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To infinity and beyond: Sex dolls in space could be a reality for Mars 2024 mission – IOL

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By Lifestyle Reporter Jul 30, 2020

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SpaceX founder Elon Musk must get lots of unusual requests but this one is probably the most bizarre.

The industry titan is on a mission to colonise Mars, something he hopes to achieve by 2024. So what former aerospace engineer Amit Stevenson offered was to provide SpaceX astronauts with some intimate company in the form of sex dolls.

Stevenson, who owns Sex Doll Genie said the the journey to Mars will be lonely work and the company's robotic companions could keep Mars colonists company - rather than just sex, Express reported.

"The purpose of wanting to send companion dolls to space is not sex most of our customers use love dolls to feel accompanied in lonely situations, Stevenson told the British publication.

"This isnt about cheapening the profession of astronauts or space exploration in general, he continued.

A one-way trip to Mars can take between six to eight months - thats a lot of time to spend away from your loved ones.

Dr Nick Kanas, an Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, discussed the psychological implications of this at length in 2018.

"Mars is a long way away and the extreme distance has psychological ramifications, he said.

Stevenson used this argument by suggesting some of the anxiety and psychological stress of these missions can be alleviated with the aid of sex dolls.

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To infinity and beyond: Sex dolls in space could be a reality for Mars 2024 mission - IOL

Nuclear power plants could power colonies on the Moon and Mars – SlashGear

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One of the challenges of prolonged presence on the moon or the surface of another planet, such as Mars, is finding the power needed to make human life possible. NASA is reportedly considering building nuclear power plants that will work on the moon and Mars. On Friday, NASA put out a request for ideas from the private sector on how nuclear power could be used outside the Earth in the future.

All ideas submitted from the private sector will be reviewed by the Idaho National Laboratory, which is a nuclear research facility in eastern Idaho, the Energy Department, and NASA will evaluate all submitted ideas for the reactor. NASA says that small nuclear reactors can provide all the power capability needed for space exploration missions.

An industry technical meeting will be held in August to discuss the expectations for the program. The meeting will be conducted by The Energy Department, NASA, and Battelle Energy Alliance. The latter is the contractor that manages the Idaho National Laboratory.

The plan is dual phased with the first to develop a reactor design. The second is to build a test reactor along with a second reactor to be sent to the moon. The program also requires the development of a flight system and lander that can transport the reactor to the moon.

NASA wants the reactor, flight system, and lander ready to launch by the end of 2026. The reactor is required to generate an uninterrupted energy output of at least 10 kilowatts and weighs less than 7,700 pounds. It also has to run for at least ten years and be mostly autonomous. Ten kilowatts isnt much power; the average home in the US uses 11,000 kilowatt-hours per year of electricity. NASA has stated that it would likely take multiple linked reactors to meet power demands on the moon or Mars.

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Nuclear power plants could power colonies on the Moon and Mars - SlashGear

NASA To Use Nuclear Power Can Help Colonize Moon And Mars. Is It Worth It? – Inventiva

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Nuclear power to be harnessed for future endeavors to Mars and the Moon. On Friday, the U.S Department of Energy put out a request to the private sector, on how this can be accomplished to help humans live for long periods in the harsh environment of space.

How it began?

Exploration of space has become a race for countries to excel at. It reached its peak during the Cold War where the USSR and USA battled to gain the upper hand with the best technology and equipment to conquer space, which is the only area left for humans to expand out territorially. During such times, the space race picked for the superpowers to show off their technological achievements.

There was a great revolution in the field of Aerospace and major improvements in the technological abilities of Man-Made Spacecraft and satellites. This was also the time where nuclear energy was wildly considered to be used for space exploration.

Nuclear energy seemed to be the best option due to its ability to create large amounts of energy from small distortions in the molecular level. However, due to negative reactions from the public because of the various accidents and its major effects on lives and environment. It has always been deemed not worth risking and projects of such systems have been shunt upon.

Is it better than solar?

Solar Energy was considered the best source of energy to power a spacecraft and is more commonly used. However, Nuclear Power offers advantages in few areas that Solar energy cannot comply with. Solar cells are efficient but can supply the energy sufficiently high only during a solar flux, meaning the closer it is to the sun the better energy can be supplied. But space is dark, cold and non-resourceful. Most of the explorations dive into deep space where there is minimal to no light available. And Mars being further away from the sun makes it receive lesser solar energy from the sun, making it all the more difficult to power systems using solar panels.

This is where nuclear-based systems are handy, where it has less mass than solar cells of equivalent power and is independent in its power production. It can also provide with both life support and propulsion to the system and may reduce both cost and flight time.

Why has the usage of Nuclear Power in Space revived?

Nuclear power systems have been launched several times to reach space. One of the earliest and first satellites launched into earths orbit was Transit-4A in 1961 which used 238 Pu (Plutonium-238) as fuel in the RTG SNAP-3B Technology.

So, the usage of nuclear power in space has always been lingered and been used to launch satellites but now NASA has accelerated it plans to send astronauts to the moon by 2024 and by 2028 they plan to establish a sustainable lunar exploration. As is the case, NASA wants to accomplish all of this in the most efficient process and nuclear energy has proven itself over time. Now, to further explore alternatives, it is common for NASA to keep competitions or send request to other private sectors.

Because of this approach and the closing of the moon landing. It has increased the interest of millions to know how NASA plans to accomplish yet another small step for a man, a giant leap for mankind.

How do they plan on using nuclear power?

The plan can be devised into two phases. First, the design of a reactor is to be developed. Second, a test reactor is to be build and a second reactor to be sent to the moon. Also, development of a flight system and lander to transport the reactor to the moon will be underway.

Request has been sent to the private sector by the Energy Department and NASA on the development of nuclear power systems. The ideas will be evaluated by the Idaho National Laboratory, a nuclear research facility in eastern Idaho. They all plan to have webcast technical meeting in August concerning the programs expectations.

As of now, the reactor to be used must be able to generate uninterrupted electricity output of at least 10 Kilowatts. Compared to an average residential home in U.S.A, where 11,000 Kilowatts-hour per year is consumed. Additionally, the reactor should not weigh more than 3,500 kg and function autonomously in space for at least 10 years.

Exploration has been supported to revolve around the south polar region of the moon while the exploration for the Martian surface has not been identified.

How will it work?

Nuclear power in space has been around since the 1950s as mentioned earlier. Now, it can be segregated in the form of systems such as, small fission systems or radioactive decay for electricity or heat. Several space probes and crewed lunar missions have most commonly used the Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator(RTG).

To generate power, a power-conversion unit consisting of two Stirling engines will be made to sit opposite each other. The set up for the testing was at NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center. Electricity was generated when the pumped liquid metal transfers heat from the reactor to the engine.

Researchers have tested the performance of the Stirling alternator in a radiation environment at Sandia national laboratories in Albuquerque, NM. The main aim was to test the performance of the motor without degradation of the materials. The alternator was tested by subjecting it to radiations 20 times than what it could expect in its lifetime. It survived the whole test without any significant problems.

So far, the reports have pointed that one of the concepts in technology of testing a power source for missions to the moon and mars could be deployed by 2020. But has been slowed down due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Fission systems have been effective in reducing cost compared to the RTGs, where it can be utilized to power the spacecrafts heating or propulsion systems. Several fission reactors have been proposed over decades, which makes fission reactors the closest choice for the next nuclear power system advancement.

Why use nuclear systems?

As discussed previously, why nuclear systems would fare better than solar panels. There are countless other reasons to why humanity can lend its trust in nuclear technology to help boost the accomplishment in colonizing the moon and mars.

Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG) has been the basic generator device used in most of the space missions. It is prominently well protected and can sustain even during malfunctions. When the Nimbus B (a meteorological satellite) was launched, it malfunctioned in the booster guidance system and never reached the orbit. The spacecraft was destroyed but the SNAP-19 RTG was salvaged from the water, refurbished and later flown on Nimbus 3, which was a success.

This comes to show that not only can they sustain damages but are capable of being used again for future endeavor, making them more reliable than other sources of power.

Space is unforgiving and requires the upmost advantage while traversing through space. For that, the following reasons prove why nuclear power in space is beneficial:

Nuclear energy benefits the few, not the many. This is true when considering the fact that the nuclear power system will demand lots of expenses and have large risks every step of the way.

Especially, when huge power is generated, the nuclear power system produces comparatively more nuclear waste that could harm and cause hazardous effects for the people involved. Even though researchers have stated that the nuclear waste will be buried far away from the designated sites of the astronauts. The data however, gives an unsettling reminder of how nuclear waste has been dangerously hazardous and still can be potentially deadly with its radiation for thousands of years.

The Chernobyl incident is estimated to have caused around 10,000 deaths and also has left a long-term effect of radiation in the area. With such concerns, it is quietly nature to object the use of nuclear power systems. What good can it be when it could potentially radiate the surrounding with harmful radiation and make it even more uninhabitable than it already is.

Humans have conquered every inch of this earth one step at a time. By conquering the land with vehicles on roads and railways, with ships and submarines in/on water, the air with aircraftsand drones and now the space with satellites and spacecrafts, to soon be able to create colonies and settle in other worlds. These technological achievements of man are what drives them to be better and evolves them to do better than before.

Nuclear technology has its pros and cons, but overall every technology faces that. If NASA is capable of accomplishing the next big leap for human space exploration and nuclear is one way that can help them. Then, finding the best and most effective ways to carry it out without the risk of endangering the planet or other life forms is crucial.

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NASA To Use Nuclear Power Can Help Colonize Moon And Mars. Is It Worth It? - Inventiva

Mold grown in Chernobyl may protect astronauts from radiation in space – Business Insider – Business Insider

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Astronauts take many risks in space, but exposing themselves to dangerous radiation is one of the biggest. On the International Space Station, astronauts are exposed to up to 160 millisieverts of radiation during a six-month mission, according to NASA, that's about 1,600 chest x-rays, and 26 times more than the average US citizen receives. Mars is even worse; an astronaut making an 18-month round trip to the red planet would be exposed to 1,000 millisieverts of radiation, or 10,000 chest x-rays' worth.

For protection, astronauts generally rely on radiation shields made of plastics or metals like aluminum and stainless steel. But these can be heavy and vulnerable to damage.

So in 2018, some high school students from Durham County, North Carolina proposed an unusual solution to this problem: Make a shield out of mold.

Specifically, they suggested cladosporium sphaerospermum, an organism that appears to feed on nuclear radiation the same way most plants feed on sunlight. The mold has thrived in Chernobyl's exclusion zone, the site of the 1986 nuclear meltdown, which is still one of the most radioactive places on Earth.

The students, led by Graham Shunk, now an incoming second-year student at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, obtained samples of the mold species from a company in Minnesota. With the help of the research company Space Tango, they blasted them into outer space in December 2018.

On the International Space Station, astronauts put the mold samples into Petri dishes, leaving one side of each dish empty. Geiger counters then measured radiation levels beneath the dishes every 110 seconds for 30 days. The results showed that radiation levels decreased at the height of the mold's growth: The counters measured a 2.4% decrease in average radiation levels beneath the mold-covered sides.

Researchers grew Cladosporium sphaerospermum mold on the left sides of petri dishes on the International Space Station. Space Tango, Inc.

The preliminary findings from that experiment were uploaded to the research archive bioRxiv on July 17, but have not yet been peer-reviewed. Still, they suggest that the mold could act as a shield against radiation in space.

That's because the mold appears to absorb radiation and convert it into chemical energy in a process called radiosynthesis. It's similar to photosynthesis, the process most plants use to convert sunlight into energy.

Shunk and the other researchers suggested that if the mold were about 21 centimeters thick, it could provide humans adequate protection from radiation levels on Mars. The protection would be stronger if the mold surrounded an object entirely, they think, instead of just shielding one side as it did in the study.

The International Space Station orbits Earth. NASA

The mold has a big advantage over other types of radiation shields, the researchers also noted, since it can grow and replenish itself in space. That means a microscopic amount of C. sphaerospermum could be all that's needed at the start of a launch so it wouldn't add extra weight to a rocket. That could be a game-changer, since NASA estimates that launching something into space costs about $10,000 per pound.

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We Are In The Golden Age Of Fraud – Gold Seek

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Elon Musk has personified the hopes and dreams of this bull market; Tesla burnishes its results through aggressive accounting; its a culture of deception because it is selling self-driving, which doesnt yet exist. Jim Chanos from We Are In The Golden Age Of Fraud (Financial Times)

Jim Chanos is perhaps the most well-known remaining short-seller in this market. Dont be fooled by his demure characterization of Elon Musk and Tesla. Its calculated diplomacy. The numbers are far more than just polished up to look good the accounting is not just aggressive, its fraudulent, and Chanos knows that as well as anyone.

Chanos describes the current environment as a really fertile field for people to play fast and loose with the truth, and for corporate wrongdoers to get away with it for a long time. He reels off why: a 10-year bull market driven by central bank intervention; a level of retail participation in the markets reminiscent of the end of the dotcom boom; Trumpian post-truth in politics, where my facts are your fake news; and Silicon Valleys fake it until you make it culture, which is compounded by Fomo the fear of missing out. All of this is exacerbated by lax oversight. Financial regulators and law enforcement, he says, are the financial archaeologists they will tell you after the company has collapsed what the problem was. (Financial Times)

I have said many times that Tesla and Elon Musk embody and reflect the extreme degree to which the U.S. system has defined deviance downward into what is now a complete Banana Republic controlled by crony-capitalist elitists who are putting the screws to the middle class. The money printed by the Fed is nothing more than the thinly veiled bailout of the biggest banks nothing more effecting the greatest wealth transfer in history.

The fraud and corruption is blatant. And theres nothing the masses can do about it at this point. The U.S. economic, financial, political and legal system is now amalgam of 1984 and Atlas Shrugged. Eventual collapse is fait accompli.

Chanos himselfburnishesthe adjectives he uses to convey the degree to which the U.S. system has been engulfed in fraud, corruption and open theft. In my opinion, Francisco DAnconia in Atlas Shrugged describes the U.S. perfectly in this excerpt from the famous Money Speech:

Watch money. Money is the barometer of a societys virtue. When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsionwhen you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothingwhen you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favorswhen you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws dont protect you against them, but protect them against youwhen you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrificeyou may know that your society is doomed.

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We Are In The Golden Age Of Fraud - Gold Seek

Free drugs is the answer to problems | Opinion – pentictonherald.ca

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Using our brains, humanity has survived ice ages, the dark ages and the stone. We lived by our wits and our grit on our never-ending march towards enlightenment.

Its been a long damned rocky road, and as I look around, and flick the channels I see stupidity on a global scale.

Ants are better organized than our brightest politicians (oxymorons). Humans are making a bigger mess of our planet than a herd of elephants on ex-lax.

The virus hit the rich and poor alike well thats not reality-true the rich can afford to stay at home and door-dash. The poorest are the homeless, the mentally challenged and the drug addicted, and in most cases all three at the same time.

If we as a society dont acknowledge and care for these unfortunate human beings; the illness we now cower from, will remain like a hot ember in dry grass.

But out of the gloom came a bright idea from Dr. Bonnie Henry a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel.

She said we should stop the spread of disease and death, by extinguishing the virus for all of our citizens. To do this, her idea not only had to be brilliant, it had to make economic sense as well.

The idea: free drugs.

Would you like to be a drug addict? Would you like to wake up with the sweats, shaking and your body aching until you push that needle into your vein sounds like fun, eh?

You can trust me when I say, shooting heroin feels like someone just poured a bucket of warm pleasure over you. Back in my rock and roll days; it was sex, drugs and rock and roll.

I was lucky enough to hit rock bottom and come up for air a lot of my drug buddies didnt get the choice death took them much too young.

But back to our hero Dr. Bonnie, and her ray of enlightenment.

I want you to think of the time some jerk ripped you off; did you get mad and feel violated? If the fuzz did anything more than fill out a report, youre lucky, and if they did recover your property you should buy a lottery ticket.

Stolen goods are a big racket, and like all successful businesses, repeat business is the key. When druggies need a fix, theyll do anything; theyd steal Jesus off the cross and go back for the nails.

Free drugs would solve that.

Clean shooting galleries with safe zones to zone-out, and eventually theyll change their minds even junkies dont want to be junkies.

The light at the end of the tunnel would be to eliminate diseases of all kinds, take the money away from crime and put it back into taxpayers pockets.

If the keystone cops cant stop the war on drugs maybe the money could be better spent fighting societies real villains: poverty, mental issues and drug addiction.

Lets recap: reduces disease, saves some mothers kid from death, prevents some jerk from stealing your stuff, empties courtrooms and jails, takes money from crime and makes common sense.

The war on drugs has cost hundreds of billions of dollars, countless lives and it should anger you that you have funded it for decades.

You know who doesnt like the doctors idea? Idiots, criminals, undertakers and little old ladies who think they live in the 1950s.

Bernie Bates resides in West Kelowna and is a regular contributor to Westside Weekly, a sister publication.

Email: beeinthebonnet@shaw.ca

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Free drugs is the answer to problems | Opinion - pentictonherald.ca

Defunding the police is a logical way to reduce harm – The CT Mirror

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There are 79 towns in Connecticut which dont have municipal police departments. Over half a million Connecticut residents live in towns which either have no dedicated police presence or are serviced by a small cohort of state troopers.

Then there are some cities and towns, like Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport, that are heavily policed. Cruisers dot the landscape like measles. Beat cops patrol neighborhoods at all hours of the day and surveillance, particularly of poor, Black and Latinx neighborhoods, is constant.

This is such a widely accepted pattern that we rarely stop to think: why? Why is it that New Haven demands such a heavier police presence than Darien? The standard, culturally embedded answer is that these cities have more crime, and that therefore they must be policed. But most people would agree that there is nothing inherently criminal about the residents of New Haven. When a person in New Haven is born, theyre not immediately more prone to larceny or assault.

If you do believe criminality is an inherent trait, by proxy, you believe that Black and Latinx communities are inherently criminal, as they are disproportionately represented in our prisons and jails. This is a fundamentally racist worldview.

If criminality isnt inherent, that must mean it is a product of social conditions. The root cause of most crime is desperation, which is in turn caused by systemic, generational poverty. Cities, like New Haven, that have more crime are also cities with high rates of poverty. Crime that is not necessarily rooted in desperation, like sexual assault, can still be traced to fixable social problems. In the case of sexual assault, the problem is deeply rooted patriarchy which teaches men predatory behavior. These are difficult problems to deal with, but they are also problems which the police do nothing to address.

But those in power, by imposing unequal patterns of policing, do imply that there are certain populations which are naturally criminal, and therefore must be policed, controlled and contained, rather than provided with the social services that would solve underlying social problems. While it is tempting to reduce this unequal governance to individual bias, it is more accurate to trace these racialized ideas of criminality through their history.

Criminality is a socially constructed idea, and what is considered a crime is almost always driven by a social goal, which is almost always racialized. After the Civil War ended slavery, states were quick to create black codes, which targeted formerly-enslaved Black communities for crimes such as vagrancy. The newly-freed Black population quickly became a newly-incarcerated population, forced to work for free once again. Legal segregation and Jim Crow laws criminalized being Black in America. The war on drugs was a means of incarcerating Black communities (Nixon, and other politicians, stated as much in private). On and on and on.

Its also important to distinguish between the idea of harm and our socially constructed idea of crime. We often associate crime with harm, but these two ideas are distinct. There are many actions which are both not harmful and criminalized, like sleeping on a park bench or sex work. There are also many actions which are harmful and not criminalized, like a landlord evicting a tenant in the middle of a pandemic or a CEO stealing the value his workers produce.

In Connecticut, essentially all of our legislators accept the culturally dominant and deeply racist narrative that certain populations are criminal and need to be policed, while other populations do not. This pattern of policing is a violent imposition on Black and Latinx communities. Jayson Negron, Mubarak Soulemane and Anthony Jose Chulo Vega Cruz are just a few victims of this imposition.

Organizers calls to defund the police are a recognition of this racist and ineffective pattern of policing. If we want to build strong, healthy communities, we need to invest in the root causes of harm like lack of housing, unaffordable healthcare, low wages, unemployment, poor public transportation, low-quality education, unaddressed mental illness, generational trauma and embedded cultural norms.

Defunding and abolishing the police is not rooted in a desire to sow chaos or leave our communities vulnerable to violence, as so many detractors claim. We want to invest in fostering community, building accountability and preventing harm before it occurs. As the abolitionist scholar Ruth Wilson Gilmore says: Abolition is about presence, not absence. Its about building life-affirming institutions.

Harry Zehner is a writer, student, researcher and organizer in New Haven.

CTViewpoints welcomes rebuttal or opposing views to this and all its commentaries. Read our guidelines andsubmit your commentary here.

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Defunding the police is a logical way to reduce harm - The CT Mirror

Ease restrictions on medical psychedelics to aid research, experts say – The Guardian

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Potential treatments for severe depression, addiction and other mental health disorders are being held up by excessive restrictions on psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, scientists and politicians have said.

Clinical trials suggest that psilocybin may be a safe and effective medicine for patients with certain psychiatric illnesses who do not respond to talking therapies, antidepressants and other drugs. But researchers say their work is being stymied by the government placing the strictest possible controls on the chemical compound.

In a report published on Monday, the Adam Smith Institute, a free market thinktank, and the Conservative drug policy reform group, urge ministers to order a review of psilocybin and remove the obstacles faced by researchers.

Under Home Office regulations, psilocybin is classified as a schedule 1 drug, along with raw opium, LSD, ecstasy and cannabis, and is not considered a medicinal compound. While clinical trials are allowed under licence, obtaining one takes more time and money than many researchers can afford, the authors say.

The report calls on government to make psilocybin a schedule 2 drug, a move that would dramatically cut the cost and time taken to obtain a licence and remove the stigma surrounding research into the drug.

Jo Neill, a co-author on the report and professor of psychopharmacology at Manchester University, said: Patients are losing out because its taking an awful lot longer and its costing a lot more money to get the research evidence we need to have psilocybin approved for use. And there are patients dying in the meantime, there are people killing themselves.

There are people who would be doing this research who arent because they cant afford it and they know its going to take them a year to get the licence. They cannot wait that long. If psilocybin were rescheduled, all the universities would have a programme on this. Its very frustrating.

Early trials suggest that one or two doses of psilocybin can lead to an immediate improvement in anxiety and depression, but such trials are often prohibitively expensive. Neill, who is also chair of the medical psychedelics working group for the nonprofit DrugScience, said one trial cost 20,000 because six separate licences at 3,000 each were needed to cover everything from manufacture to dispensing the drug.

We have a huge unmet medical need in psychiatry, she said. There are a lot of good treatments on the NHS, lots of talking therapy, and antidepressants work for some people. But theres a huge amount of people who are just not being treated. We need to heal people and these drugs are healing.

David Nutt, professor of neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London, who was not involved in the report, said schedule 1 licenses cost thousands of pounds and took a year or more to get.

Most universities wont pay for them so research is stymied, he said. Schedule 1 status serves no role in stopping recreational use as there has never been diversion from a research lab to street use. Heroin and fentanyl two much more sought-after drugs are schedule 2, so I say let us store our psilocybin alongside them. It will be perfectly safe and much easier as all universities and hospitals are given schedule 2 status free as a right.

Crispin Blunt, the Tory MP for Reigate and chair of the Conservative drug policy reform group, said the schedule 1 classification had led to a scientific blackout lasting nigh on 50 years that precluded new treatments, and with them, the prospect of a better life for millions.

A Home Office spokesperson said: We need to strike the right balance between enabling legitimate research to take place in a secure environment while ensuring that harmful drugs are not misused and do not get into the hands of criminals. The current classification of psilocybin under schedule 1 does not prevent research or clinical trials under a Home Office licence.

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Ease restrictions on medical psychedelics to aid research, experts say - The Guardian

Totally Out There: Our Top 5 Psychedelic Stocks – RealMoney

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As cannabis investors increasingly cross over to the psychedelic side of the aisle, the race is on to see which company will be the leader. One of the biggest players in the space, Atai Life Sciences, remains a private company.

But there are already numerous publicly traded companies for an industry that -- like cannabis -- is still essentially illegal in the U.S.Plus, the jury is out on whether psychedelic treatment companies and psilocybin mushrooms will be legalized.

Having said that, investors are anxious to grab the next penny stock that may be poised to jump on the psychedelic bubble. Most of these companies are only in the beginning stages of working with psychedelics so there is lots of risk to be sure.

The Top 5 psychedelic companies as measured by market cap:

1. Mind Medicine (MMEDF) , whose market cap is at $60 million, like the others is a relative newcomer to the publicly traded arena. The company listed in March and has been racing ahead in its drug development pipeline. The company has moved beyond ketamine and psilocybin mushrooms and has also embraced LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) as a treatment compound. MindMed as it is called, has begun clinical trials for LSD to treat anxiety and cluster headaches. The company has clinical trials for MDMA (3,4 Methylenedioxymethamphetamine) and DMT (the active ingredient in Ayahuasca). The company's immediate priority is to address the opioid crisis by developing a non-hallucinogenic version of the psychedelic ibogaine. So far Mindmed has spent $3.9 million on research and development and has no product revenue. MindMed has even said it may not generate revenue for several years. Think of MindMed as a typical biotech play, there is no quick revenue turn like a cannabis company.

2. Champignon Brands (SHRMF) logs in at $57 million. The company hasn't traded any Canadian shares since June, as trading was stopped until the company is able to update its disclosure obligations. Theover-the-countershares still trade. Since then it has filed business acquisition reports in connection with its previous acquisitions of Artisan Growers Ltd., Novo Formulations Ltd. and Tassili Life Sciences Corp. A couple of weeks ago, the company issued a statement that said it decided against a new rebranding effort. It also terminated its plan to buy the Wellness Clinic of Orange County. Champignon said it still planned to file a report with regards to acquiring AltMedCapital Corp. by Aug. 27. The company currently specializes in the formulation and end distribution of a suite of mushroom-infused beverage products and it sells Auralite crystals. The acquisitions are an attempt to move into ketamine treatment clinics.

3. Revive Therapeutics (RVVTF) comes in at $31 million. Revive's cannabinoid delivery technology is being advanced to fill the medical needs for diseases and disorders such as pain, inflammation, and wound care. Revive's cannabinoid pharmaceutical portfolio focuses on rare inflammatory areas such as liver disease. The company has been granted FDA orphan drug status designation for the use of CBD to treat auto-immune hepatitis (liver disease) and FDA orphan drug status designation for the use of CBD to treat ischemia and reperfusion injury from organ transplantation. In February, it announced plans to acquire Psilocin Pharma Corp. for $2.75 million. Psilocin has developed production solutions for the active compound Psilocybin. The precisely dosed formulations work with both natural and synthetically derived Psilocybin which will be targeted for clinical research and subject to eventually Food and Drug Administration approval in the treatment ofconditions such as depression, anxiety, bi-polar disorder, bulimia and anorexia. The company also filed an IND for a COVID treatment.

4. Mydecine Innovations Group Inc. (MYCOF) (formerly known as New Leaf Brands) has a market cap of $18.7 million. The company recently announced the acquisition of NeuroPharm Inc. a Canadian-based developer of natural psychedelic-based treatments for mental health disorders in the Canadian and United States veteran communities. That company entered into a collaborative relationship with Leiden University Medical Center of The Netherlands for the initiation of clinical trials. The project, "NeuroPharm Veteran PTSD Research Project," is preparing a type of protocol to be used for a clinical trial for the specific treatment of PTSD in veterans.In June, the company signed a deal with Mindleap Health Inc. to buy MindLeap's Digital Telehealth Platform which is also focused on the psychedelics industry.

5. Numinus Wellness (LKYSF) is listed with a market cap of $18.2 million. Numinus Health Corp acquired Salvation Botanicals, a company that consists of a testing and research laboratory that is licensed by Health Canada to test cannabis and narcotics substances and a cannabis production facility capable of manufacturing extracts, edibles and topicals. In addition, it has a Dealer's License dated Jan. 1and issued to Salvation under the CDSA for possession, processing, sale, sending, transportation and delivery of psilocybin, mescaline, DMT and MDMA. The company has created a Clinical Advisory Council to explore psychedelic treatments, but so far that is the only effort beyond the license that has been made with regards to psychedelics. For the three months ended April 30, the Company had a net loss of $181,653 and no revenue.

Please note that due to factors including low market capitalization and/or insufficient public float, we consider these names to be a small-cap stocks. You should be aware that such stocks are subject to more risk than stocks of larger companies, including greater volatility, lower liquidity and less publicly available information, and that postings such as this one can have an effect on their stock prices.

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Totally Out There: Our Top 5 Psychedelic Stocks - RealMoney

Numinus and Together We Can Partner to Support Addiction Recovery and Mental Wellness – Canada NewsWire

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Numinus provides tailored treatments for clients of one of Canada's largest addiction treatment organizations

VANCOUVER, BC, July 29, 2020 /CNW/ - Numinus Wellness Inc. ("Numinus" or the "Company") (TSXV: NUMI), a company creating an ecosystem of health solutions centered around developing and supporting the safe, evidence-based, accessible use of psychedelic-assisted therapies, is pleased to announce its partnership with Together We Can Addiction Recovery and Education Society (TWC). TWC is one of Canada's largest addiction treatment organizations, a registered charity, licensed healthcare provider, and an approved Canadian Federal Government service provider for the veterans' community. The partnership has enabled TWC to enhance its mental health and addiction recovery support services with tailored mind/body wellness programs. Numinus's associated wellness clinic is benefitting from the partnership with a dedicated stream of revenue, reinitiated since the clinic's re-opening post-COVID earlier this month. The active service provider partnership is designed to ultimately support psychedelic-assisted therapies when authorized for use in Canada.

One in five Canadians suffer from addiction in any given year, and deaths from the current overdose crisisattributable to opioid and other addictions are growing. Numinus and TWC share the view that new solutions and integrative approaches are needed to enhance traditional recovery-based approaches to help people make transformative change, heal, and be well. The partnership currently extends the continuum of care provided to TWC clients with specialized mind/body programs which include modalities such as naturopathy, registered massage therapy, trauma and somatic therapies, and breathwork through Numinus's associated wellness clinic in Vancouver. Individualized programs are continually being developed for TWC clients, including Canadian Forces members and veterans dealing with addiction, PTSD, anxiety, grief and loss, and other diagnoses.

Says Brett S., a TWC client who has already benefited from the partnership, "While I was in treatment at Together We Can for my drug addiction, I was given the opportunity to try out the services of the clinic. They not only supported me through recovery from my addictions but also helped me address my ADHD. I'm so grateful that Numinus's services were part of my overall recovery."

Longer term, the partnership also aims to provide TWC clients early-access to safe, evidence-based, regulated psychedelic-assisted therapies through Numinus's implementation science partnerships and to provide Numinus with a key partner when it is able to provide these therapies in addition to its current services.

Although psychedelic-assisted therapies are not yet available outside of a research context, both parties are optimistic these therapies hold great promise as new treatment options for addiction and mental health care and that they will become increasingly accessible through regulatory approvals. A growing body of evidence suggests psychedelics, especially psilocybin, may dramatically improve outcomes from substance use disorders.While more research is required to fully define the outcomes and safety of the therapeutic use of psychedelic substances, the Canadian federal government is under increasing pressure to provide access to psilocybin-assisted therapy for various mental health and addiction conditions.

"The partnership with Numinus is so important for our clients. There is more demand than we can manage for our services, and our clients need the complementary programs Numinus provides," says Stacy Wilson, TWC Executive Director. "We are excited to find a partner that is aligned with our mission and to work with a team that is driven by heartfelt passion. We both believe whole body/mind integrated support is critical to recovery, and we are optimistic that psychedelic-assisted therapies will also play a significant role in addressing addiction recovery when they are regulated."

Adds Numinus Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Evan Wood, an internationally recognized clinician scientist and expert in addiction treatment, "The growing body of research into the role of psychedelic-assisted therapy in the treatment of substance use disorders is incredibly compelling. This partnership creates a wonderful opportunity to consolidate new strategies with an implementation science lens that can ultimately improve safe access to those seeking additional strategies for treatment and recovery."

About NuminusNuminus is a Vancouver-based health care company creating an ecosystem of health solutions centred around developing and supporting the safe, evidence-based, accessible use of psychedelic-assisted therapies. Numinus's ecosystem units include Numinus Bioscience, Numinus R&D, and Numinus Health. Each unit is undertaking distinct, synergistic initiatives to hasten approved access to psychedelic-assisted therapy models in Canada and position Numinus as a trusted industry leader for the eventual regulated rollout of these therapies once available. Numinus Bioscience includes a 7,000 square foot research and testing laboratory as well as numerous Health Canada licenses (through its wholly-owned subsidiary Salvation Botanicals), including a cannabis testing license which provides established and growing revenue. It is also a late-stage application for cannabis processing. Additionally, the Company holds a dealer's licence which allows it to import, export, possess, and test MDMA, psilocybin, psilocin, DMT, and mescaline, and it is the only publicly listed company in Canada to be issued a Health Canada license to produce and extract psilocybin from mushrooms for the purpose of developing proprietary extraction methods. These licences will allow Numinus to support the growing number of studies on the potential benefits of psychedelic therapies through research projects, product development, and the supply and distribution of these substances. Numinus R&D leverages established relationships to position the Company for partnerships to host studies, develop medical and therapeutic protocols, and influence regulatory approval. Numinus Health, with one clinic already prototyping systems for efficiency and profitability, is dedicated to delivering therapies that enhance and supplement existing optionscentred around psychedelic-assisted therapies when and where regulatedfor people wanting lasting physical, mental, and emotional health. For more information, visit http://www.numinus.ca.

About TWCFounded in 1993 and located in both Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island, Together We Can Addiction Recovery & Education Society is one of Canada's premier treatment centres for men battling alcohol and drug addiction. Its mission is to educate and support individuals and their families who desire a new life in recovery. It provides over 310 individuals with an immersive 60-90 day recovery-based primary addiction treatment experience, followed by transitional housing in a therapeutic residential environment. For more information, visit http://www.twcrecoverylife.org.

Forward Looking StatementsThis news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, are "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, dependence on obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals, including acquiring and renewing federal, provincial, municipal, local or other licenses and any inability to obtain all necessary governmental approvals licenses and permits to operate and expand the Company's facilities; regulatory or political change such as changes in applicable laws and regulations, including federal and provincial legalization, due to inconsistent public opinion, perception of the medical-use and adult-use marijuana industry, bureaucratic delays or inefficiencies or any other reasons; any other factors or developments which may hinder market growth; the Company's limited operating history and lack of historical profits; reliance on management; the Company's requirements for additional financing, and the effect of capital market conditions and other factors on capital availability; competition, including from more established or better financed competitors; and the need to secure and maintain corporate alliances and partnerships, including with research and development institutions, customers and suppliers. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other risk factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements. The Company has no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, even if new information becomes available as a result of future events, new information or for any other reason except as required by law.

SOURCE Numinus Wellness Inc.

For further information: Dana Harvey, VP Communications and Investor Relations, Numinus, [emailprotected], 778-929-3262; Daniel Maceachern, Operations Manager, TWC, [emailprotected], (604) 451-9854

https://numinus.ca/

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Numinus and Together We Can Partner to Support Addiction Recovery and Mental Wellness - Canada NewsWire

Elon Musk challenges Johnny Depp to a cage fight after affair allegations with Amber Heard – Hindustan Times

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Elon Musk challenges Johnny Depp to a cage fight after affair allegations with Amber Heard - Hindustan Times

Learn About the Best Starting Hands in Blackjack – COED

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Blackjack is by far one of the most crowd-pleasing casino games that can be played in nearly all casinos, be it brick-and-mortar or interactive ones. Aside from its great availability, what further adds to the appeal of blackjack is that it is relatively easy to master its rules and become a whizz.

Something important some gambling aficionados often overleap is that unlike most other casino games, blackjack is much more mathematically-oriented. Since in every situation, there is just one correct play, casino enthusiasts should ensure that they have a good understanding of the maths behind the game.

If playing blackjack is your scene, but you do not have that much experience under your belt or it has been simply a while since you last played it, you should certainly make sure that you have proper knowledge of all intricacies of the game, including the best starting hands.

For beginners, the first two cards they will be dealt with are referred to as their starting hand, and as soon as they pay attention to its value, they will be able to determine what the appropriate action in the specific situation will be. In other words, depending on the value of their initial starting hand, gambling aficionados should decide whether to hit, stand, split, or double down.

If you are looking to add up to your knowledge about blackjack, you can read up on the guides available across the Internet or watching this video.

If you are enthusiastic about the game of 21, you might already know that the blackjack is the most valuable of all starting hands players can potentially get. In other words, this is a hand that is made up of a ten-valued card such as Ten, Jack, Queen, or King and an Ace. As long as you get such a starting hand, you should not get overly excited and make sure that the dealers facing card is not an Ace or a ten-valued one.

Such hands are known also as natural, and in the event that players hand remains untied with the one of the dealer, they will get paid out at the rate of 3:2.

It is important to note that if the dealers upcard is not an Ace or a face card, this renders it impossible for a tie to occur. If this happens, however, gambling aficionados will simply have the staked amount returned.

Another starting hand players should pay special attention to is the Hard 20, or in other words, a hand that consists of two cards that count as 10. What casino enthusiasts need to know is that this is an exceptionally advantageous blackjack hand, and it becomes even more valuable on the occasions when the upcard of the dealer is an 8.

Perhaps, you already know that if you have a Hard 20, the only occasion on which your wager will become a losing one is when the dealer succeeds in getting a total of 21 by drawing extra cards. The good news is that the combinations that make such a total are thin on the ground.

The mathematical value of such hands is 77.32% against 79.18% for the above-mentioned hands. In the event that the face-up card of the dealer is a 7, this situation can turn out to be rather advantageous for gambling enthusiasts due to the fact that if the total of the dealers hand is 17, he/she will not be permitted to draw extra cards.

The likelihood of this to take place is rather high because the ten-valued cards are the most numerous ones when compared to all other values the deck contains.

It is worth mentioning that the dealer can still draw extra cards and get a total of 20, which will be a tie, or get 21, which means beating the player, but the chances any of these scenarios to take place are exceptionally poor.

If you are determined to learn the ins and outs of blackjack, you should make sure that you are conscious of which the worst and some tricky hands in blackjack are. Something important casino aficionados should be aware of is that hands number 12 or 13 rank among the trickiest because players chances of going bust exceed 30%.

As long as you are making your first steps in playing blackjack, you need to know that this is the worst possible scenario you can see for the simple reason that the 16 is a total with a negative expectation. What this means is that with such totals, it is inevitable for gambling enthusiasts to lose over the long run.

The most likely development of the game would be the player drawing a weaker card or the dealer getting bust.

This is one more unfavorable scenario for players because the values that can make for a win are scarce. Yet, this does not refer to the card of the dealer because the ways in which a hand can be formed are the most plentiful. This is precisely the reason why such starting hands have a negative expectation to casino enthusiasts.

This is one more total that puts players at a disadvantage due to the fact that the values that allow them to make a hand are very few. As long as the dealers upcard is a 9, there is a good chance that his/her hole card might be any of the ten-valued ones, because as we mentioned already, they are the most plentiful. Therefore, the dealers chances of scoring a win with a standing total of 19 are pretty high.

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Learn About the Best Starting Hands in Blackjack - COED

Best Live Gambling Websites to play Blackjack K – Tunf News – Tunf.com News

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Designed by Evolution Gaming, Blackjack K has been one of the most popular card games this summer. Played on the casinos worldwide, this wonderful game is meant for up to 7 players, and its minimal bet is 35. High-rollers and experienced gamblers love it, yet the game is not made particularly for them, even rookies can play it. Blackjack K includes special bets too, and you can win up to 1,500 per game.In this article, we are going to talk about three casinos that offer this wonderful game, along with lots of other Evolution Gamings products. To play it, just log in to one of these venues and let the games begin!

It is natural for a site rich with so many diverse games to include Blackjack K in its offer. Fruity Casa has been working with Evolution Gaming for so long, there are countless titles made by this company being stored here. Besides cards, Fruity Casa also features roulette and slot games. Its portfolio is huge and packed with the good stuff. The site also includes many other neat features, things like bonuses, promos, and a superb VIP program.

Not many sites boast so many awards as Trada Casino. This venue was awarded multiple times for being one of the most hospitable gambling venues on the internet. Trada Casino cares so much about its players needs, it even orders games that users desire to see here. Its portfolio is vast and rich with assorted goods. Many big companies (Evolution Gaming is one of them) store their games here regularly. When you decide to pay it a visit, make sure that you take your time and surf through the site slowly, there are lots of good things that you can overlook there!

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Celebrities Who Love to Gamble – CelebMix

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No ones immune to gambling. The availability of online casino games and slots have allowed people to gamble from the comfort of their own home and celebrities are not excluded. Many of Hollywoods greatest athletes and movie stars have been known to spend thousands at a table or other games.

Whether its real money slots, blackjack, poker, or roulette, heres a list of the biggest celebrities who cant scratch their gambling itch.

The basketball GOAT relations to gambling go deep. The former NBA superstar has denied allegations linking him to big-money blackjack tables early in his career, but later he admitted to it. The Chicago Bulls legend was so much into gambling that he played cards on planes with fellow players and staff members.

His Vegas exploits are legendary, with Jordan allegedly having spent millions on golf bets. Jordans gambling habits have been well documented over the years, with many media outlets claiming he lost millions on gambling tables.

He has denied these allegations as well, but security cameras and photos from lush Vegas tables tell the truth.

Hollywood star Ben Affleck has a well-documented history of gambling too. He has participated in a number of legal and illegal high-stake blackjack tournaments with millions in rewards. In one particular tournament, Affleck allegedly won $145,000. The former Justice League star allegedly gave all the earned cash to casino staff.

He certainly doesnt need the money for it after signing an HBO contract recently to appear in Zack Snyders Justice League.

The Die Hard star enjoys reveling in casinos and has a serious relationship with gambling. His Vegas exploits went so far as losing $100,000 at a poker table. Of course, he has the money to burn, so were not exactly worried about his bank balance.

In the past, Willis was frequently seen at the Mint Lounge, a room at the palms frequented by big-name Hollywood stars.

Another NBA big-shot, Charles Barkley was a regular guest at Vegas gambling establishments. He claims he has lost $1-2 million 10-20 times, and his gambling problems have been well documented. At one point, Barkley is said to have taken a $400,000 credit at the Wynn and failed to return it on time.

Thats the time when the media learned about his gambling problems. He has been quite open about it and has promised not to set foot in Vegas casinos again.

The late, great Hugh Hefner never denied his love for gambling. During his lifetime, he played at the most lucrative Vegas casino tables for big money. He even had his own Vegas institution the Playboy Club & Fantasy Tower where Woody Allen and the Beatles frequently visited during the 1960s.

Hefners love for gambling never ceased. He could be seen at his own casino late in his life. The Playboy owner sure had money to burn, regularly placing bets worth millions on any table he found suitable in his own and other Vegas casinos.

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Tesla fans snap up bonds tied to car maker’s leases, its first such offering during pandemic – MarketWatch

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Tesla Inc. TSLA, +1.04% saw high demand this week for a bond deal tied to leases on its electric vehicles, a first of its kind during the pandemic. As investors piled orders into the 8-tranche bond deal, the car maker was able to borrow more than $700 million at cheaper levels than initially anticipated. Specifically, its largest $215 million slug of AAA-rated bonds that mature in 1.1-years cleared the market at a spread of 35 basis points above a risk-free benchmark to yield 0.56%. Investors were pitched a slightly meatier spread in the area of 50 to 55 basis points earlier in the week, as bankers sought to drum up interest in the offering. The spread is the level investors earn on bonds over a risk-free benchmark, like U.S. Treasurys [S: tmubmusd10y]. Tesla's riskiest Ba2-rated class of 2.71-year bonds cleared at a yield of 4.6%, according to an investor tracking the offering. Tesla stock fell 0.8% Thursday, as did much of the broader equities market, after data showing the U.S. second-quarter gross domestic product fell by a record 32.9%. Shares still have outpeformed for the year, up 255.6%.

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Tesla and Nikola electric semis will arrive to rivals from traditional truck makers – Green Car Reports

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Tesla and Nikola have both announced zero-emission semi trucks. The Tesla Semi will be battery electric, while Nikola is planning three models powered by hydrogen fuel cells. But the time they arrive, established truck makers may have already launched rival vehicles.

PACCAR, which includes the DAF, Peterbilt, and Kenworth truck brands, has already deployed over 60 battery-electric, hybrid, and fuel-cell prototypes in real-world use, and is working on a strategy for larger-scale deployment of zero-emission vehicles, CEO Preston Feight said in an interview with Trucks.com published Monday.

Some of those vehicles, such as a battery-electric DAF garbage truck and two Peterbilt cargo-truck models, are smaller than the semi trucks Tesla and Nikola plan to build.

ButPeterbilt also has experience with Toyota using a heavy-duty all-electric semi running on energy from a fuel-cell, but it has said that the same propulsion components can be used for a battery-electric model.

That flexibility will be incorporated into manufacturing plans for future production models, Feight said. PACCAR plans to start production of battery-electric trucks next year at existing factories, and will sell these vehicles through its existing dealership network, he said.

2019 Project Portal Truck--Kenworth/PACCAR

In addition to PACCAR, Freightliner has already built electric semi trucks for a fleet test. Volvo Trucks (a separate entity from the automaker) has said it will bring electric trucks to North America as well.

This is very different than what Tesla faced on the car side when the Model S arrivedto a market in which it was literally the only long-range electric car.

Tesla announced last week that it will build the Semi in Texas, whileNikola broke ground last week on an Arizona plant that is due to build hydrogen fuel-cell semis in a couple of years.

As PACCAR CEO Feight mentioned, truck makers are hyper-focused on cost of ownership, which is the key consideration for commercial vehicles. Tesla was able to fill a niche in passenger cars that was ignored by established automakers, but what can it and Nikola offer that existing truck makers don't?

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Teslas Next Frontier The Tesla Home – CleanTechnica

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Batteries

Published on July 26th, 2020 | by Maarten Vinkhuyzen

July 26th, 2020 by Maarten Vinkhuyzen

On the Tesla earnings call last Wednesday, July 22, Elon mentioned the renewable energy stack for the home. Tesla was focused on the big three: collection (solar), storage (Li-on batteries), and consumption (transport). These are indeed three defining parts of the renewable energy cycle for private persons.

The personal energy picture is bigger than these three parts, though. These three meet at the home, where a few other big energy consumers also reside. We can view the home as an energy management system. When there is too much free energy raging outside, either too hot or too windy, even too wet, the home calms the inside energy to a more pleasant level. When there is not enough energy outside, the home provides extra energy for its inhabitants.

That is what a home used to be a shell with a fireplace and perhaps a stove. Now the modern home is much more. Besides collecting, storing, and distributing the energy to the consumers (transport, heating, cooling, appliances, etc.), in some places it can even sell when it collects too much or buy when it collects not enough via the Tesla Autobidder system.

When a few decades ago the air conditioner became an essential part of each home, and made Florida and the other Southern states of the US habitable, the grids were overtaxed for years. It was a much larger burden than charging the future EV fleet. Perhaps because it happened in a relatively short time.

In the more northern regions, where snow is not uncommon and can keep the landscape white for months, heating is the challenge.

In the hot regions of the South where protection from too much free energy is the main task of a home, collecting and sending the surplus north is a great way to add to the homeowners living budget.

In between these regions, previously called moderate climate zones, but now suffering from both extremes thanks to the developing climate catastrophe, houses need both great heating and great cooling.

Besides the three parts Elon mentioned, a home energy system needs three other main systems. It needs long-term storage, to have the summer energy available in winter. It needs efficient cooling of the house while storing most of the energy collected for use in winter. It needs efficient heating, including water to wash and shower.

Besides the energy consumers, transport, heating, and cooling, all the other energy using systems in the home like lighting, cooking, household appliances, communications, and other stuff should not suffer. The systems needed to do all these extra tasks are already in Teslas area of expertise.

It is the heat pump, storing heat during the summer in the ground beneath the house, and retrieving it in winter with a geothermal energy storage system. This is the kind of long-term energy storage batteries are not very good at, besides being too expensive.

It is an HVAC system, regulated by a bunch of octovalves to get the heat where it is needed in winter, and removing it where it is not appreciated in summer. The HVAC is supported by floors and walls with integrated liquid heating and cooling systems. Using floors and walls is the most efficient way for temperature control in living spaces.

It is the Thermal Management System (TMS) with Autobidder to manage it all, perhaps even based on AI using the Tesla chip and optimizing for the habits of the people living in the house.

It is the knowledge to combine AC and DC systems, and systems of different voltages, in an optimal way, eliminating the many converters found in a modern home.

There are many experimental and research projects on efficient homes around the world. They are nearly all centered around being very frugal with energy. In a world in which that big nuclear reactor in the sky provides unlimited energy, efficient and smart are the way to design your home. Wasting energy stays a big No No, but the designs and ways of living need not be constructed out of fear of using energy. Having a swimming pool is no longer a sign of waste. It can be used as a giant energy storage system.

Energy no longer equals pollution.

This new frontier for Tesla is not just placing a new solar photovoltaic (PV) roof over a home, adding some storage, and charging a car. This requires a rethink of the complete building code. We are just starting to learn to design energy-efficient homes. The skins of these homes are multilayered to keep heat and cold out and comfort in. The windows are part of the energy collection system. The walls and floors are the main heating and cooling appliances. The earth beneath the house / garden is a gigantic energy storage system.

So many challenges to solve for the worlds most eager engineers. No company is better equipped than Tesla to organize this redefinition of the way we use and waste the energy for our daily comfort at home and on the road.

Go, Tesla there is another industry waiting to put on its head.

Top image by Kyle Field, CleanTechnica

Tags: Tesla, Tesla Energy, Tesla home, Tesla Powerwall, Tesla roof

Maarten Vinkhuyzen Grumpy old man. The best thing I did with my life was raising two kids. Only finished primary education, but when you dont go to school, you have lots of time to read. I switched from accounting to software development and ended my career as system integrator and architect. My 2007 boss got two electric Lotus Elise cars to show policymakers the future direction of energy and transportation. And I have been looking to replace my diesel cars with electric vehicles ever since.And putting my money where my mouth is, I have bought Tesla shares. Intend to keep them until I can trade them for a Tesla car.

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Tesla is expanding battery cell manufacturing team, now hiring production associates – Electrek.co

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Tesla is expanding its battery cell manufacturing team, as it is about to start production of its own battery cells in volume.

The automaker is now hiring production associates for its cell manufacturing pilot line.

Earlier this year,Electrekhas exclusively revealedTeslas secret Roadrunner project, which consists of its in-house designed battery cell manufacturing system to increase production volume and reduce cost.

Last month, Tesla acknowledged the project when they were seeking approval to build a second floor at their Tera battery manufacturing facility hosting the Roadrunner project in Fremont.

The Tera battery manufacturing facility is home to Teslas pilot battery cell manufacturing line made of new machinery developed in-house.

Tesla never confirmed the planned production output of the battery manufacturing system, but it is expected to be somewhat significant, considering it plans to operate the production line 24/7 with four shifts of up to 100 workers.

And now we learn that Tesla is starting to expand the team, hiring production associates.

A Tesla recruiter working on the project wrote this week:

Teslas Cell Manufacturing team is expanding and hiring Production Associates.

Hiring production associates for a new production line generally means that Tesla is planning to soon start operating the line at a higher capacity more consistently, despite being a pilot line.

The automaker wrote in a job listing shared by the recruiter:

We are seeking highly motivatedProduction Associatesto tackle manufacturing on a challenging new pilot line. You will be working alongside engineers to develop an advanced new product and be among the first individuals to work on cutting edge manufacturing processes within Tesla. This fast-paced team is the perfect environment if you are interested in developing multiple skills and having an immediate impact on the future of electric vehicles.

Along with the new position, Tesla is also seeking several engineering positions for the battery cell pilot production line.

The automaker wrote in one of the job listings:

Tesla is seeking a highly motivated Controls Engineering Manager, responsible for building a team of Controls Engineers to contribute to the design and development of new automation equipment and assembly lines for our advancedcell manufacturing equipment for our cutting-edge Tesla Energy Batteries.

Tesla also mentions that the engineers will help to build a world-class manufacturing facility right here in the Bay Area.

The automaker is expected to release more information about the project at its Battery Day, which is now scheduled for September 22.

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What Are The Chances Tesla And Volkswagen Join Forces? – InsideEVs

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This article comes to us courtesy ofEVANNEX, which makes and sells aftermarket Tesla accessories. The opinions expressed therein are not necessarily our own at InsideEVs, nor have we been paid byEVANNEXto publish these articles. We find the company's perspective as an aftermarket supplier of Tesla accessories interesting and are willing to share its content free of charge. Enjoy!

Posted onEVANNEX on July 30, 2020byIqtidar Ali

Afew years back, Volkswagen wasrumoredto be in the running to acquire Tesla.It never happened. ButTesla CEO Elon Musk and VW CEO Herbert Deiss seemedquite friendlywhen Tesla won an AUTO BILD award in Germany last year. Around that time, Musktweeted, "Herbert Diess is doing more than any big carmaker to go electric. The good of the world should come first. For what its worth, he has my support."

Then, earlier this year, Deisssaid, "We think that Tesla plays a very important role in the transition because they are paving the way...They showed that electric cars are working, that a fully electric car is the right solution. So, we appreciate that."Is this a budding bromance between Deiss and Musk? Or are they fickle frenemies. Other comments this monthseem to suggest something more. More on that in a moment.

But first, let's looks at one way VW is indirectlyhelpingTesla. In basketball, there's something called a no-look pass. The whole purpose of this maneuver is that it goes unnoticed on the court. Something happened in Florida that went largely unnoticed. So let's take a look.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently announced that the state will be getting 74 new DC fast chargers for electric vehicles. Heheld a press conference to announce the good news for EV drivers all across Florida. Sure, this is good news, butwhat does this have to do with Tesla or VW?

Well, it turns out Florida's EV charging infrastructure expansion plan will require an $8.5 million investment that's just a small part of the $166 million settlement that the state of Florida was awarded as a result ofVolkswagens violationof the Clean Air Act.

Although not officially announced by the Governor,Teslaturns out tobeakey beneficiary of this deal asmuch of the infrastructure will consist of Tesla Supercharger stations spanning across 1,200 miles on the states evacuation routes and major highways I-75, I-4, and I-95.

At the press conference, preparations were in full swing for the announcement whilea bunch of Teslavehicles appearedsurroundingthe Supercharger stalls, as reported on Twitter by Asher Wildman.

Later on, it was confirmed byNews 6 Orlandothat Tesla officials also joined the press conference and Superchargersare slated get a significant share as part of this EV charging infrastructure expansion plan. DeSantis remarked, "You know, you go in, you plug, you go to like a gas station or something inside the service store, get a drink, you come out, and the thing can be charged in a relatively short amount of time.

"In terms of the Volkswagen settlement limit, the amount of funds that we can use on the EV infrastructure [amount] to 15% of the total $166 million, so we can use about $25 million, that means that this initial $8.5 million investment is one chunk but we do have more money that we can use for EV infrastructure and were really looking to do that," said DeSantis.

In what appears to be a surprisingturn of events, Volkswagen is helping Tesla (and electric vehicles in general)as the company moves in the right direction post-Dieselgate. Whilethat scandal plagued VW for years,it's encouraging to see the German automaker moveto convert their fleet from gas (and diesel) powered cars to EVs. VW has also been activelyadvertising to support a transition to EVs. And funding EV charging infrastructure iscertainly a noble step in the right direction.

Above: Florida Governor DeSantisannouncingnew EV charging infrastructure at a recent press conference (YouTube:ABC Action News)

According toAutomotive News, Volkswagen CEO Herbert Deiss just voiced his support (once again) for Tesla's impressive success in the EV space. Elon Musk delivers results that many have deemed impossible, Diessnoted on LinkedIn.The VW CEO added that Musks resultsprove that in five to ten years the worlds most valuable company will be a mobility company that can be called Tesla, Apple or Volkswagen.

Fast forward to this week. In response to an article citing VW's recent efforts with electrification, Elon Musktweeted, "Tesla is open to licensing software and supplying powertrains & batteries. Were just trying to accelerate sustainable energy, not crush competitors!"

Could these two automotive innovators be aligning forces in the future? Only time will tell.

===

Written by:Iqtidar Ali. An earlier version of this article was originallypublished onTesla Oracle.

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What Are The Chances Tesla And Volkswagen Join Forces? - InsideEVs

Move over Tesla: Robinhood day-trading crowd finds a new speculative favorite in Kodak – CNBC

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The Robinhood crowd has a new favorite speculative stock: Eastman Kodak.

In the last 24 hours, more than 60,000 users have added the stock to their portfolio, making it by far the most popular stock on the millennial-favored trading app according to data from Robintrack, which tracks user activity but is not affiliated with the company.

Shares of the photography pioneer sky-rocketed more than 500% at one point on Wednesday after the U.S. government on Tuesday awarded the company a $765 million loan to produce pharmaceutical components in an effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

Shares were repeatedly halted for volatility during Wednesday's session. The stock finished the day at $33.20 per share for a gain of 318%, after earlierrising to a session high of $60.

Wednesday's spike follows a more than 200% gain on Tuesday, putting the stock on track for a more than 1,430% gain for the week. The company's valuation now stands above $1 billion. Before Tuesday's announcement, the company was valued at $115 million.

"Any time a stock has this big a move, it is going to draw attention, especially one that was a household name," said JJ Kinahan, chief market strategist at TD Ameritrade. "However, people have to be careful here ... there have been a number of trading halts already today. Caution should be the operative word," he added.

MarketRebellion co-founder Pete Najarian said Wednesday's trading volume in the stock was "outrageous" compared with the usual activity. He said that 122 million shares had already been traded before noon on Wednesday, following 272 million shares exchanging hands on Tuesday. This is compared with the prior daily average trading volume of 125,000.

He also noted that the stock is in the top five in terms of volume in the options market, with activity 6,000% above normal.

Retail investors have been a large part of the rally that's seen the S&P 500 bounce 48% from its March low. According to data from Robintrack, these investors also frequently pile into more speculative areas of the market, including names like Nikola, Plug Power and Virgin Galactic.

Tesla is another popular name on the app. Earlier this month, for example, nearly 50,000 accounts added the stock in the span of just 24 hours. The electric vehicle company is currently the eighth most popular holding, according to Robintrack.

Kodak filed for bankruptcy in 2012 as consumers shifted to digital cameras.

This is not, however, Kodak's first foray in the drug industry. The company was previously involved in the production of non-prescription medicines, before selling the unit to SmithKline Beecham, which later became GlaxoSmithKline, in 1994.

- CNBC's Yun Li contributed reporting.

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Move over Tesla: Robinhood day-trading crowd finds a new speculative favorite in Kodak - CNBC