Monthly Archives: July 2020

Digging into the peanut business – Farm Progress

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For the average corn and soybean farmer, peanuts may seem exotic. Yet the challenges a peanut farmer faces aren't much different from the average row crop producer. For 20 years, the Farm Press team has honored the Peanut Efficiency Award winners, profiling these leading producers, and many have lessons that would benefit any farm operation.

In this episode of Around Farm Progress, we get a look at those operations from the editors that profiled the farmers, and get a look at key concepts they picked up. You'll hear from Ron Smith, Delta Farm Press, Shelley Huguley, Southwest Farm Press, and John Hard and Brad Haire, Southeast Farm Press. The insights they picked up from these forward-thinking peanut farmers have value to any in agriculture.

Check out all the 2020 Peanut Efficiency Award Winner profiles online.

Beyond Around Farm Progress we've got more podcasts to share. Check out all our podcast links at FarmProgress.com/farm-progress-podcasts to keep up on not only Around Farm Progress but daily updates from Max Armstrong, and more.

And if you want quick access to top news from Farm Progress, sign up for our mobile text service by texting FARM to 20505. Note that there may be a text or data cost to you for using the service.

The podcast Around Farm Progress goes live online by 3 p.m. Central time each Friday and will engage editors from around the country. There will also be special guests, and other information provided in this new show, so make an appointment to listen. You can listen to this week's episode above and subscribe on Podbean at Around Farm Progress the podcast. And you can now subscribe through Spotify, Google Play and the Apple podcast app. Just search "Around Farm Progress" and subscribe so you don't miss an episode.

Farmers are getting their information in new ways. Farm Progress is a leader in reaching them as needed. From top magazines around the country to one of the first agriculture-focused mobile apps from Farm Futures, to the leading television presence with This Week in Agribusiness, the company covers all media for agriculture.

Comments or questions? Just send a note to willie.vogt@farmprogress.com

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Digging into the peanut business - Farm Progress

Football: Kirby Smart Gives an Update on Jamie Newman’s Progress – bulldawgillustrated.com

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2020 Sugar Bowl Georgia vs. Baylor 2020 Postgame January 01, 2020

Due to the cancellation of spring practice, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and new offensive coordinator Todd Monken didnt get to have a first look a new grad transfer quarterback Jamie Newman.

But recently during an interview with ESPNs David Pollack and Kevin Negandhi, Smart said hes been nothing but impressed with Newman when he appeared on the College Football Podcast.

Were excited and Jamie has been a great addition to our program, said Smart. We didnt really get to see him through the spring, but we did get to see him in spring workouts and the first thing that pops out at you is his leadership ability. He came into a situation where he doesnt know a lot of guys on the team, but that hasnt hindered his ability to lead.

Apparently, thats not all. Smart continued to say that Newman checks off a lot of boxes and has been throughly impressed with his work ethic throughout the pandemic.

Physically, hes well put together, Smart said about Newman, whos listed as 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds. Mentally hes well put together and hes got the right mindset and hes approached this thing the right way.

But of course, Smart didnt make any promises or guarantees about his potential playing time. Even though most assume that Newman will be the starter, Smart said that Georgias other quarterbacks have had a really impressive summer workout session as well.

Yeah, thats not the say hes not going to have competitors come in here, Smart said. DWan (Mathis) has done a great job, Carson (Beck), Stetson (Bennett) J.T. (Daniels) if hes going to be able to play and be eligible all those things are going to play a factor.

From what it sounds like, beating out Newman wont a walk in the park.

I really like where Jamie is at. We like what we did last year at Wake, Smart said. We think he can create a lot of problems for defenses and Im excited to see him go play.

Last season, Newman threw for 2,868 yards and 26 touchdowns while rushing for 574 yards and six scores as his first season as a full-time starter at Wake Forest. He has solid numbers, but there are currently still questions surrounding the fifth-year senior that might not be answered until fall camp.

Smart and Monken will start to figure out what they have in Newman when coaches are allowed to start working with players on July 25. The NCAA rules say that they will be allowed eight hours of weight training, conditioning and film work beginning on July 15.

Thats the toughest thing in a year of transition, transition being coordinator transition and quarterback transition, Smart said. Its going to be very unique so were going to have to do a really good of managing our practice time, our walk-through time to make sure we take advantage of whichever quarterback winds up being the guy, especially if its him, that we can use his skill set the right way.

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Football: Kirby Smart Gives an Update on Jamie Newman's Progress - bulldawgillustrated.com

Ideology, Characteristics, and the Progress of Financing for Development – Valdai Discussion Club

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As long as the goal is to strengthen national power and improve the living conditions of the people, institutions related to FfD will closely cooperate and join forces, both with state government bodies at all levels, and with foreign governments. It is imperative that relations between organisations involved in FfD and government should not be bureaucratic, writes Chen Yuan, Chief Advisor to the Centre for Sino-Russian Strategic Interaction, CITIC Fund for the Study of Reforms and Development.

The publication of this op-ed marks the beginning of online collaboration between Valdai Club, Russia as part of its Think Tank project and the Center for Russia-China Strategic Interaction under CITIC Foundation for Reform and Development Studies, China. This is the first in a series of planned exchanges between the two organizations on bilateral and global matters.

Financing for development (FfD) is a type of financing provided for development purposes. It primarily refers to the provision of financing for a kind of practical activity. If seen through the lens of long historical processes, the idea of FfD represents only a fleeting, momentary phenomenon, but from the point of view of social relevance and the theory of knowledge of mankind, this approach is historically significant and has great potential.

In China, FfD arose out of a socialist system, due to the growing material and cultural needs of the people, and began to be used to promote the rapid development of the economy. Thus, Chinas development financing is the result of a number of favourable factors, such as considerable social demand, the governments ability to organise and coordinate, the market application of state loans, the vast savings deposits of the population and enterprises, as well as the significant active balance of foreign trade and foreign exchange reserves. These factors have become the driving force behind FfD and contributed to its growth.

FfD is carried out with the help of public finances, and is always closely connected with the development strategy, target areas and common interests of the state during various periods and at multiple stages. FfD can constantly adjust the focus of its support and is not a passive tool, but an active, viable and conscious actor in the market. The state deals with the financing of development, it is not subordinate to any economic management bodies. Only in this way can FfD have autonomy in the market, actively adjust key points of its own activities, and also maintain and support a national development strategy. FfD always strives to become the main vehicle and the main executor of the national strategy. It is a decisive factor in measuring the nature of a given strategy, checking its success, and also the most important basic feature of a national strategy.

A close relationship of cooperation and agreement has been established between FfD and the government. As long as the goal is to strengthen national power and improve the living conditions of the people, institutions related to FfD will closely cooperate and join forces, both with state government bodies at all levels, and with foreign governments. It is imperative that relations between organisations involved in FfD and government should not be bureaucratic.

Financing for Development is used to support state strategy and the development of plans for its implementation; it is an objective and social process of cognition that cannot be achieved through the efforts of one or several people; it depends on collective efforts. This is not only a top-down, but also a bottom-up, very complex and exhaustive process of relentlessly obtaining knowledge about the objective world. Such knowledge is based on national strategy, the domestic and international context, and monetary, financial and macroeconomic policies. Careful analysis has revealed what exactly financing for development can do to implement the strategic goals of the state. There is an interactive dynamic process of commercialisation and legalisation taking place between FfD and the real economy.

FfD originated in China, and is a product with Chinese characteristics. Other countries have not required such development, on such a large scale (including financing). However, the essence of FfD is unity and systematisation; like the state itself, it must be unswerving and unanimous. In other words, FfD is an important tool and weapon for enriching the people and strengthening the country, and its principles can be used to support the development of the Third World countries. The World Bank and other multilateral financial institutions can also be used to provide such financing as a tool for global financial growth, in order to pursue the development of the Third World countries.

FfD was previously carried out in accordance with the Five Direction Policy, namely, the government provides the basis, timely support, early planning, trust-building and promotion of financing. These basic principles are still applicable to the national conditions of China, but changes have taken place in the current situation. For example, the principle which holds that the government is the basis of financing has gradually transformed into the principles of peoples welfare is the basis and elimination of poverty is the basis. Government is the basis was an idea which reflected the situation of that time. This approach was gradually enriched and improved as objective conditions in various regions of the country changed. Therefore, the essence of the Five Direction Policy is still relevant. In particular, the principle of timely support, which fully embodies prudence and foresight.

In serving the national economy, FfD embodies the international obligations and diplomatic interests of the state, and is also a powerful reserve for the state to implement foreign policy and fulfil its international obligations. Regardless of when and where this happens, when using FfD, it is necessary to monitor and understand the global situation and dynamics in real time, conduct an in-depth study of state foreign policy in various situations, identify opportunities and prospects for development, and also to draw up an action plan in advance, anticipating both positive and negative outcomes. If you are fully prepared, then changes in the situation wont overwhelm you. Sources of new assets will depend on the quality of the work carried out at the early stages, pre-planned decisions, and the implementation of a global strategy. As in the military, it is often necessary to simulate a combat situation, so when financing development it is necessary to look in all directions and involve professional organisations and specialists in joint work.

Currently, China is busy with the implementation of its Belt and Road initiative. The logic of FfD is largely consistent with the features of this initiative. FfD is both a microscope and a telescope with which you can see potential high-quality assets with high value. So gradually the goals of the state, proceeding from all aspects of social development, become clear. FfD is the starting point for realising these goals; it is necessary to adhere to the principle of early planning, to find and prepare high-quality assets that have great potential for raising values, and turn them into real-quality assets that will be used for national development. In the implementation of financing for development, it is necessary to strive to study, develop and use the most advanced financial instruments to meet the needs of the state and pursue the implementation of its projects, thereby contributing to the implementation of the national development strategy. Therefore, investments, bonds, leasing and other instruments should provide powerful support for FfD.

As in the process of real development, one can always learn from the successes and failures of other countries; when pursuing FfD it is also imperative to proceed from the experiences of others, their successes and failures. In the process of establishing FfD, it is necessary to predicate decision-making real facts, seek out effective methods and actively apply them in practice, rely on the opinions of the people, experts and government bodies, contribute to the implementation of national strategies, and also open up new opportunities for development.

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Ideology, Characteristics, and the Progress of Financing for Development - Valdai Discussion Club

Report: Federal Gov’t Making Progress on Acquisition Mgmt Reforms – ExecutiveGov

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The federal government has reported progress on three cross-agency priority (CAP) goals and introduced a new category focused on improving the management of major acquisitions.

The federal government has reported progress on three cross-agency priority (CAP) goals and introduced a new category focused on improving the management of major acquisitions.

An update issued Monday on Performance.gov states that CAP Goal teams and agencies continue to make progress on efforts to implement key strategiesunder the Presidents Management Agenda as of July 2020.

The joint effort between the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) also created a tool called the Strategic Objectives Dashboard that visualizes agency objectives and long-term goals.

According to the notice, agencies achieved maturity and implementation for the Modernizing the Infrastructure Permitting Process, Getting Payments Right and Security Clearance, Suitability, and Credentialing Reform CAP goals.

The achievement will enable CAP teams to demonstrate reforms amid continuous monitoring through Performance.gov, the notice states.

The new CAP goal, known as Frictionless Acquisition, covers efforts to fortify the resiliency of the government contracting base while modernizing business models and reducing procurement lead-times.

Other updates include the transition of the Federal IT Spending Transparency CAP goal into the Category Management and IT Modernization; Data, Accountability, and Transparency categories.

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Report: Federal Gov't Making Progress on Acquisition Mgmt Reforms - ExecutiveGov

Drug regulator okays psoriasis injection for restricted emergency use in treating COVID-19 patients – The Tribune India

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Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 11

Itolizumab, a monoclonal antibody drug being used in India to treat severe chronic plaque psoriasis a skin condition has now been granted the Restricted Emergency Use authorisation by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for administration to moderate and severe COVID-19 patients.

Pharma firm Biocon has been manufacturing and marketing this drug for the treatment of patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis since 2013 under brand name Alzumab.

This indigenous drug has now been repurposed for COVID-19.

Biocon presented the Phase II clinical trial results generated in the COVID-19 patients to the DCGI. The results of these trials were deliberated in the Subject Expert Committee of the DCGIs office.

The details of the primary endpoint of mortality and other key endpoints of lung function such as improvement in oxygen saturation were presented. Key inflammatory markers were presented to have reduced significantly with the drug thereby preventing hyper-inflammation in COVID-19 patients.

After detailed deliberation and recommendations of the committee, the DCGI has decided to grant permission to market the drug under Restricted Emergency Use of the drug for the treatment of Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS) in moderate to severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) patients due to COVID-19, subject to some conditions such as informed consent of patients and a risk management plan to be used in the hospital setup only.

The drug will not be available off the shelf.

The average cost of treatment with this indigenous drug is also lesser than comparable drugs which are part of the investigational therapies indicated in the Clinical Management Protocol for COVID-19 of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

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Drug regulator okays psoriasis injection for restricted emergency use in treating COVID-19 patients - The Tribune India

Covid-10 Treatment: Psoriasis injection Itolizumab gets nod for limited use in treating coronavirus patients – Financial Express

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Indias drug regulator has approved Itolizumab, used to cure skin ailment psoriasis, for restricted emergency use on COVID-19 patients with moderate to severe acute respiratory distress, officials said.

Considering the unmet medical needs to treat COVID-19, Drugs Controller General of India Dr V G Somani approved monoclonal antibody injection Itolizumab for restricted emergency use for the treatment of cytokine release syndrome in moderate to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome patients due to COVID-19, they said on Friday.

The approval was given after its clinical trials on COVID-19 patients in India was found satisfactory by the expert committee comprising pulmonologists, pharmacologists and medicine experts from AIIMS, among others, for treatment of cytokine release syndrome, an official told PTI.

It is already an approved drug of Biocon for treating psoriasis for last many years, the official said. Written informed consent of each patient is required before the use of this drug, he said.

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Covid-10 Treatment: Psoriasis injection Itolizumab gets nod for limited use in treating coronavirus patients - Financial Express

Psoriasis Drugs Market 2028 Key Insights and COVID-19 Business Impact – 3rd Watch News

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The growth of thepsoriasis drugs marketis attributed to the growing use of topical corticosteroids products and psoriasis treatment across the globe. According to a latest research by the company, the global corticosteroid psoriasis drugs treatment market is expected to account for over US$ 6,509 Mn in terms of value by 2028 end.

The report projects that the psoriasis drugs treatment market will witness significant growth with average year-on-year growth rate pegged at 7.1% through 2028. The report lists out the key points being considered by the manufacturers of psoriasis drugs to emerge and gain profit in the long run in psoriasis drugs market.

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Company Profile

The North America psoriasis drugs market is expected to expand at significant CAGR and to be the dominant revenue-generating psoriasis drugs market due to large presence of dermatology clinics and facilities. Europe is also expected to be one of the leading regional markets for psoriasis drugs as most of the major academic research institutes are located in the region.

Psoriasis Drugs Market: Analysis

Combination therapeutics and product innovations and are factors expected to drive the need for easy and non-invasive treatment for patients undergoing psoriasis treatment and thus, will lead to greater product penetration in the psoriasis drugs treatment market. In this regard, the National Psoriasis Foundation reported that in 2016, around 1,200 patients in the U.S. opted for new combinational therapies.

The use of psoriasis drugs in combination with other therapies for treating psoriasis is far more effective in the long run. To minimize side effects associated with psoriasis drugs, such as hypertension, swelling, rashes, and inflammatory bowel disease caused by traditional drugs, physicians often suggest the use of combination therapies along with psoriasis drugs.

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Using the treatment has a positive impact on the patient. This factor is expected to fuel the demand for psoriasis drugs used in combination and consequently boost the growth of the psoriasis drugs market.

Plaque psoriasis is the first most prominent type of segment in the global psoriasis drugs market. Approximately 90% of psoriasis types are chronic plaque psoriasis, which are characterized by red patches covered with a whitish buildup of dead cells, and are well-demarcated, thick, often symmetrically distributed scaly red plaques.

Although the plaques can affect any part of the skin, they are majorly found on the surface of the elbows, knees and scalp. According to the WHO, 92% patients with psoriasis suffer from severe scaling of skin, especially found in plaque psoriasis.

The global psoriasis drugs market is segmented based on product type, drug class, disease indication, and distribution channel. Based on product type, the psoriasis drugs market has been segmented into topical, oral, and injectable.

The topical product type segment in psoriasis drugs market is expected to be the dominant segment holding maximum share in the global psoriasis drugs market as they are mostly preferred by the patients. Topical psoriasis drugs are applied to the skin in an easy way and are generally the first line of defense in treating psoriasis.

Topicals normalize excessive cell reproduction and reduce psoriasis inflammation. Topicals are lotions, creams, gels, ointments and shampoos. Patients with mild psoriasis are able to tackle their skin complaint with topical treatment. Moderate to severe psoriasis mainly needs additional therapy or oral psoriasis drugs.

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Based on distribution channel, the psoriasis drugs market has been segmented into retail pharmacies, hospital pharmacies and e-commerce.

In terms of revenue, the retail pharmacies segment dominated the global psoriasis drugs market in 2017 and is projected to continue to do so throughout the forecast period. The retail pharmacies segment in psoriasis drugs market is expected to hold a large share in the psoriasis drugs treatment market.

In terms of revenue, the drug class segment in the global psoriasis drugs market is expected to hold significant share over the forecast period. Besides, the segment is expected to exhibit large investment opportunities for companies operating in psoriasis drugs market throughout the forecast period.

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Psoriasis Drugs Market 2028 Key Insights and COVID-19 Business Impact - 3rd Watch News

Revenue from the Sales of Chronic Plaque Psoriasis Therapeutics Market to Increase Exponentially During 2018 2026 – Cole of Duty

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Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease which is characterized by scaly patches of skin with inflammation and causes excessive production of new skin cells. Presently, there are no long term therapeutics available for the treatment of psoriasis. Chronic Plaque psoriasis is the one of the most common type of psoriasis. This disease condition is associated with several risk factors such as infection, psychological stress and others. Diagnosis of chronic plaque psoriasis is based on clinical appearance, is the case is severe then biopsy is recommended by the healthcare professionals in order to distinguish it from other conditions such as seborrheic dermatitis, ichen simplex chronicus and others.

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Increasing uptake of biological drugs is one of the major factor propelling the growth of the global chronic plaque psoriasis therapeutics market. Advances in inflammation and immunology research, introduction of innovative drugs and increased focus on the usage of combination therapies are further accentuating the demand for chronic plaque psoriasis drugs. Adverse side effects, however, side-effects associated with the treatment such as risk of skin cancer, headache, hair loss, suppression of immunity and others could pose a major threat to the global chronic plaque psoriasis therapeutics market. Ixekizumab, tofacitinib, baricitinib, tregalizumab, ponesimod, AbGn-168H, E-6201, briakinumab, adalimumab and others are some of the drugs currently in clinical trials for the treatment of chronic plaque psoriasis.

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Geographically, North America forms the largest regional market for chronic plaque psoriasis therapeutics. In addition, developed countries such as Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the U.K and Japan accounts for the second largest share of the global chronic plaque psoriasis therapeutics market due to emergence of new formulations.

The key manufacturers engaged in developing the chronic plaque psoriasis therapeutics market include Abbvie, Inc., Novartis International AG, Pfizer, Inc., Merck & Co., Astelllas Pharma, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline Plc and others.

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Revenue from the Sales of Chronic Plaque Psoriasis Therapeutics Market to Increase Exponentially During 2018 2026 - Cole of Duty

Global North America and Europe Phototherapy Treatment Market is Poised to Register 6% Growth by the End of 2026 – 3rd Watch News

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The opportunity analysis covered to understand the North America and Europe phototherapy treatment market for acne and psoriasis, makes this new publication an exclusive one. After a thorough study of the market, our expert team of analysts in the healthcare domain went the extra mile to offer in-depth insights into the market. While studying the market the first important feature we have observed is that this market is likely to witness moderate growth during the 10 year projected period. After a detailed study of the future scenario of the overall market, it was easy for our analysts to identify the macroeconomic factors such as the economic burden of skin diseases and societal habits influencing the phototherapy treatment market for acne and psoriasis in North America and Europe. The report titled Phototherapy Treatment Market for Acne and Psoriasis: North America and Europe Industry Analysis 2012 2016 and Opportunity Assessment 2017 2027 provides detailed information on how the lack of robust clinical evidence on various disease conditions is limiting the growth of the phototherapy treatment market for acne and psoriasis in the regions of North America and Europe.

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One astonishing fact we have come across while inspecting this market is that even in the most developed regions such as North America and Europe, not much research has been done on the other light therapies used in the treatment of acne and psoriasis conditions except blue light and UVB therapy. On the other hand while covering the disease epidemiology we have observed that prevalent cases of acne and psoriasis were remarkable in both the regions especially Europe in 2015.

Is the home-based phototherapy system a solution to limit the rising incidents of the disease?

Usually, phototherapy is an office based treatment procedure. However, lack of sufficient phototherapy units and the majority of phototherapy centres being located in urban areas are forcing patients to choose alternative treatments for their dermatological conditions. An increasing adoption of home-based phototherapy systems is creating huge opportunities for manufacturers. Home based phototherapy reduces patient hassles like transportation issues and the long waiting time in clinics, among others. In addition to this, it also reduces the direct and indirect medical costs of patients.

Our unique analysis of the classification of markets in various segments

According to our analysis, North America represents the most lucrative market, followed by Western Europe and Eastern Europe.

Hospitals end user segment dominates the global market; however, home care settings are becoming the choice of service for patientsBlue light therapy is gaining more traction in phototherapy owing to its benefits in treating acnePlaque psoriasis sub-segment dominates the market in the psoriasis disease segment due to rise in psoriasis patient populationInternational monoclonal antibody conference reports our key source while researching this market

While inspecting the North America and Europe phototherapy treatment market for acne and psoriasis in detail, we have referred to the annual reports, publications, and presentations of product providers. Our analysts have also considered key winning strategies followed by phototherapy treatment market for acne and psoriasis product manufacturers. We have carried out systematic and exhaustive secondary research to analyse the required data points to arrive at the overall market numbers. Detailed questionnaires have been developed for each node in the value chain to extract the required market information through primary research interviews. Data acquired through research is represented using charts, infographics, presentation of key findings by region and providing strategic recommendations and actionable insights for critical decision making.

North America and Europe Phototherapy Treatment for Acne and Psoriasis Market Taxonomy

By Disease Type

Psoriasis

Guttate Psoriasis

Inverse Psoriasis

Pustular Psoriasis

Erythrodermic Psoriasis

Plaque Psoriasis

Acne

Acne Vulgaris

Acne Conglobata

Acne Fulminans

Gram-Negative Folliculitis

Acne Rosacea

Pyoderma Faciale

By Phototherapy Type

Blue Light Phototherapy

Red Light Phototherapy

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Phototherapy

Narrowband UVB Phototherapy

Psoralens+Ultravioletlight A (PUVA) Phototherapy

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By End User

Hospitals

Dermatology Clinics/Skin Care Centres

Wellness Centres

Home Care Settings

By Region

North America

Western Europe

Eastern Europe

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Global North America and Europe Phototherapy Treatment Market is Poised to Register 6% Growth by the End of 2026 - 3rd Watch News

The Presence of the Gods | John Beckett – Patheos

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Over on the Patheos Nonreligious (formerly Atheist) channel, Jonathan Pearce has a post titled Playing Truant: The Relevancy of God. Heres the key quote:

Part of the case against God is the sheer absence of God. Everywhere we look, these days, God not only seems to be tangibly absent, but there is no need for God.

Im a Pagan who sees no reason to proselytize Im not really interested in debating Mr. Pearce. If hes happy with his atheism and he appears to be then Im happy for him. His criticisms of Evangelicalism and Catholicism are valid.

Honestly, anybody who can write the line there is no theodicy that does a good job of explaining the existence of Trump is somebody Id like to have a beer with (someday, when we can have beers with people weve never met again).

At the same time, his post is a reminder of what happens when you let other people set the terms of the debate, and when you define yourself by what you arent rather than by what you are.

Early Christians were considered atheists by the Romans, because they denied the existence of the many Gods.

There is no true monotheism: Christianity has its Trinity and saints, Islam has angels and a devil. Apologists argue that the Trinity is really One and that other beings are not Gods. Polytheists counter that the idea of one all-powerful being is nothing any of our ancestors would have recognized as a God (no, the One of Neoplatonism is not a God in either the polytheist or monotheist sense).

Polytheism is humanitys default setting. Left free of indoctrination, we intuitively recognize the Sun God and the Moon Goddess, the God of a Mountain and the Goddess of the Rain. Even good Christians occasionally invoke the Gods of Baseball or some such thing. Monotheism is like a manicured lawn on the edge of a forest it requires constant maintenance or the forest will reclaim it.

There have always been those for whom the existence of the Gods has seemed either unlikely or simply unimportant. So be it. Only Christianity (and these days, only certain forms of Christianity) places ultimate importance on believing the right things. Live a good, honest, compassionate life and leave the world a better place than you found it and well all get along just fine.

Theodicy is only a problem for monotheists who propose one God who is both all-good and all-powerful. For those of us who follow Gods who are the mightiest of spirits but not all-powerful, this is not a problem.

But most of the monotheist complaints of how could God allow this to happen? carry the implication that the well-being of humans is the greatest good. A simple look at life shows that this is clearly not the case.

Human life has value, but so does snake life and fish life and tree life. Is the lion who eats a human any different from the human who eats a cow? And if all living things have spirits (or if they are spirits) is it any different from a cow who eats a stalk of corn? Is the world fallen because it contains wildfires and tornados and coronaviruses? Or are we nave and self-centered because we refuse to recognize that things like wildfires and tornados and coronaviruses are just as much a part of this world as we are?

I think we lost an important concept when Christianity caused us to abandon the zoomorphic Gods.

We are not the center of the universe, and though many of our Gods have human forms or are themselves deified humans, They are the Gods of all this world, not just us.

Jonathan Pearce says the Christian God is tangibly absent. I cant argue with him. As a polytheist I have no problem acknowledging the existence of Yahweh and Jesus, but I see no reason to accept the proposition that they are one all-powerful being who created the universe and thus is responsible for its operation.

But the Many Gods? Thats a different story.

As a child I was taught there was only one God, so I didnt have the language to express the experiences of comfort and power I felt deep in the woods. I just knew there was something special there. If the Forest God had stepped out of the shadows I would have assumed He was the Christian devil, because I didnt know any better.

Later on I encountered Cernunnos in a very different setting, when I was ready to see Him for who and what He is.

The first time I experienced Him in an ecstatic setting, it took near-perfect surroundings and a fair amount of ritual for me to turn off the skepticism long enough to meet Him. Afterwards I knew it was real, but doubts remained.

The second time it took a small amount of ritual. That experience was rather demonstrative. The after-doubts were far fewer.

Eventually the experiences started to add up. By the time I led the first Cernunnos Devotional Ritual, the doubts were gone. When you experience the presence of the same spiritual person many times, its easier to go with it than to keep asking the same questions over and over again because the answers dont change.

And its not just Cernunnos. Its the Morrigan, its Danu, its the Gods of Egypt. Different Gods call to different people in different ways.

We want our Gods to make Themselves known. We want Them to appear before us in bodily form, brilliant and shining, announcing Their divinity and Their power in ways that would make even Richard Dawkins kneel in awe. Oh, and if They could smite a few of our enemies at the same time, that would be great.

They have other plans.

If convincing the masses of Their reality isnt important to Them, then I suppose it shouldnt be very important to us. None of the Many Gods seem interested in amassing millions and millions of followers.

Instead, Theyre calling a few people to worship and work with Them doing things that dont always make sense to us.

Either youre interested in that or youre not. And with a very few exceptions, if youre not interested, Theyve got better things to do than try to persuade you.

And so do I. If youre curious, I love talking religion. If youre interested, Ill do my best to point you in the right direction the right direction for you.

But for those of us who follow one or more of the Many Gods, its important to remember to not let other people set the ground rules of our religions. Christians and atheists are for the most part arguing two sides of the same coin.

Meanwhile, were foraging in the forest, and were finding all kinds of good stuff to eat.

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The Presence of the Gods | John Beckett - Patheos

Share the Good News in these trying times – Pratt Tribune

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Bill Proctor| Pratt Tribune

I feel this Romans 1:16 verse from the Bible:Be not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is power ofr of God for salvation! takes the guesswork out of how we are to behave amidst a sin-filled world.

To hear the scramble for thoughtless power in the media, those who are declaring American is no longer a Christian nation, it must be confusing to our children and grandchildren.

Some my try to tell whos right from whos wrong withing the same exchange of ideas, but those of us who have lived the truth must be willing to share our experiences with those who have not.

To re-write history books, to even eliminate parts of history that may be upsetting to some, as some states are doing, is foolhardy.

Why did the Holy Bible withstand the eons of time and why does it remain the most-read book of all time?

It is because it contains truth!

As life-time members of the Gideon organization, my wife and I have felt how others search for this truth when our groups hand out scriptures to eager grade school children.

Many times this treasure is the first book they own. Sometimes it is the first acquaintance they make with the Word of God.

The Navigators, a group we find helpful, has a trademark motto that reads: To know Christ, make him known and help others do the same.

This is futher reason to not be ashamed of the Gospel, particularly now as evidence of Communism and Socialism abounds in our society.

The Communison we vaved against in the 60s has re-emerged with glamour and appeal. This devious thinking denies private property ownership for those who have worked hard for that right. It provides distribution of personal property to community ownership and supports the persecution of Christians. It denies God exists, fueling atheism. And it encourages the deadly sin of envy based on the destructive us verses them leadership.

Our Christian culture is at risk and we not must be ashamed to be Christians.

Now is the time, more than ever to share the Good News, the experiences of the good fight, the purposeful life and the joys of keeping faith in the one who cares for us all p Christ Jesus.

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Share the Good News in these trying times - Pratt Tribune

Powerwall installation Washington State | Tesla

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Passion2Fly | December 30, 2019

The PW can only be installed by a Tesla certified company. You cant use your own electrician. However, $24k for two PWs is on the high side. You should be able to find cheaper if looking around... The right price is probably $16k-$20k...

jrweiss98020 | December 30, 2019

Get a couple estimates. I had mine done by A&R Solar. Permitting, inspections, installer's warranty, ancillary equipment, and upgrading electrical service to meet current code (less likely needed in a new build) all add to the costs.

Patrick | December 31, 2019

Agree with Passion - we just paid $9K each for three units including installation to a local Tesla dealer in NC.

Tesla-David | December 31, 2019

I live in Edmonds, WA and had our two PW2 installation in June 2018 by A&R Solar for $15.5k. A&R also did our solar PV installation in 2012, and they are an incredible company that have treated me well, and would recommend them for PW2 installation in a heartbeat. They would also be my choice for your future solar installation as well. A&R is certified by Tesla for PW2 installations. We were the second PW2 installation in WA in 2018.

gregbrew | December 31, 2019

Tesla installed my two PWs in January this year, onto an existing 5kW PV array in So. CA. ~$18k.

novehe6496 | January 3, 2020

RCorsa | January 9, 2020

Interesting. It was A&R that quoted me $24k. Does anyone have other local Tesla installers

TeresaP | March 7, 2020

Who did you end up going with? We are looking at A&R for solar panels as well as 2 Powerwalls.

Tesla-David | March 7, 2020

A&R did our 13.2 kWh solar installation in 2012 and our 2-PW2 installation in June 2018. They did an exceptional job on both, and can tell you they are a great company to work with. They have always been there to answer question and deal with issues I have had, relative to having a few microinverters needing to be replaced on several occasions. I have gotten to know Andy and Reeves quite well over past 7+ years and totally recommend A&R solar as a quality vendor to anyone.

SamsAwesome | April 8, 2020

Do you feel the Powerwall was worth it in the Seattle area? I'm looking into solar and wondering, on Puget Sound Energy, if it's worth having a Powerwall when it is very rare we lose power in my particular area, PSE doesn't do time-of-use rates, etc.

Tesla-David | April 8, 2020

@SamsAwesome, Yes the PW2 installation was well worth it. You are right we rarely lose power in Edmonds, WA, but we have had several shorth outages in last six months, and they worked flawlessly to keep everything running. For us reducing our reliance on grid energy was one of the primary reasons for adding the PW2's, and they have worked exceptionally well to minimize our grid energy use for ~9 months of the year. We will not be drawing any energy from grid until end of October with our setup, which also includes charging up our two Tesla's (M3 and MS). Snohomish PUD pays us for our excess solar ($0.54/kWh) and we get a check for $5,000 for our excess solar exported to grid every year through Net Metering. This will be the last year those incentives will be in effect, as the incentives sunset in 2020. They have been handy in helping us pay off our 2012 solar PV installation. The solar + PW2 installation have been well worth the investment IMHO.

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Powerwall installation Washington State | Tesla

Analyst: Tesla And Nikola Are The ‘Silent Short Seller Killers’ – Benzinga

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A buying frenzy in electric vehicles stocks has Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) shares up 62.1% and Nikola Corporation (NASDAQ: NKLA) shares up 60%since Nikola first began trading on June 4.

While EV investors are making a killing off the scramble for EV stocks, S3 Partners analyst Ihor Dusaniwsky said short squeezes could drive significant additional upside in both Tesla and Nikola.

Dusaniwsky saidTesla already appears to be in the middle of a short squeeze. Tesla has $19.1 billion in aggregate short interest, more than any other domestic U.S. stock. However, Teslas short interest is down by $2.3 billion in the past 30 days, suggesting some short sellers may finally be throwing in the towel after the stock gained 508% in the past year.

Nikolas short interest of $390 million is much smaller, but the two stocks have similar short percentages of float. Teslas short percent of float is 9.5%, while Nikolas is 7.6%.

Dusaniwsky said Tesla short sellers have endured $18 billion in mark-to-market losses year-to-date in 2020, with 43% of those losses coming in the past five weeks of trading. He said these heavy losses are the reason behind Teslas short squeeze, which is already in progress.

If Teslas stock price continues to trend upward, we expect even more short covering as mark-to-market losses accumulate, Dusaniwsky said.

The Nikola short squeeze has not yet begun at this point, but Dusaniwsky said skyrocketing borrow fees for the stock suggest a squeeze could be just around the corner.

Nikolas stock borrow fees have spiked to around 600%, and Nikola short sellers have paid $66 million in borrow fees in the month of July alone. At current borrow costs, Dusaniwsky said Nikola short sellers need the stock to drop 1.67% daily just to break even.

If NKLAs stock price appreciates, short sellers will be big losers on both sides of the short sale profitloss calculation unless NKLAs stock price trends downward a short squeeze is inevitable, he said.

Skyrocketing EV valuations have many analysts and traders as skeptical as ever about Tesla and Nikolas stock prices. However, given the market dynamics at play, both stocks make very risky short trades at this point.

It looks like electric and hydrogen car manufacturers are the silent short seller killers in the market today, Dusaniwsky said.

The average Wall Street analyst price targets for Tesla and Nikola are $722.26 and $46, implying 48.2% and 19% downside, respectively. Tesla shares have roughly doubled in the two months since CEO Elon Musk tweeted Tesla stock price is too high imo back on May 1.

Do you agree with this take? Emailfeedback@benzinga.comwith your thoughts.

Related Links:

Tesla Demonstrates Why Short Selling Is So Much More Dangerous Than Going Long

The Next Wirecard? 20 Things To Watch For To Spot A Massive Market Fraud

View More Analyst Ratings for TSLA View the Latest Analyst Ratings

2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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Analyst: Tesla And Nikola Are The 'Silent Short Seller Killers' - Benzinga

Cars, a cocktail and a celebrity: South Koreans succumb to Tesla fever – Reuters

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SEOUL (Reuters) - From an eponymous cocktail to eager buyers following the shipping routes of long-awaited cars, Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) is having a moment in South Korea, particularly among tech-savvy professionals.

Kang Sung-mo, who runs an advertising production agency in Seoul, is a convert.

I am not interested in cars, but I am interested in the Tesla brand and its technology, the 39-year-old told Reuters.

Kang bought a Tesla Model 3 in December, ditching the Hyundai crossover he bought only last summer. Being associated with Teslas reputation for innovation was good for his image, he said.

The U.S. electric car maker had its best month for South Korea in June, selling 2,827 vehicles and bouncing back from weak sales in April and May which were hit by U.S. production disruptions due to the coronavirus. The Model 3 is now the countrys No.2 imported vehicle, ahead of the BMW 5 series and the Audi A6, and just behind the Mercedes E-Class.

By contrast, Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS), the dominant automaker in South Korea, saw sales of its Kona EV slump 31% in June to 2,513 vehicles.

Another 4,000 to5,000 South Korean customers have the Model 3 on order, although most of them may have to wait until at least September for delivery, said a source familiar with the matter. The source was not authorised to speak to the media and declined to be identified.

Teslas rising popularity among affluent professionals in South Korea, who have been relatively unscathed by the pandemic, is one of many feathers in its cap.

Highlighting the threat it poses to established brands, Tesla last week surpassed Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) as the worlds most valuable automaker while its second-quarter deliveries smashed expectations at a time when sales at rivals have been laid low by the pandemic.

South Koreas generous subsidies of 12.43 million won ($10,380) for the Model 3 have definitely helped sales, bringing the cars price down to less than $40,000, but the Silicon Valley automaker has also generated a genuine buzz.

In social media posts, South Korean Tesla fans avidly track the routes of ships bringing its cars to Asia, while at the countrys bars, the latest trendy cocktail is a mix of HiteJinros (000080.KS) Terra-brand beer and the Korean traditional liquor soju. Smashed together, their names are pronounced Tesla in Korean.

The automaker has additionally benefited from free advertising after popular Korean actor Yoo Ah-in, known for his sense of style, drove his Tesla Model X SUV to go grocery shopping on a reality show aired last month. That has led to a spike in orders for the vehicle, a second person familiar with the matter said without elaborating.

Some new Korean owners noted they bought a Tesla for practical reasons.

Kim Dong-hwan, who works in IT in Seoul, wanted to avoid public transportation during the pandemic and driving fatigue on his long commute.

Not everything is perfect - his Model 3 has a panel gap and he has to wait several months before it will be fixed - but Kim says the benefits and emotional appeal of a technologically advanced brand were worth it.

I am very satisfied given that Teslas self-driving feature has reduced fatigue while driving, he said.

Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Additional reporting by Daewoung Kim; Editing by Edwina Gibbs

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Cars, a cocktail and a celebrity: South Koreans succumb to Tesla fever - Reuters

WIRE Buzz: Malorie movie in early stages; Roswell creator exits; and Tesla trailer – SYFY WIRE

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Sandra Bullock should start practicingher blind acting skills because a film adaptation of Josh Malerman's Bird Box sequel,Malorie, is reportedly in the works.

"I cant say much, butI can say that it is in development. Sometimes its weird, all this secrecy, but Im game," the author told Inverse.

It's probably safe to assume that Netflix is the one looking (get it?)to bring the upcoming novel to the screen. The movie version of Bird Box enjoyed the streamer's biggest debut for an original film;over 45 million accounts allegedly watched itwithin the first week.

Going on sale July 21, the follow-up is set more than a decade after the events of the first book. Now living at a defunct summer camp with her son and adopted daughter, the paranoid Malorie Hayes decides to once again brave the world of mysterious creatures that drive people insane.

Chatting with SYFY WIRE, Malerman described Malorie as "pee-your-pants scary fun."

Carina Adly MacKenzie is vacating her position as creator/showrunner of The CW's Roswell, New Mexico. Per The Hollywood Reporter, her "relationship with studio Warner Bros. Television had been strained for some time."

Based on the report, the final straw arrived when WBTV was forced to do "damage control" afterMacKenzie took to Twitter last monthto accusethe U.K.'s ITV of cutting a same-sex "love scene"from a certainepisode. A rep for ITV2 refuted her claims of homophobia and bigotry, stating that "scenes involving sexual content were edited in keeping with the regulator, Ofcom's, guidelines."

"I have made the difficult decision to resign from my role onRoswell, New Mexico. I do not take this decision lightly, but ultimately due to fundamental differences, I must depart and entrustRoswell, New Mexicoto capable hands,"MacKenziesaid in a statement to THR."I am so proud of what we built over the last two years, and I believe in the heart and soul of the show: asking tough questions, striving to make the world better, amplifying marginalized voices, and fighting the good fight."

"The third season of the series will return to The CW as part of the networks 2021 midseason lineup," added a rep for WBTV.

Roswell, NM is the second television translation ofMelinda Metz's Roswell High books.

Ethan Hawke is absolutely electric in the first trailer for Tesla, a biopic about Nikola Tesla, the inventor, who often gets obscured by the looming shadow cast by Thomas Edison. Twin Peak'sKyle MacLachlan co-stars as Edison in the unconventional historical flick fromMichael Almereyda.

Utilizingfourth wall-breaking narration,anachronistic technology, and atmospheric backdrops,the film explores Tesla's "uphill battle to bring his revolutionary electrical system to fruition," as well as the"thornier challenges" involved"with his new system for worldwide wireless energy," reads the synopsis.

Watch the trailer below:

Jim Gaffigan andDonnie Keshawarz playGeorge Westinghouse and J.P. Morgan respectively.Eve Hewson takes up the role of Morgan's daughter, Anne, who "analyzes and presents the story as it unfolds, offering a distinctly modern voice to this scientific period drama which, like its subject, defies convention."

"Almereyda lays tracks to take Teslain a dozen wild directions,"wroteAmy Nicholson wrote in her review for Variety. "Early on, Anne whips out a MacBook to use Google image search. Later, Edison kills time on a cellphone. Almereydas entitled to meld past and present Tesla was a man of the future. Yet, having ordered the audience onboard, Almereyda doesnt go anywhere with the gambit."

This is the second movie in the last few years to depict the professional and scientific rivalries among Tesla,Edison, and Westinghouse. The first was Alfonso Gomez-Rejon'sThe Current War in 2017.

Hawke andAlmereyda previously worked together on projects like 2000'sHamlet and 2014'sCymbeline.Tesla strikes theaters and VODFriday, August 21.

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WIRE Buzz: Malorie movie in early stages; Roswell creator exits; and Tesla trailer - SYFY WIRE

Gold heads for weekly gain as it holds above $1,800 an ounce – MSN Money

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METALS STOCKS

Gold futures ended lower on Friday, but held ground above $1,800 an ounce to score a fifth weekly gain in a row as the spread of coronavirus in many U.S. states and other countries raised the need to hedge against risk amid continued uncertainty over the economic outlook.

The fundamental drivers stimulating appetite for gold remain firmly in place, with the medium to longer term outlook pointing north, Lukman Otunuga, senior research analyst at FXTM, told MarketWatch. However, where gold trades in the week ahead will be heavily influenced by how prices behave around the psychological $1,800 level.

Gold futures ended lower on Thursday, pulling back after scoring a settlement Wednesday at the highest since September 2011, but the haven metal held ground above $1,800 an ounce after data showed weekly U.S. jobless benefit claims remained well above 1 million.

Read: Why gold has become a weapon of choice for investors

After charging to levels not seen in nine years, gold may experience a technical correction back towards the $1,780-$1,765 region before bulls gather fresh momentum on risk aversion, said Otunuga.

For the week, gold rose roughly 0.7% from last Thursdays settlement, which was the weeks last session due to the Independence Day holiday. The metal now has tallied a fifth weekly rise in a row, and trades up by more than 18% for the year to date. Silver was up about 4% for the week.

Analysts have tied golds rally in part to a continued fall in bond yields, which have eroded or eliminated the opportunity cost tied to holding non-yielding assets such as gold. The 10-year Treasury note yield

Gold also has kept its appeal amid worries that aggressive stimulus efforts could spark inflationary pressures.

Read: Why safe haven gold and the stock market are now moving the same direction

In a note dated Thursday, analysts at Goldman Sachs wrote that gold is a function of two primary factors: Fear which drives investment demand in developed markets, and Wealth which drives consumer demand in emerging markets.

An environment where the U.S. recovery slows due to a second wave of virus cases, but China, the worlds largest retail gold buyer, is recovering strongly is ideal for gold, as this would put downward pressure on U.S. real rates via the Fear channel and increase EM demand for gold via the Wealth channel, they wrote.

U.S. underperformance is also bearish the dollar, which helps gold by boosting the dollar purchasing power of consumers outside the U.S., they said.

Given all of that, the analyst said they have even greater conviction in their bullish $2,000 an ounce 12-month price target.

Among other metals on Comex, September copper (HGU20)rose 2.1% to $2.8975 a pound, for a weekly gain of more than 5%. October platinum (PLV20)shed 0.1% at $845.90 an ounce, tacking on around 1.7% for the week, and September palladium (PAU20)added 1.6% to $1,994.40 an ounce, for a weekly rise of over 3%.

Gallery: Which of the world's economies will recover fastest? (Lovemoney)

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Gold heads for weekly gain as it holds above $1,800 an ounce - MSN Money

Letter to the Editor: The Choice – Door County Pulse

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Letter to the Editor:

The Choice

Since the 2008 election, American voters havent been choosing business as usual. We are fed up, sick of the status quo of the state and its never-ending hunger for more power and control.

Obama in 2008 and 2012 provided that choice. He was a community organizer and a young, inexperienced senator who campaigned on a platform of hope and change. I think Americans were desperate for this message after eight years of homeland terror, financial turmoil and foreign disputes.

After Obamas first term, and in my opinion not fulfilling his promises, I believe many voters deviated from him but could not vote for Republican Mitt Romney and were disaffected enough to become independent, third-party or nonvoters.

In 2016, Trump for many voters seemed to provide that choice. He was a rich businessperson and a blunt, transparent, red-blooded American with a platform of Make America Great Again. Americans were desperate after eight years of eroded individual liberties, soaring poverty in small communities and the amplified, continuing foreign entanglements.

Now, after seeing how Trumps policies have led to further erosion of liberty and justice for all, perpetual deficit spending, continuing foreign disputes and an authoritarian approach to everything, many are looking for another way.

This year, the Libertarian Party offers that choice. Dr. Jo Jorgensen a business and leadership psychologist, is intelligent, educated and rational. Her platform All Your Freedoms, All the Time aligns strongly with the core Libertarian principles of a smaller government held accountable for and by the people.

She stands with all people and communities, meeting with members of many of Americas most vulnerable communities to work toward better solutions together. We are desperate as a nation for all our voices to be represented and for all of us to live our best possible lives, free of oppression and arbitrary control. We are desperate for our government to respect our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Jorgensen offers everyone that chance. We can win this November, and together, we can take back our nation from those who have been deceiving us into submission for generations.

Tony Moen

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

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Letter to the Editor: The Choice - Door County Pulse

JCPS tax hike likely to be on ballot after opponents gather thousands of signatures – Courier Journal

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LOUISVILLE, Ky.A tax increase for schools appears poised to face Louisville voters this November.

A group behind apetition to put a Jefferson County Public Schools tax increase to a vote says it has nearly 5,000 more signatures than needed likely clearing the bar to get on the November ballot.

The Jefferson County clerk will validate the signatures within the next 30 days and ultimately determine if the petition was successful. JCPS then has 10 days to appeal.

The petition needed at least 35,615 signatures by Friday to force a vote. The group said itturned in 40,320 signatures.

School board members, on a split vote, approved a 7-cent property tax increase in May about an extra $70 a year for a $100,000 home.

Kentucky school boards can raise property taxes enough to boost property tax revenue 4%. Since the increase would raise district revenue past thatcap, it was subject to a voter recall an ultimately successful effort.

Other news: Colorado superintendent to be next Kentucky education commissioner

"We still have a lot of work to do, but I hope we will be able to look back on this effort and say this was a turning point, when the citizens of Jefferson County stood up and demanded that JCPS do the job it is paid to do, which is to provide a good education to every student," Theresa Camoriano wrote on the No JCPS Tax Hike Facebook page Friday. "No more excuses!"

Camoriano, who lives in Anchorage, spearheaded signature collection for weeks. She reserved the website NoJCPSTaxHike1.com ahead of the school board vote and managed multiple Facebook pages updating supporters and explaining their rationale.

In the weeks before signatures were due, libertarian advocacy groups including the Bluegrass Institute and Americans for Prosperity backed the petition. Kentucky Secretaryof State Michael Adams, who lives in Jefferson County, also encouraged voters to sign the petition.

JCPS, which has around a $1.65 billion budget, should better manage the money it already has, Camoriano and others opposing the increase said. Raising taxes during a pandemic is not ideal, they've said.

Reducing transportation spending by ending "busing" the district's practice of creating diverse classrooms by assigning West End kids to schools across the county would be one way to save money, some opposing the tax increase argued.

JCPS is proposing a student assignment model that would allow West End students to go to school closer to home effectively ending its lauded and criticized diversity plan but it said it would need about $139 million to build new schools in the West End to make it happen.

Read more: Mandatory masks could mean 'a shot' at schools opening, Beshear says

And that money is supposed to come from the tax increase, district officials have said.

In the final days before signatures were due, one of the most vocal pro-JCPS groups Dear JCPS said it also wanted the tax increase to be put on the ballot.

While understanding the money is expected to go to the district's high-needs students and classrooms, Dear JCPS said the coronavirus may have shifted budget priorities. The district needs more time to determine how the money should be spent, it said.

"Giving our community until November to have these necessary but difficult conversations will not only increase community buy-in as solutions are developed, but it will increase the likelihood that new tax revenues will be spent in the best ways possible," the group wrote on Facebook on Thursday.

New revenue would help the district provide more supports for its most disadvantaged students, who often find themselves on the losing end of academic gaps, and the schools they attend, JCPS said.

It could also help to make up for past opportunities in which school boards did not take the full tax increase they could, shortchanging kids in the process, officials argued.

JCPS' property tax rate, 73.6 cents for $100 of assessed value, is among the lowest in the area. An increase to 80.6 cents would bring it closer to peer districts like Fayette County that serve large groups of students living at or near poverty.

What dostudents want?Parents, teachers have been vocal about reopenings

Reach Olivia Krauth at okrauth@courierjournal.com or 502-582-4471, and on Twitter at @oliviakrauth. Support strong local journalism by subscribing: courier-journal.com/subscribe.

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JCPS tax hike likely to be on ballot after opponents gather thousands of signatures - Courier Journal

It’s Time to Rethink How You Handle Cloning Out Distractions – Fstoppers

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Whether youve worked with Photoshop for years, or are new to the program and want an updated approach to cloning, healing, and editing out distractions and issues, theres been a number of updates that have challenged the old paradigm of editing in these situations. Want to know the new approach you should be using?

When I got started with Photoshop, and had to deal with removing an element of an image, Id reach for either the clone stamp or healing brush tool. Both were fine, but required a good sense of how to rebuild the areas, if you were removing a sizable chunk of the photo. For this next section, when I refer to cloning, you can consider healing and cloning to both run into the same issues, at least to some extent.

Beyond just size, theres a number of complicating factors that can make these tools more difficult to use than necessary. Consider an object against a pattern background, where youll have to pay attention to matching the orientation and periodicity of the pattern itself, rather than just cloning over it with a random sample. Another example is when cloning up against the border of two different objects, especially where theres a defined edge. Working near that edge with a healing brush can result in a blurry mess, instead of a clean replacement.

To work around these challenges, Photoshop has added a number of tools that I dont think get enough attention for this part of the workflow. Furthermore, there are a number of optimizations to how you work with the existing tools that can help address these issues.

The first change Id recommend making is altering how you approach editing out a distraction in the first place. Instead of reaching for a brush of any type or the patch tool, grab the lasso tool. Combined with content aware fill, I find it much easier to make selections quickly, hit my reassigned shortcut for fill (faster than Edit> Fill), and end up with a great looking result for basic adjustments.

I like this better than the brush approach because of how well it leads into making adjustments to the area being fixed. If I need to end up selecting more of a region, like if theres a color cast spilling onto the background, its easy to add to the selection. If Im removing too much, just by holding Alt, I can quickly remove something from the selection. In the very rare cases where Photoshop isnt automatically selecting a good patch to fill with, its easy to jump into the dedicated Content Aware Fill dialog, as your selection is already set up.

This approach isnt just good for its versatility, but also because it is very low effort. Draw a sloppy circle around what you want gone and it vanishes. Content Aware Fill seems to do a remarkable job of leaving things alone that dont need to be removed, even if its in the active selection, unlike when you draw outside the area with the spot healing brush.

Furthermore, Photoshop offers a ton of options for making an easy, effective selection, making this approach even easier. A great example of this is when working with a panorama. After stitching, you can end up with small gaps around the edges of the frame, where the stitch hasnt resulted in a perfectly rectangular image. To fill these in with a brush-based approach would require a detailed examination of the edges of the frame and painstaking work to brush in only the necessary regions. Instead, by selecting all the content on the layer, inverting the selection, and expanding it by a few pixels, you can quickly fill all these gaps automatically. Ive even loaded that process into an action, taking what would have been minutes of work into about 5 seconds and 2 clicks.

To sum it up, when working with an easy, or even intermediate issue, Ive left the myriad healing and cloning brushes in the toolbar, instead relying on sloppy selections and Content Aware fill via both the fill menu and dedicated dialog. Its saved a lot of effort, and can easily be stepped up to deal with more difficult cases.

Unfortunately, Content Awares AI isnt at Skynet levels just yet, For some areas, its still necessary to go in and manually clone out the region. This is most noticeable in the cases I mentioned earlier in the article, with regular patterns and some literal edge cases. Here, however, I still dont leave the selection tools behind.

Making a selection before working with cloning tools can be one of the best ways to refine your approach. One of the easiest examples of this is when working with something that comes up to an edge of another object. In these three shots, you can see the initial issue, the selection, and the finished product. By going in with just the regular clone stamp, you can build in some margin around that white pillar, while still keeping a very clean edge on the object. Once thats done, you can then use any tool, like the healing brush, to go in and finish the job, as well as refine the transition.

Trying to mirror that rounded edge with a single brush stroke is way more difficult than it needs to be. Setting up the selection ahead of time functions a bit like the bumper guards in bowling, where even a mistake doesnt ruin your attempt.

Setting up this perimeteralso leads into my next bit of advice, which is dont be afraid of the clone stamp. While the initial strokes can look worse than using the healing brush or spot healing brush, I find that for larger areas, you can never get the healing brush to look just right without first removing the offending object via another method. Healing over a large area can just result in a smudgy mess, often with color artifacts from the removed object. Instead, give a couple swipes of the clone stamp to at least get the area into a more neutral starting position, then refine with the healing tools if necessary.

One last thing to remember is the clone source panel. If youre working with an offset pattern, or dont have a great 1:1 match for cloning, you can use the clone source panel to expand your options. In the panel, you can adjust the rotation of your clone source to better match your subject, increase or decrease the scaling ratio, or even mirror it. By playing around with these settings, you can get a far more convincing blendor even create a usable source out of an otherwise dissimilar area.

None of these features are that new, with content aware fill being around for years already, for example. Instead, the iterative improvements of content aware fill, combined with some new techniques Ive integrated into my workflow, have led me to realize that I hardly even touch the old standards of cloning work anymore. As content aware fill continues to improve, Ive had to do less and less manual refinement. Id suggest you see how it fits into your workflow, as well as understand the cases where it isnt going to be useful, and how to compensate it might just save you quite a bit of time in your next edit!

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It's Time to Rethink How You Handle Cloning Out Distractions - Fstoppers

Global Synthetic Biolog Market 2020 COVID-19 Updated Analysis By Product (Xeno-nucleic Acids (XNA), Oligonucleotides, Chassis Organisms, Enzymes,…

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TheSynthetic Biolog marketreport begins with the market overview/market definition and the market scope. This helps in understanding what exactly is the report study dealing with. The next section includes the target audience of the Synthetic Biolog market. It is very important for the clients to understand what type of users or what kind of consumers deal with Synthetic Biolog market in order to determine their focus goals.

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In the last section, the Synthetic Biolog market report incorporates detailed information on the demand & supply chain analysis, import and export, industry size, sales volume, market shares, as well as value analysis of all the industry players operating in the Synthetic Biolog market. Some of the major market players that are included areIntrexon Corporation (U.S.), Synthetic Genomics, Inc. (California), Novozymes (Denmark), Royal DSM (Netherlands), New England Biolabs, Inc. (NEB) (U.S.), Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT) (U.S.), Amyris, Inc. (U.S.), Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (U.S.), DuPont (U.S.), GenScript USA Inc. (U.S.. Each market player is profiles in detail within the report by the research analysts.

In the next section, the Synthetic Biolog market report includes the research tools and methodologies that were incorporated while studying the Synthetic Biolog market. For instance, Porters Five Force analysis, SWOT analysis, PESTLE analysis, top-down or the bottom-up approach that was used for market data analysis. It also includes details about the primary research and the secondary research that were conducted by the research analysts.

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The next major section of the Synthetic Biolog market study includes the market segmentation. To understand any market with ease the market is segregated into segments, such as its product type, application, technology, end-use industry. By dividing the market into small components helps in understanding the market with more clarity. The market segments of the Synthetic Biolog market includes{Xeno-nucleic Acids (XNA), Oligonucleotides, Chassis Organisms, Enzymes, Cloning and Assembly kits}; {Environmental Application, Medical Application, Industrial Application}. The data that is provided within the study is both quantitative and qualitative. Data is represented with the help of tables and figures that include graphical representation of the numbers in the form of histograms, bar graphs, pie charts, etc.

Another major segment of the Synthetic Biolog market is its geographical presence on the global platform. The major regions that have been considered include Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, North America, and the Middle East and Africa. The Synthetic Biolog market study is not restricted to regional level but also includes country-wise data.

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Major Advantages for Synthetic Biolog Market:

Well-organized description of the international Synthetic Biolog market along with the ongoing inclinations and future considerations to reveal the upcoming investment areas. The all-inclusive market feasibility is examined to figure out the profit-making trends to obtain the most powerful foothold in the Synthetic Biolog industry. The Synthetic Biolog market report covers data which reveal major drivers, constraints, and openings with extensive impact analysis. The current market is quantitatively reviewed from 2019 to 2028 to pinpoint the monetary competency of the global Synthetic Biolog market. Last but not least, PORTERS Five Forces Analysis shows the effectiveness of the customers and providers from a global perspective.

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Global Synthetic Biolog Market 2020 COVID-19 Updated Analysis By Product (Xeno-nucleic Acids (XNA), Oligonucleotides, Chassis Organisms, Enzymes,...