures: tuning electronic and surface structures for enhanced electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution
Surface polarization matters: enhancing the hydrogen-evolution reaction by shrinking Pt shells in Pt-Pd-graphene stack structures
A highly active and stable IrOx/SrIrO3 catalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction
In pursuit of water oxidation catalysts for solar fuel production
Design of electrocatalysts for oxygen- and hydrogen-involving energy conversion reactions
Activating CoOOH porous nanosheet arrays by partial iron substitution for efficient oxygen evolution reaction
Shifting oxygen charge towards octahedral metal: a way to promote water oxidation on cobalt spinel oxides
In situ formation of molecular Ni-Fe active sites on heteroatom-doped graphene as a heterogeneous electrocatalyst toward oxygen evolution
Engineering the electrical conductivity of lamellar silver-doped cobalt(II) selenide nanobelts for enhanced oxygen evolution
Porous microrod arrays constructed by carbon-confined NiCo@NiCoO2 core@shell nanoparticles as efficient electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution
When cubic cobalt sulfide meets layered molybdenum disulfide: a core-shell system toward synergetic electrocatalytic water splitting
and surface engineering in cobalt diselenide for enhanced water oxidation
A heterostructure coupling of exfoliated Ni-Fe hydroxide nanosheet and defective graphene as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting
Iridium-based multimetallic porous hollow nanocrystals for efficient overall-water-splitting catalysis
Recommended practices and benchmark activity for hydrogen and oxygen electrocatalysis in water splitting and fuel cells
Understanding the roadmap for electrochemical reduction of CO2 to multi-carbon oxygenates and hydrocarbons on copper-based catalysts
Charge-redistribution-enhanced nanocrystalline Ru@IrOx electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution in acidic media
Precise tuning in platinum-nickel/nickel sulfide interface nanowires for synergistic hydrogen evolution catalysis
Crystal phase-based epitaxial growth of hybrid noble metal nanostructures on 4H/fcc Au nanowires
Phase and structure modulating of bimetallic CuSn nanowires boosts electrocatalytic conversion of CO2
An efficient and earth-abundant oxygen-evolving electrocatalyst based on amorphous metal borides
Sandwich-like reduced graphene oxide/carbon black/amorphous cobalt borate nanocomposites as bifunctional cathode electrocatalyst in rechargeable zinc-air batteries
Novel amorphous/crystalline hetero-phase Pd nanosheets: one-pot synthesis and highly selective hydrogenation reaction
Oxygen vacancies in amorphous InOx nanoribbons enhance CO2 adsorption and activation for CO2 electroreduction
Highly efficient and durable Pd hydride nanocubes embedded in 2D amorphous NiB nanosheets for oxygen reduction reaction
Lithiation-induced amorphization of Pd3P2S8 for highly efficient hydrogen evolution
Phase-selective syntheses of cobalt telluride nanofleeces for efficient oxygen evolution catalysts
Assembling ultrasmall copper-doped ruthenium oxide nanocrystals into hollow porous polyhedra: highly robust electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution in acidic media
Channel rich RuCu nanosheets for pH-universal overall water splitting electrocatalysis
Highly stable and methanol tolerant RuTe2/C electrocatalysts in alkaline media
An efficient and pH-universal ruthenium-based catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction
High electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity of an anomalous ruthenium catalyst
Molecular insight in structure and activity of highly efficient
low-Ir Ir-Ni oxide catalysts for electrochemical water splitting (OER)
First-principles calculations of the electronic structure and spectra of strongly correlated systems: the LDA+ U method
Ensemble density-functional theory for Ab initio molecular dynamics of metals and finite-temperature insulators
Improving the convergence of defect calculations in supercells: An ab initio study of the neutral silicon vacancy
Efficacious form for model pseudopotentials
Nonlinear ionic pseudopotentials in spin-density-functional calculations
Transferable relativistic Dirac-Slater pseudopotentials
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We thank the financial supports by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21571135
the Early Career Start-up fund (PolyU 253026/16P) from the Research Grant Committee (RGC) in Hong Kong
the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2016YFA0204100
the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (17KJB150032)
the project of scientific and technologic infrastructure of Suzhou (SZS201708)
the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD)
and start-up support from Soochow University
These authors contributed equally: Juan Wang
Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology
performed most of the experiments and data analysis
participated in various aspects of the experiments and discussions
performed the DFT simulations and theoretically guided the overall experimental research design with in-depth mechanism interpretations
All authors discussed the results and commented on the paper
The authors declare no competing interests
Peer review information Nature Communications thanks Ivano Castelli and the other
reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
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a Jacksonville-based organization has brought children from across the globe to the First Coast for life-saving medical procedures.In our third GlobalJax profile
we'll hear the story of the co-founder of Patrons of the Hearts
and how one patient stole her heart and changed her family
Patrons of the Hearts brings children from developing countries with congenital heart problems to Jacksonville for life-saving surgeries
including one little girl from Ethiopia. Today
as an infant she was too weak to suck milk from a bottle or even roll over. "When she came she was really ill
like 11 pounds by the time she was 13 months," said Hilda Ettedgui
chief of the division of pediatric cardiology at UF Health Jacksonville
are the co-founders of Patrons of the Hearts. They launched the organization after Dr
"We just starting planning what we would need to do to bring the children over here instead of taking the whole team over there." "It would probably be more cost-effective
the child would only have to be there four to five weeks and return back home with their parent and have the highest quality of medical care available to them," she said
Rute came to Jacksonville from Ethiopia five years ago. "She was very
very sick when she first came and after a week being here with us she had her first surgery and start of feeling a lot better so she started moving around and talking with us and becoming part of the family that first day," Ettedgui said. The bond was instant. "She was patient number 18 of our program
and the first patient to come without a parent
So Jose and I were her legal guardians while she was here
have her surgery and go home," she said. But Rute didn't go home for five months
Born with a hole between the major two pumping chambers of her heart
she needed a second surgery. "They cut my heart
the two holes that were on the side and they sewed it
they knit it and then they sewed me back together," Rute said. The Ettedguis then took Rute back to her native Ethiopia to reunite her with her parents. "She grew up in a little village
old tree and a well in the middle of the village where everyone got their water from," Ettedgui said. "She had a hard time getting back to that family I think and they were very worried that she would not do well in Ethiopia and she would do better if she was here and they basically wanted us to raise her because they knew that we loved her and that she loved us." The Ettedguis
originally from Venezuela and the parents of two grown daughters
are now raising their daughter Rute in Jacksonville. Ettedgui describes Rute as
"African-Latina" or "Afro-Latina." "And I call my mom and dad Venezuela-Latinos
Venezuela-Latinas," Rute says. They look forward to the day the adoption becomes official. "What have you brought to my family?" Ettedgui asks Rute. "Happiness
You can follow GlobalJax on Twitter @GlobalJax.
PORTLAND, Ore. — An Oregon cleantech company that developed a new concrete-saving, CO2-reducing foundation system for wind turbine towers has been awarded the 2019 Merit Award from the Post-Tensioning Institute, based on the first installation of the foundation technology in southwest Minnesota.
A video of the construction can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcSWqon0-xQ.
The industry-first modular wind turbine tower base, developed by RUTE Foundation Systems with early support from climate impact accelerator VertueLab, cuts the amount of concrete needed by 75 percent over the life cycle of a wind farm. Because concrete contains cement, a material that generates large amounts of CO2 during production, the RUTE system also reduces CO2 emissions.
“Using our precast, segmental foundation at a single 60-tower wind farm would keep about 65 million pounds of CO2 out of the atmosphere,” said Doug Krause, CEO of RUTE Foundations. “This CO2 reduction is realized through lower concrete usage, a much longer lifecycle of our precast components and the fact new wind farms can come on line a month earlier because our foundations don’t have to cure.”
Traditional poured-in-place foundations require concrete footings that are 60 feet in diameter, weigh almost 2 million pounds and use 40 truckloads of concrete, or approximately 400 cubic yards. Curing that amount of concrete takes weeks before towers can be installed, and the life of the structure is less than half that of the RUTE foundation, which can last 60 years.
The precast, modular components in the RUTE system are made in beam manufacturing plants and use post-tensioning technology (a method of strengthening concrete with high-strength steel strands common in bridge construction).
RUTE recognized the following area partner companies that were critical to receiving the award:
• Bob St. Aubin, Marshall, (precast yard operations)
• Buffalo Ridge Concrete, Marshall (high strength concrete)
• Fagen, Inc, Granite Falls (general contractor)
• Hisken Construction, Marshall (concrete finishing and formwork)
The RUTE technology is entering the marketplace just as the wind farm industry is upgrading from 1.5MW turbines to 3.5+MW turbines, which require taller towers. The RUTE system is stronger than standard concrete, so wind farms can upgrade to larger towers without additional costs.
“The PTI recognition is huge for us,” said Jeff Colwill, RUTE’s vice president of operations, who accepted the award yesterday at the annual Post-Tensioning Institute convention in Seattle. “Because RUTE can also manufacture the foundations locally, near the wind farms, our technology will also help create local jobs.”
The first RUTE 30BX Foundation was installed at Palmers Creek Wind Farm in Granite Falls last November and supports a GE 2.5 megawatt turbine on a 295-foot tower hub height. RUTE partnered on the project with a team of engineering and construction firms, including Structural Technologies/VSL, RUTE’s post-tensioning partner based in Maryland.
RUTE Foundations will be presenting its success and industry traction at WINDPOWER 2019, the annual conference of the American Wind Energy Association in Houston, Texas, on May 22.
Precast segmental foundations that use bridge technology is new to the wind industry, and RUTE’s patented technology allows wind farm owners to reuse the foundation for multiple turbine repowering events.
“This allows the asset owner to extend the life of the wind farm facility and lower the electricity cost to their customers,” said Krause. “In addition, the contractor gets a safer and faster field installation, and when the project has run its lifecycle, the landowner can have their land fully restored.”
VertueLab has invested $250,000 in RUTE, financing the engineering effort and providing a range of business support services.
“We couldn’t have done this without VertueLab’s support,” said Krause. “They were our key investor in the Unit One construction in Minnesota, and they’ve been advisers the whole way, connecting us to key players and adding much more value to the operation that the $250,000 they invested.”
VertueLab’s mission is helping cleantech startups speed promising climate solutions to market.
“As the race to reverse the climate crisis tightens, RUTE Foundations is a standout example of a cleantech startup with an innovative climate change solution that can scale and keep tons of CO2 out of the atmosphere,” said Ken Vaughn, director of impact investments at VertueLab. “We’re proud to be playing a role in accelerating this technology to the marketplace.”
As a health system that reaches across a vast rural footprint of 86 counties in a five-state region, Avera is ...
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Jiab Prachakul’s Girlfriends, 2022. Oil on canvas. Courtesy of the artist and Tara Downs, New York.
Alice Neel’s miniskirt-clad Wellesley Girls, from 1967.
The societal and economic challenges facing Europe and the world are complex and interconnected
The Bioeconomy Strategy and Action Plan "Innovating for Sustainable Growth: a Bioeconomy for Europe"
which was adopted by the European Commission on 13 February 2012
offers a unique approach to addressing these challenges in a comprehensive way
Maive Rute was nominated Director for SME policy in the European Commission in 2005
The creation of the Small Business Act for Europe and the launch of the pan-European Enterprise Europe Network are considered the two main highlights of her term
she also led the Commission’s Lisbon team for Estonia
Rute took on the responsibilities of Director for Biotechnology
which also includes fisheries and forestry research
Sign up for our newsletter
This issue offers insights into Europe's fight for green solutions for a bioeconomy
antimicrobial resistance and how Europe is preparing for the next pandemic
Since the first antibody drug was approved back in 1986
monoclonal antibodies have emerged as the dominant class in the global US$417bn market for biologics
and experts are divided on whether the financing nadir has been reached or even passed
There are very different figures for different types of treatments under … more ➔
Reduction and Refinement) principles developed over 60 years ago provide a framework for more humane lab animal testing and
Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) have been transformative in oncology
offering targeted cancer treatments that enhance efficacy while sparing healthy cells
Explore the evolving world of GLP-1 receptor agonists in Issue 42 of The Altascientist
featuring insights on their expanding applications
TriLink Biotechnologies has made its catalogue of industry-leading nucleic acid technologies more available in Europe
By improving the ordering process and reducing … more ➔
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TORONTO, Feb. 8, 2021 /CNW/ - Takeda Canada Inc
("Takeda Canada") is pleased to announce the appointment of Rute Fernandes as its new General Manager to lead the Canadian operations of Japan's largest pharmaceutical company
Fernandes has held a number of executive roles in business development
and country management over her 22-year career in the pharmaceutical industry. Most recently
she served as Takeda's Group Vice-President and Head of Rare Disease Franchise for Europe and Canada
responsible for a portfolio of more than 15 brands across three disease areas—namely Rare Metabolic Disorders
and Rare Hereditary Angioedema and Transplants—in a total of 38 countries
"Rute is an inspiring leader who has acquired broad experience in senior management roles and a deep understanding of rare diseases internationally," said Giles Platford
President of the Europe and Canada Business Unit at Takeda
"Canada is a critical market for Takeda's global operations and I am confident that under Rute's leadership
Takeda will strengthen our position as a leading biopharmaceutical company in the country
delivering highly innovative medicines and transformative care to Canadians."
R&D-driven biopharmaceutical company with an unwavering commitment to bringing Better Health and a Brighter Future to people around the world
Takeda is one of the fastest-growing pharmaceutical companies in Canada and a leader in the treatment of rare diseases.
"I am delighted to have been selected to lead Takeda Canada and work alongside the many talented individuals that make up the Canadian Team," said Rute Fernandes. "This is an important time for our industry in Canada
and I look forward to ensuring sustainable access to innovative medicines for Canadians who need them most."
Fernandes holds a Master's in Economics from the Nova School of Business & Economics and an MBA from HEC Lausanne.
R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader committed to bringing Better Health and a Brighter Future to patients by translating science into highly-innovative medicines
Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas: Oncology
We also make targeted R&D investments in Plasma-Derived Therapies and Vaccines
We are focusing on developing highly innovative medicines that contribute to making a difference in people's lives by advancing the frontier of new treatment options and leveraging our enhanced collaborative R&D engine and capabilities to create a robust
Our employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients and to working with our partners in health care in approximately 80 countries and regions.
Additional information about Takeda Canada is available at www.takeda.com/en-ca
Media Contact: Amanda Jacobs, [email protected]
www.takedacanada.com
Do not sell or share my personal information:
Rute Nieto Ferreira is an urban planner who works with the Danish studio Gehl to plan and design cities for people
she talks about the value of the street as a space for socializing
as well as the importance of carrying out pilot projects and collecting data to support transformations in the city
It was at the end of September, in Costa da CaparicaIn Almada, urban planner Daniel Casas Valle presented the future of street designThe aim of this book is to bring more technical knowledge - which often doesn't make it out of the urban planning circle - to the people who decide and work on the territory in the town halls
It's also aimed at ordinary people who use the city
whose businesses open onto the public space
and who move through streets full of cars on a daily basis
with the aim of continuing Gehl's work in terms of thinking about cities from a more human perspective
Gehl has done projects in more than 300 cities. Rute Nieto Ferreira is responsible for some of these projects, based in Porto. A hustle and bustle of activities in Costa da Caparica didn't allow us to take the time to sit down and talk calmly
so we made an appointment for a zoom for days later
we talk about the value of the street as a space for socializing
as well as the importance of carrying out pilot projects and collecting data to support changes in the city with decision-makers and the population; we also talk about the role of education
the lack of transparency regarding urban planning projects
and the creation of consensus in polarized cities
Streets are one of the main building blocks of city-making
so thinking about the future of streets and spaces is fundamental
It seems to me that there have been some positive changes in Portugal
but that everything is happening very slowly
I think it's clear that there needs to be a recalibration
a rebalancing of the space allocated to private cars and other ways of getting around
But it's not happening in a very systematic and connected way
but the practice is taking a long time to happen
"There has to be a recalibration of the space that is allocated to private cars and to other ways of getting around
But this is not happening in a very systematic and connected way."
I'm not sure how to answer the question of why
I can make some assumptions that may be wrong
It seems to me that there is little political will
in the next three or four years; there is no long-term political will
There are good little projects here and there
but they aren't thought through systematically
And sometimes there isn't the political courage to do certain things
we have examples of projects we've done in cities like Copenhagen or New York that were relatively quick transformations
It's about doing it quickly and consistently
When they started they began in earnest and then every year there were small improvements
When you look at photographs of Copenhagen in the 1950s
you see that it was very similar to many parts of Portugal: squares full of parking
the car was very visible in the city center
And it gradually began to make pedestrian streets
Every year there were streets and squares from which parking was removed so that people could gain these spaces
which used to belong to cars and now belong to them
there was this initial courage and then the people themselves also realized that it was a positive thing
more bike lanes were built than there were in Copenhagen at the time
There was a huge desire on the part of the mayor and his cabinet to turn New York into a city where people used bicycles
a city where squares and streets were thought of as places to be
"There was this initial courage and then people themselves also realized that it was a positive thing
I think that sometimes it's not even a question of convincing
There are cases where you can do pilot projects
showing things rather than just talking about them
We can start on a small scale and do small demonstration projects
such as shopkeepers who think they're going to lose business but then realize that they're not and that
people who arrive on foot or by bicycle even buy more often
sometimes you have to come up with something concrete
Not just explaining that it worked well in city X or Y
but in the city itself and doing these demonstration projects
because they are temporary and you can always go back to the way things were before and there are no major infrastructure costs
Because we're talking about putting up removable barriers
You can even start by doing it only at weekends or every X amount of time
"Sometimes you have to come up with concrete things
It's not just explaining that it worked well in city X or Y
but in the city itself and doing these demonstration projects."
These things are relatively simple and then
with the data and observations of how it went
we can change them from temporary to definitive
And that's almost the people's achievement
and that it was something that everyone was involved in
rather than something that came from above
from a town hall or some department that comes along and says it's going to implement it and then starts smashing things up in the street
I also think there's a problem with involving the population
I say this more as a citizen - because unfortunately I work on very few projects in Portugal - but I think there's a huge lack of communication about projects
It's very difficult to understand what is or is not going to happen in a block or a street
There are those signs that are always damaged by the wind or the rain
but there's no digital platform where I can see what's going to happen in my parish
It seems to me that this is a very closed thing
a few years in San Francisco and a short time in Stockholm
as soon as an urban planning project exists - it doesn't need to be approved - it becomes part of the public domain
my neighborhood or a specific area I'm working in and see what projects are active
All it takes is for someone to have requested a modification for it to be online and for me to be able to consult the drawings
This communication of what's going on in the streets
It's not something that's easily accessible
it seems that it's only something for a few
And as there is no debate open to the general public
People think there are no good intentions because things aren't talked about
And I don't think this mistrust is wrong on people's part
It exists because of this lack of openness
"There is a huge lack of communication about projects
It's very difficult to understand what is or is not happening in a block or a street
I think that there is a huge gap between the issue of the PDM [Municipal Master Plan] and the issue of execution projects
And then there are the projects to break stone
Where is this vision of the future that explains why this work is being done because a green corridor was defined 10 or 20 years ago
And then it's not clear where these one-off projects come from
That's why there's sometimes a lack of this in-between
and perhaps they should be thought of more on the scale of the neighborhood
it's not making plans for the sake of making plans; it's making plans with this perspective of moving forward
And I think there's very little talk about urbanism
I think there's also little engagement between children and their own city
There are few field trips and few teachers take the kids on the subway
I don't know of many projects to teach children to cycle or to get them to walk from home to school
And the projects that do exist are exceptions
So I think this relationship between the school and the city could be much stronger
we know that these are things that bear fruit later on
If you start walking or cycling more as a child
it's something that lasts for the rest of your life
with added value in terms of public health
debates and lectures are also important for these transfers
The pilot projects we've already talked about
And even the airtime that these things get on radio
the more it reflects a society that is interested in these things
I think it has to come from several sources
There isn't just one approach that's going to solve this issue
I would focus on the issue of children and schools
"The relationship between the school and the city could be much better."
I think that if there's a change in mentality
who founded and named the company where I work
always says that the most important thing he did wasn't projects: it was writing books
half a dozen influential people to change their mentality
to understand a few things about quality of life
Let them understand little things about the city and how it can work
projects are easier to make and to implement
because we're all human and we're all resistant to change
So I don't think we should blame the traders or the people who oppose things for having this negative reaction
Because changing something that works more or less always causes resistance; it's a normal process of changing cities
It's easier to make this change if there are concrete examples of other streets
with which you can show the before and after
I don't think we can be naive and think that things always work
there will probably be one or two who lose out because they have a very specific clientele who stop coming because they always arrive by car or for a very specific reason
We can't be too optimistic and think that a particular change will work for everyone
"I don't think we can be naive and think that things always work
Each case is different and I think we also have to think about people who don't have all their faculties
who will need to be taken by transport to certain places
So I think there should always be exceptions
we're not talking about a radicalization of removing cars from everywhere
I think cars are going to be necessary and we're going to have to coexist with them for several decades
it's very different to have a car every now and then that goes at five or ten kilometers an hour
or to have it going at 50 or even 30 kilometers an hour
Or when you have a huge flow where people have to walk around in the middle doing gymkhanas instead of cars doing gymkhanas
thinking first of the most vulnerable populations
you almost always make a better city for everyone
I think it has to be several things at the same time
I don't think there's one way to convince or to say that some are wrong and others are right
One thing is true: motorists and cyclists are all people and almost all of them
So let's get back to the basics: we are all people who
But I think people are too focused on the individual and the thought that they need their car to get to work
"I don't think there's any way of convincing or saying that some are wrong and others are right
We can't blame the individual because they made that choice because it's the best choice
It's the choice they can make at the moment
if there's no transport for that person to get to work on time and then pick up their children from school and then go to the supermarket and then whatnot
you can't blame them for needing work and needing a car to get to work
we're going to choose what's easiest and most convenient for our day-to-day lives
But we also need the infrastructure of the cities to be there for us
because otherwise the choices we make will be the ones we can make and not the ones that are right for the planet or for public health
We're in cities every day with a lot of traffic and a lack of quality of life
The undoing won't be as quick as we might like
but I think that the undoing doesn't involve blaming the individual
but rather the existence of infrastructures
which have to be built little by little - but consistently - allowing people to naturally adopt other lifestyles
with added value for their health and their quality of life
"We can't blame the individual because they made that choice because it's the best choice
(...) But we also need the infrastructure of the cities to be there for us
because otherwise the choices will be the ones we can make and not the ones that are right for the planet or for public health."
but this issue also involves some moments of political courage
of taking on some ideas that may seem more radical
Nowadays you can't say that - because there are so many examples - it's radical to remove cars from city centers
We have cities like London where pollution in the city center has been reduced immensely since car restrictions were put in place
They started with a small area and expanded it several times
There are other cases and studies in various European cities where cars have been removed from the center with very positive results
but there were more rules about where to use the car and why
We're back to the beginning of the conversation
They are fundamental to urban life and we need to get this basics right
Walking and cycling are for everyone in society
And streets and public spaces should also be thought of as places for people to meet and socialize
We're not talking about a shopping mall or a place where you're there because you're consuming
We're talking about the principle of the city
"Nowadays you can't say that - because there are so many examples - it's radical to remove cars from city centers."
but public spaces can't just be those associated with commercial areas
if there's a square that has café tables and chairs - which I think is good because
they bring life - there also have to be spaces
benches and different ways of being where you don't have to spend money
where you can bring a coffee or a snack from home or sit down to talk to a friend
And going back to the question of us all being human beings
these invitations that cities give us to walk also have a lot to do with urban form
with the way cities and their streets look
This doesn't just have to do with the width of the road or the sidewalk
it also has to do with the facades that meet the sidewalk
you feel unsafe walking there and you think "man
now I'm walking 800 meters next to a wall that has nothing to look at"
It's different to have stores open or closed
These invitations to walk are super important and have to do with how streets are made
This issue of designing and planning streets is not just a question of having X meters for pedestrians and X meters for cars
is the question of first always thinking about what life you want in a space
then thinking about the space between the buildings and only then thinking about the buildings
This is something we use in almost every project
What purpose do I want this sidewalk to serve
a father and son to walk comfortably and for someone else to be able to pass them without a problem
You need a sidewalk with a certain distance to be able to have that kind of socialization on the street
signs or other elements of street furniture
you have to think about the life you want to have on that sidewalk
the life you want to have in that square or in that neighborhood; then design the spaces between the buildings and then
"This issue of designing and planning streets is not a question of having X meters for pedestrians and X meters for cars."
in almost every place you have to do some research on the spot
We use some tools that we've been using for many years
It's not just a physical survey - in the sense of where the sidewalk is
what the dimensions are - but also how people are using that space
We don't observe very much how people are using spaces
both of people moving and people standing still
Or are they just leaning back because there's nowhere to sit
All these kinds of observations are very important for us when we start a project for a municipality
You have to understand life so that you can then give recommendations based on real data and not on invented things
Often we can look back because it was a place where counts and observations have already been made
other times we can compare a square in Lisbon with a square in another city that has the same dimensions or similar services
we can compare and learn from concrete examples of different geographical sites
It's more expensive to do it badly than to do a study
but you get the essence of what you're trying to do
Is that exactly where people were most asking for this kind of investment or would it be better to do a study to prioritize other areas
It's about thinking rationally about why you should invest in certain places
Sometimes you don't quite understand why certain things have been improved and others not
It seems that it was because those people spoke louder
because they had access to the funds first or because it's a more privileged area
but what we try to do with these studies is to think about people
That's why I say it's more humanistic urban planning
of both people moving and people standing still
Even when it's not part of what a client has asked us to do
we still try to do a mini-study of the context
because otherwise we can't come up with concrete and justified proposals
We can't say why we should do it without some data
without spending time in the field analyzing and gathering quantitative and qualitative data
It was an excellent idea to do that on the street and in the public space
It was excellent that they held Mobility Week in such an open forum
generating a public debate that was completely unplanned
I didn't know much about the place beforehand
but I was happy to see that pedestrian street so full of life
with that stretch between the beach and the center
it's impossible as designers to walk there and not see that "oh
but here there could have been a continuous sidewalk or this could have been done like this"
with relatively knowledgeable people who knew the context well - most of them were municipal technicians or worked with the council
There was a lot of interest in talking about increasing the size of that square to include the market and then thinking about a road hierarchy
making zoom out to think not only on the scale of the square
but how traffic would change on the outlying streets and throughout the neighborhood
It was thought through in a relatively strategic way and with people who had been thinking about it for a long time
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the Supervisory Board of the Bank of Estonia elected Maive Rute as the central bank's new deputy governor
Rute's five-year term as deputy governor will begin on Oct
who nominated Rute for the position following a public competition
said in a press release that he highly values the new deputy governor-elect's prior work experience and well-rounded education
Rute has held various high positions in the European Commission
she has previously worked as director for the promotion of SMEs' competitiveness and entrepreneurship at the Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry
and as director for biotechnology and agriculture research and director for resources at the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation
She is currently serving as deputy director general of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC)
Prior to heading to the European Commission
Rute worked as CEO of Estonian state-owned financial institution Kredex
She holds an MBA from Danube University Krems and a master's degree in international politics from Centre Européen de Recherches Internationales et Stratégiques (CERIS) in Brussels
She was also a fellow at Harvard University in 2013
Maive stood out from the other candidates due to her extensive international work experience," Müller said
"This will definitely be beneficial in representing Estonia and the Bank of Estonia in cooperation between central banks both in the euro system and elsewhere
I also believe that Maive's background as the head of different organizations will bring new and fresh views to the management of the central bank as well."
The Bank of Estonia is one of the foundations of the Estonian state
calling it a dignified and weighty institution
it is the guarantor of the European single currency," she continued
along with the free movement of people and goods
the euro is namely one of the projects that Europeans value the most
I am very encouraged by the opportunity to contribute to Estonia's growth and development
I would also like to contribute to the promotion of the organization and services of the Bank of Estonia
I believe that my previous professional experience in the Estonian financial field and in Brussels provide a good basis for this."
The Board of the Bank of Estonia consists of a governor and two deputy governors
the Bank of Estonia has been led by previous deputy governor Madis Müller
whose term of office as governor will run through 2026
The term of office of the second deputy governor
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Bank of Estonia deputy governor Maive Rute is stepping down from her post to work for the European Commission
who has been in the central bank role since last October
resigned unexpectedly and will return to her previous job as deputy director general of the Directorate-General for Internal Market
"When it came to the proposal of joining one of the most influential management teams on the European Commission
The bank has a constructive working atmosphere
and experts with outstanding knowledge," she said Wednesday
said that he was sorry to hear of Rute's resignation
and praised her work during her short stint at the central bank
"During his short but very active career at the central bank
Maive was able to launch a number of forward-looking projects and was an inspiring example to us
I understand Maive's choices and decision to take on a new challenge."
Rute's last working day at the Bank of Estonia and who will replace her has yet to be announced
Madis Müller is tasked with nominating a new deputy
DG GROW is one of the European Commission's major directorates-general
which formulates and implements a number of the European Union's key policies: the free movement of goods and services
industrial and business development and regulation. The field is curated by French Commissioner Thierry Breton
Maive Rute will be responsible for the free movement of goods in the internal market
standardization and the main European industries
from the production of raw materials to the automotive
Rute worked as Director of Enterprise Policy in the same Directorate-General from 2005-2009. Her husband also works for the European Commission
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