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WATCH: Cannabis Expo 2021 CBD infused burgers and more – Citizen

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Danzig

Billed as their big return, Cannabis Expo 2021 was a four-day event that took place in the Sandton Convention Centre from 18 to 21 November.

The expo hall featured plenty of exhibitors representing the full spectrum of the cannabis industry.

The Cannabis Expo is the biggest cannabis event in Africa, a market that has interested large investors across the world.

Silas Howarth, the director of the Cannabis Expo, said this was the first big public exhibition as things continue to open up under Covid-19 lockdowns.

The expo is an opportunity for businesses to work together and for urban farmers to grow their market. The medicinal benefits have been widely commercialised and cannabidiol (CBD) is just part of the over 100 components in cannabis, says Silas.

He said their partnership with JuicyFields helped in creating a private smoking area where people could consume and smoke cannabis legally.

Russia sparks WW3 fears after vowing to attack Ukraine unless Nato agrees to BAN Kiev from alliance… – The Sun

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Danzig

RUSSIA will attack Ukraine unless Nato gives a cast-iron guarantee it will never let Kiev join the US-led alliance, a senior Putin aide warned.

The threat from a top Kremlin adviser is the starkest so far and stoked fresh fears an invasion could drag Western allies into World War Three.

It comes after Russia massed 100,000 of troops on the border and Ukraine spy chiefs said they believe a full-scale invasion is planned in the New Year.

And today Ukraine confirmed it fired US-made Javelin anti-tank missiles at Russia-backed rebels during fresh skirmishes in the breakaway Donbas region.

Amid heightened tensions, Putin ally Fyodor Lukyanov warned of a new conflict if Nato expanded further east in an article published last night.

Mr Lukyanov - chairman of the Russian Foreign Affairs Council, which advises the Kremlin - also made it clear that Moscow would be seeking more than verbal reassurances from Nato.

He wrote: This recent round of escalation in Eastern Europe showed that the old principles of security on the continent are no longer working.

Russia will have to change the system and draw new red lines'.

He made pointed reference to a post-WW2 deal between the Soviet Union and Finland, under which Moscow recognised Finlands independence in return for its neutrality in the Cold War.

Chillingly, Mr Lukyanov added that the gambit that led to the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia - when Moscow invaded after claiming to have been provoked - could well be replicated in Ukraine.

Yesterday Moscow accused the US of secretly staging a mock nuclear attack 12 miles from the border "putting Russian forces on alert".

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu also said American strategic bombers had carried out 30 flights close toRussiathis month in a significant escalation.

Ukrainian intelligence chiefs have warned Russia is planning to invade on ten fronts in January.

Brigadier General Budanov saidthe invasionwould begin with air strikes and shelling following by an attack from the air involving up to 3,500 paratroopers and special forces, reportsThe Military Times.

It would then be followed by a mass assault across the border, amphibious landings in Odessa and Mariupol, and a smaller invasion from neighbouring Belarus.

Russia has always denied any aggressive intentions towards its neighbour - branding the latest reports as "hysteria".

President Putin described the troop build-up as a deterrent against a renewed Ukrainian government offensive.

Several ceasefire breaches have been reported in the eastern areas of the country held by Moscow-backed separatists.

Kiev confirmed for the first time it has deployed the US-made Javelin anti-tank missiles in the ongoing conflict.

General Budanov claimed they have also been used against Russian forces, who are suspected of making incursions across the border in support of the rebels.

He said the rockets have a "significant psychological deterrent value making Russians think twice about attacking."

Nato said it is prepared to help its allies.

Brigadier General Simon Doran, of the US Marine Corps, said of a potential Russian invasion: We exist to be ready at all times.

He told The Daily Telegraph: Hopefully, were not only deterring potential adversaries, were also reassuring all of our partners and allies that if called upon, we will be here.

We are absolutely ready to combat any aggression from anybody globally.

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Russia sparks WW3 fears after vowing to attack Ukraine unless Nato agrees to BAN Kiev from alliance... - The Sun

WW3 fears as Russia accuses US of staging nuclear strike with TEN BOMBERS and puts nuke forces on co… – The Sun

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Danzig

MOSCOW has accused the US of secretly staging a mock nuclear attack on TEN bomber planes 20km from their border "putting Russian forces on alert."

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the Kremlin had noticed a significant increase in activity by American strategic bombers, which he said had carried out 30 flights close to Russia this month.

He claims that is 2.5 times more than the same period last year.

Shoigu complained of what he said was a simulated US nuclear strike against Russia earlier this month.

He said: "The defence minister underlined that during the US military exercises 'Global Thunder', 10 American strategic bombers rehearsed launching nuclear weapons against Russia from the western and eastern directions.

"The minimum proximity to our state border was 20km."

Shoigu said Russian air defence units had spotted and tracked the US strategic bombers and taken unspecified measures to avoid any incidents.

His ministrys TV channel Zvezda interpreted his comments as him saying: NATO activity dictates the need to maintain nuclear forces on combat readiness.

The Pentagon has hit back insisting its drills were announced publicly at the time and adhered to international protocols.

This comes at a time of high tension with Washington over Ukraine, with US officials voicing concerns about a possible Russian attack on its southern neighbour - a suggestion Russia has denied.

Moscow has in turn accused the United States, NATO and Ukraine of provocative behaviour, pointing to US arms supplies to Ukraine, Kiev's use of Turkish drones against Russian-backed separatists and NATO exercises close to its borders.

Pentagon spokesperson Anton Semelroth said: "These missions were announced publicly at the time, and closely planned with Strategic Command, European Command, allies and partners to ensure maximum training and integration opportunities as well as compliance with all national and international requirements and protocols."

Top Russian and US military officers, Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, spoke by telephone but neither side disclosed the contents of the conversation.

Global Thunder, which this year put US nuclear-capable B-52 bombers through their paces, is the US Strategic Command's annual nuclear and command exercise designed to test and demonstrate the readiness of America's nuclear capabilities.

President Vladimir Putin referenced the apparent episode last week, complaining of Western strategic bombers carrying "very serious weapons" close to Russia.

He said the West was taking Moscow's warnings not to cross its "red lines" too lightly.

Shoigu made the comments in a video conference with Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe. He said that US bomber flights close to Russia's eastern borders were also a threat to China.

"Against this backdrop, Russo-Chinese coordination is becoming a stabilising factor in world affairs," said Shoigu.

Russia and China agreed at their meeting to step up cooperation between their armed forces when it came to strategic military exercises and joint patrols, the defence ministry said.

Earlier this month, Russia warned relations with the West are almost at boiling point as tensions mount over migrants at the Poland-Belarus border.

With Nato and Russian forces playing cat and mouse games, Putin has said he would simply destroy any country that encroached on his countrys territory.

Recent days have seen US officials warnRussiamay beplotting an imminent invasionofUkraine, with the Kremlin massing100,000 troops on their border.

And Putin's regime has been accused of stoking the unfolding migrant crisis between Belarus and Poland andeven sent their own nuclear bombers into the area.

Belarus - dubbed Europe's last dictatorship - has been accused of "weaponising" migration against the EU sparking atense stand-off along their border with Polandwith troops on both sides.

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WW3 fears as Russia accuses US of staging nuclear strike with TEN BOMBERS and puts nuke forces on co... - The Sun

World War 3 Closed Beta Test begins on November 25 – Future Game Releases

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Danzig

World War 3 is an online multiplayer tactical FPS set in a modern, global conflict. An exciting WW3 themed game set in the near future. The game is developed by The Farm 51 and published by My.Games, which has recently announced Closed Beta Test for the same. Smooth but ravaging combat, exciting weapons and gadgets, and most importantly, compelling tactics are needed to overcome any pesky scenarios in this all-out warfare experience.

World War 3 Closed Beta Starts on November 25 at 13.00 UTC / 14.00 CET / 05:00 PST, while its preload option should become active later today, November 24.

The Closed Beta Test is just around the corner, and as a celebration of the upcoming event, the developer has posted a new trailer showcasing WW3s excellence. You can find the trailer below:

World War 3 is an online multiplayer tactical FPS set against the backdrop of a modern global conflict. Team up to outgun and outflank the enemy in thrilling tactical skirmishes waged across real-world locations like Warsaw, Berlin, and Moscow. Customize your perfect loadout from a huge weapons arsenal, then deploy vehicles, gadgets, and drones, and call in strikes to seize the advantage.

Some of the games features:

TEAM-BASED ONLINE MULTIPLAYER ACTION

Hit the battlefield with up to 40 players in two core game modes. Unleash your arsenal in Tactical Ops, where two teams of 20 must attack or defend capture points in fast-paced skirmishes. Team Deathmatch is a classic FPS mode thats an action-packed, 10 versus 10 race to victorywork together to plan tactical strikes and full-scale assaults to score the highest kill count!

ALL-OUT WARFARE

Use every tool at your disposal to win the fight. Get your boots on the ground as an infantry soldier, drive around in tanks and vehicles, utilize drones to survey the battlefield, and call in tactical strikes for maximum damage.

PLAY YOUR WAY

A huge arsenal of weapons, vehicles, gadgets, drones, artillery, and airstrikes are at your disposal. Create your perfect loadout, and choose from hundreds of combinations of unique weapon components and cosmetic customizations to make it personal. Your vehicles, tactical gear, and uniforms are all fully customizable, so you can really make your mark on the battlefield.

WORLD AT WAR

Fight under the flag of real-world countries as you battle through stunning maps, featuring realistic geography and incredible levels of detail. Take the fight from the streets of Warsaw, Berlin, Moscow, and Polyarny, to the outskirts of Smolensk and beyond.

PLAYABLE REALISM

Every shot counts. Discover realistic gameplay features that enhance immersion without impacting combat, including an advanced ballistics system, full-body awareness, vehicle physics, and extensive customization.

World War 3 Closed Beta Test begins on November 25 - Future Game Releases

New study finds ‘microdosing’ psychedelics can be effective in treating anxiety, depression | TheHill – The Hill

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Danzig

A new study is adding to the growing body of research suggesting the use of certain hallucinogens can help treat people battling mental health disorders.

A study recently published in Nature: Scientific Reports found the use of small doses of psychedelics such as psilocybin, the active ingredient found in magic mushrooms, or LSD resulted in a reduction of anxiety and depression symptoms among participants.

The international study led by the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO) included more than 8,500 people from 75 countries who used an anonymous self-reporting system. About half of the participants were "microdosing," or consuming very low quantities of psychedelics, while half were not.

In comparing microdosers and non-microdosers, there was a clear association between microdosing and fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety and stresswhich is important given the high prevalence of these conditions and the substantial suffering they cause, Joseph Rootman, UBCO doctoral student and the studys lead author, said in a statement.

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Researchers also said the study is the first to examine the practice of combining small doses of psychedelics with other substances such as niacin, lions mane mushrooms and cacao.

Over the past several years, numerous studies have shown small doses of psychedelics psilocybin specifically have resulted in improvements in the levels of depression among participants.

A 2016 study looked at whether the drug could help with symptoms of cancer-related depression and anxiety. A group of cancer patients were given a single dose of synthetic psilocybin and reported their anxiety and depression symptoms eased. A 2020 follow-up study found many participants were still feeling the positive effects of the treatment years later.

Psychedelics can change humanity for the better. Its time to unlock their power – The Guardian

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Danzig

I study psychedelics. The organization I work for the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) has been researching MDMA since 1992, seven years after the substance was prohibited. Our organization was founded in 1985.

One of a few treatments designated a breakthrough therapy by the FDA, MDMA-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder is an incredibly promising treatment for this devastating mental injury. Survivors of PTSD may struggle to stay connected in their work, families, and communities. They often live with symptoms like insomnia, hyper-vigilance and isolation; these commonly lead to substance use disorder, depression, chronic pain or heart problems. Yet most of the available treatments provide symptom relief for only about half of the people with the diagnosis, with even fewer people experiencing remission.

In May 2021, Nature Medicine published the results of the most advanced trial of psychedelic therapy to date. In our Phase 3 trial of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD, 88% of participants who received MDMA in conjunction with trauma-focused therapy experienced a clinically significant reduction in symptoms; 67% of participants no longer met criteria for a PTSD diagnosis. Many participants reported MDMA-assisted therapy helped them address the root cause of their trauma for the first time.

An exploratory study suggests a role for MDMA in couples therapy. MAPS has combined its MDMA-assisted therapy protocol with Cognitive Behavioral Conjoint Therapy (CBCT) for PTSD, in which both the person with PTSD and their partner are administered MDMA. Results demonstrated dramatic reductions in PTSD symptoms and partner accommodation, improving the quality of relationships for six couples.

Ketamine studies have shown promise for chronic suicidal tendencies, PTSD symptoms and depression. Legal ketamine clinics which pair therapy with the drug can play a key role in maximizing the benefits and reducing the risks of the psychedelic experience. Psilocybin-assisted therapy is a breakthrough therapy for depression. Ibogaine may be an effective treatment for opioid use disorder.

In fact, four separate systematic reviews have been published this year highlighting the potential of psychedelic-assisted therapies for those conditions and more: end of life care, brain injury, neurodegenerative disorders, mood disorders, smoking cessation and addiction or dependence. Dozens of studies make a compelling case for rapid expansion of research into psychedelic-assisted therapies for serious mental health conditions.

Evidence indicates that psychedelic use is associated with pro-social, personal growth benefits including increased nature relatedness, potentiating conflict resolution and sustaining compassion among first responders. Indigenous communities around the globe have used psychedelics in spiritual ceremony and healing for millennia.

Conversely, the well-documented devastation of the war on drugs has been responsible for untold trauma. But is the legalization and regulation of all substances reversing the course on the war on drugs too dangerous? Simply: No. Its more dangerous not to.

Decades of research and far more extensive use outside clinical settings demonstrate that the risks of drugs, for most people, are generally short-term and manageable through compassionate risk-reduction measures. For those who become dependent on drugs, treatment-on-demand is a more effective intervention than criminalization. In lieu of a legal, safe supply of substances, drug checking can identify adulterants like fentanyl. Peer support is so successful in transforming emotionally challenging experiences that Denvers first responders and police officers will soon be trained in the method as an alternative to criminalization or sedation.

Last year, Oregon became the first US state to decriminalize the possession of most drugs and to create a legal system for supervised psilocybin experiences. California, Vermont and Hawaii are actively considering new legal frameworks for psychedelics; Texas is directing state funding to research. In the face of an epidemic of veteran suicide, the US veterans administration is hosting small psychedelic-assisted therapy trials. Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle support federal funding. Lawmakers, regulators, funders, insurance providers and therapists who take a clear-eyed look at the research may be surprised to find their fears dissolving.

MAPS recognizes that the people who are most marginalized by society are often those who are most traumatized, have least access to a diagnosis and even less access to adequate treatment. MAPS is working with researchers around the world to facilitate studies of psychedelic-assisted therapy with refugees, transgender communities, first responders exhausted by Covid, people of color subjected to racial trauma and more. We envision a day when psychedelics will be more than a last-ditch treatment: they will be a catalyst for mass mental health.

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Psychedelics can change humanity for the better. Its time to unlock their power - The Guardian

Psyence Group Invited as First Psychedelic Company to present at the 15th-Annual Global Wellness Summit – GlobeNewswire

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Danzig

TORONTO, Nov. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Psyence Group Inc. (CSE: PSYG | OTCQB: PSYGF) (Psyence or the Company), a life science biotechnology company with a focus on natural psychedelics in mental health and well-being, will break new ground as the first psychedelic company invited to speak at the 15th Annual Global Wellness Summit, a gathering of international leaders in the $4.5 trillion global wellness economy.1 Meeting in Boston November 30 to December 3, 2021, thesummit includes doctors, activists, and health care executives from research organizations that include Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cleveland Clinic and elsewhere.

Psyences Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Mary-Elizabeth Gifford, will host an in-person keynote conversation with Rick Doblin, PhD, Founder and Executive Director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) on the future of Psychedelics and Healing.

A psychedelic researcher and activist, Doblin isrecognized for his work de-stigmatizing psychedelics through evidence-based scientific research. His organization,MAPS, is sponsoring Phase 3 clinical trials of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD.

Mary-Elizabeth Gifford, chair of the non-profit Global Wellness Institute's Psychedelics & Healing Initiative, leads Corporate Social Responsibility for the Psyence Group, where she works to democratize responsible psychedelic and nature-based solutions for mental health and wellness that also help heal and strengthen the wider community. The Keynote Conversation with Gifford and Doblin takes place December 1st, 2021, at 4:10pm EST. This event is in person and registration can be accessed virtually at https://www.globalwellnesssummit.com.

ABOUT PSYENCE GROUP: http://www.psyence.com

Psyence is a public life science biotechnology company listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange and (CSE: PSYG) and quoted on the OTCQB (OTCQB: PSYGF), with a focus on natural psychedelics. Psyence works with natural psilocybin products for the healing of psychological trauma and its mental health consequences in the context of palliative care.

Our name Psyence combines the wordspsychedelicandscienceto affirm our commitment to producing psychedelic medicines developed through evidence-based research.Informed by nature and guided by science, we built and operate one of the worlds first federally licensed commercial psilocybin mushroom cultivation and production facilities.

Our team brings international experience in both business and science and includes experts in mycology, neurology, palliative care, and drug development. We work to develop advanced natural psilocybin products for clinical research and development. We have entered into a long term joint venture to launch mushroom-based mental wellness focused nutraceutical products, the GOODMIND collection, to support improved focus, calm, and sleep.

Our key divisions, Psyence Production, Psyence Therapeutics, and Psyence Function, anchor an international collaboration, with operations in Canada, the United Kingdom, Jamaica, South Africa and a presence in the United States and Australia.

Contact Information:Lisa-Marie Iannitelli, Investor RelationsEmail:ir@psyence.com

Media Inquiries: media@psyence.comGeneral Information: info@psyence.com

1 https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/press-room/statistics-and-facts/; https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinessdevelopmentcouncil/2019/10/14/why-the-wellness-business-is-booming-and-how-to-succeed-in-the-industry/?sh=731f0b7c41aa

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Psyence Group Invited as First Psychedelic Company to present at the 15th-Annual Global Wellness Summit - GlobeNewswire

I have ADHD and was scared of psychedelics. Then I found myself eating magic truffles … – The Guardian

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Danzig

If you had asked me pre-pandemic if I would ever touch psychedelics, I would have said absolutely not. The speed of my brain is literally my only skill. As a standup comedian and podcaster, I can walk out on stage with absolutely nothing in my head and riff with an audience for an hour if I need to which I know seems like a superpower to others while ordinary powers, such as the ability to do my laundry every week, elude me.

I was recently diagnosed with ADHD first in the green room by other comedians, then by a doctor. It seems that a lot of us comics have it. I guess its a job you can do if you are not neurotypical, because you see the world from an unusual angle and there is very little admin. I often see comics on Facebook posting: Ive just got Peckham in my diary for tonight; am I meant to be doing a gig for anyone there?

I am sure there are many people with ADHD who have trained themselves to be great in office environments, but I suspect its too late for me, so I really need to hold on to that talk-fast-and-mind-map skill. That is why at music festivals I always said no to anything that might change my brain chemistry. I had resigned myself to the fact that I would never see the face of God in a cloud, or myself as a baby cat on the ocean floor.

So, on one level, I was genuinely surprised to find myself consuming a cup of magic truffles at an entirely legal therapeutic retreat in Amsterdam. (These are a lot like magic mushrooms, but grow beneath the ground, rather than above.) At the same time, somehow it felt inevitable. The safe, repetitive domesticity of lockdown had made me face my demons and seek therapy, but it had also made me hungry for sensation and risk.

A friend had phoned me and told me that she had taken a trip to the desert and done ayahuasca. She said it had healed so many of her traumatised wounds with visionary reconciliations and not slowed down her speedy, creative brain at all. She said I should do it but I had to wait till I got the call. I said: Babe, you are literally calling me now this is the call. Her thinking was that it couldnt be a phone call it had to be more spiritual than that. I started looking for signs. They are there if you Google retreats in Amsterdam. You can get the Eurostar there now, you know.

But ayahuasca wasnt on the cards for me. Lars, the shaman at the retreat that I settled for, said it was probably better to do truffles if youve have never done any psychedelics at all. He handed me a little bowl of truffles and told me to eat them all, then to lie down in the next room as soon as I needed to. I assumed I would be in a field staring at trees, but this is a therapeutic dose under supervision. You cant walk or talk.

Soon I was in a room alone under a duvet cover covered in dancing flowers. The wardrobe in the corner was animated like something out of Beauty and the Beast. I thought I would close my eyes to get away from it for a minute, but that made the visions much more intense. I saw the whole of the 60s in an hour. I understood every album cover I had ever seen. Not long after, I was in the womb and then the afterlife.

It didnt feel scary at all it was like I had gone back to the ground and become part of the energy of the world. Still alive, but rested, without the constant demands of email. I saw people in my life in new and revelatory ways, as well as the first act of feminism in the rebellion of the Garden of Eden. When Lars checked on me, I said: I dont know if youre real or not, but this is how religions are started, isnt it? He said: Yes.

I came out of it after four hours. My brain was as fast as ever, but at some kind of new and unusual peace. My therapist in New York reassures me that much research is going on around the world into the benefits of these natural substances for trauma sufferers.

Now, I have a gig in Peckham tonight. Does anyone know where it is?

Deborah Frances-White is a comedian, writer and the host of the podcast The Guilty Feminist. Arwa Mahdawi is away

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I have ADHD and was scared of psychedelics. Then I found myself eating magic truffles ... - The Guardian

Psychedelics stocks were all the rage a year ago. What happened? – The Globe and Mail

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Danzig

A blister pack of Ketamine lozenges at the psychedelic therapy clinic in Toronto on Aug. 28, 2020.COLE BURSTON/AFP/Getty Images

It was barely a year ago that psychedelics stocks were all the rage among investors, drawn to grandiose promises by companies that drugs such as LSD and magic mushrooms could produce game-changing treatments for anxiety, depression and addiction.

But that investor euphoria peaked in March, 2021. Since then, despite a handful of promising clinical trials, and a growing number of U.S. states introducing bills to decriminalize psychedelic substances, shares of many psychedelics companies have performed poorly, sharply declining in value over the past six months.

This disconnect, analysts say, can be blamed primarily on retail investors who seemed to associate psychedelics companies with sales-driven cannabis producers, rather than thinking of them as biotech firms that will take years to begin generating revenue.

While the performance of Canadian cannabis companies hinged on consumer demand for a product that became legal for recreational use in October, 2018, most psychedelics companies are involved in early-stage scientific research on how specific chemical compounds that make up drugs such as ketamine, LSD and MDMA could potentially be used in treating mental-health conditions.

For the biggest companies in the space, their business model is fundamentally a biotech one, explained Michael Freeman, a health care sector analyst with Raymond James Financial. These are companies that will spend years running randomized, controlled, clinical trials of psychedelic molecules to determine their efficacy. It is a very different value proposition than cannabis.

Field Trip Health raises largest financing in Canada for a psychedelics company

The shiny new object: Despite being illegal, retail investor rush to psychedelics resembles euphoria around cannabis

The lacklustre performance of psychedelics stocks is clearly evident in how the worlds first psychedelics exchange-traded fund a basket of stocks comprising more than 20 companies in the sector has fared. Since its launch in January, the Horizons Psychedelics Stock Index ETF has plunged by 36 per cent.

Although the index is rebalanced quarterly, it was initially weighted heavily in favour of some of the most well-known psychedelics companies, such as MindMed Inc., and Compass Pathways Inc. The share prices of both companies have dipped by more than 40 per cent since the height of investor excitement in early 2021.

People saw it as a get-rich-quick industry, but as the months went by investors realized this is nothing like cannabis. These are heavily regulated substances that have to go through many clinical trials, so you would want to stay with the company to reap the benefits, said Tania Gonsalves, an analyst with Toronto-based Canaccord Genuity Inc.

MindMed was heavily promoted and championed by Shark Tanks Kevin OLeary, who famously told Business Insider in November, 2020, that investors burned by bad bets on cannabis startups should not be afraid to gamble on psychedelics.

The New York-based company specializes in developing molecules of LSD, MDMA and psilocybin the hallucinogenic chemical in certain mushrooms for the treatment of depression.

It was the first psychedelics company to go public (in March, 2020), on Torontos NEO Exchange, and now trades on Nasdaq as well.

But while MindMed shares have gained a whopping 425 per cent since the company made its public debut at 40 cents, they have declined by almost 50 per cent since the psychedelics market peaked in February, around the time Horizons launched its psychedelics ETF.

Unfortunately we launched the ETF six months too late, admitted Steve Hawkins, chief executive officer of Toronto-based Horizons ETFs Management Inc. A lot of the companies in our portfolio are up triple digits since they went public. But on a six-month basis, many of them are down.

Mr. Hawkins told The Globe and Mail that Horizons has had to consistently rebalance its psychedelics portfolio because the sector is volatile. These companies are all over the place. All it takes is one piece of news whether it be fact or fiction to create significant volatility with the underlying portfolio.

On Nov. 9, Britain-based Compass Pathways announced much-anticipated results of a 233-patient study of the use of psilocybin in treatment-resistant depression, finding that the patient group receiving the highest dose of COMP360 (a molecular derivative of psilocybin) exhibited significant reduction in depression symptoms compared with those who received a lower dose.

Analysts covering the company ranked the result as neutral to positive. Yet Compass shares sank roughly 20 per cent after the news, as many investors seemed to determine it was the right time to exit the stock.

Mr. Freeman said the reaction is typical in the psychedelics space, which is dominated by retail investors.

Proper biotech investors make decisions based on when a company does data readouts, meaning, when [companies] have tangible results from a clinical trial that gets them to a new phase to proceed in research, Mr. Freeman explained. So biotech stocks generally move either up or down depending on which stage in the research process investors want to take their profit.

Andrew Partheniou of Stifel Financial Inc., another analyst who covers psychedelics companies, said he was surprised at how the market reacted to Compasss clinical trial results, which he deemed to be positive. I think for retail investors, it might have brought up questions on how well Compass could actually scale its therapies and what its real addressable market might be like.

Raj Lala, an investment manager and CEO of Evolve ETFs, a competitor to Horizons, said he chose not to launch a psychedelics ETF because he could not see the long-term growth potential of psychedelics companies. It feels like a fad, Mr. Lala added, drawing a comparison to the cannabis sector. Evolve had launched two cannabis ETFs, but terminated them less than two years later, after they lost more than 50 per cent of their value. We did not have a good experience in that space, he admitted.

But Mr. Hawkins of Horizons is in psychedelics for the long haul. This is early stage biotech investing, there will be hits and misses. Were going through a lull period right now, but Im hoping investors will understand there is significant long-term potential in these drugs.

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Weekly Roundup on the Cannabis Sector & Psychedelic Sector – Yahoo Finance

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Danzig

Weekly Roundup on the Cannabis Sector & Psychedelic Sector

Key Takeaways; Cannabis Sector

Marijuana multistate operator Jushi to acquire Nevadas NuLeaf in a deal worth $62.5 million.

Village Farms buys Quebec cannabis producer for CA$46.7 million.

Schwazze acquires a Colorado marijuana store for $4 million and stock; and spends $29 million to acquire two more Colorado cannabis retailers.

WM Technology to acquire marijuana marketing platform Sprout.

Key Takeaways; Psychedelic Sector

According to marijuana research company BDSA, the global cannabis and psychedelic market will be worth more than $100 billion by 2026, growing at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 15%. But those numbers could go even higher as more states pass legislation that permits marijuana and psychedelics for medical or recreational use.

Top Cannabis Stocks to Keep a Close Eye On

#1: Jushi Holdings

Jushi Holdings Inc. (OTCMKTS: JUSHF) is a vertically integrated cannabis company that engages in the cultivation, processing, retail, and distribution of medical and adult-use products. It focuses on building a portfolio of cannabis assets in various jurisdictions in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, Illinois, California, Nevada, and Massachusetts.

The Florida-based multistate marijuana operator announced a deal to acquire NuLeaf, a vertically integrated cannabis company in Nevada. The acquisition is worth up to $62.5 million and is expected to close in the first half of 2022, according to a Wednesday, November 17 news release.

The price tag features a $52.5 million upfront payment that includes: $15.75 million in cash, an unsecured promissory note for the same amount, and $21 million in Jushi subordinate voting shares. Another $10 million in an identical percentage combination of cash, a promissory note, and shares will be issued upon the occurrence or non-occurrence of an upcoming NuLeaf dispensary on the Las Vegas strip receiving regulatory approvals to open for business.

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The NuLeaf acquisition comes on the heels of Jushis deal to buy Las Vegas retailer The Apothecarium and its acquisition of Nevada cannabis cultivator, processor, and distributor Franklin Bioscience NV.

#2: Village Farms

Village Farms International, Inc. (NASDAQ: VFF), together with its subsidiaries, produces, markets, and distributes greenhouse-grown tomatoes, bell peppers, and cucumbers in North America. It operates through three segments: Produce Business, Energy Business, and Cannabis and Hemp Business.

On September 15, 2021, Village Farms bought a majority stake in Quebec-based licensed cannabis producer and distributor Rose LifeScience, fulfilling the Florida-headquartered companys pledge to gain a foothold in Canadas second-biggest marijuana market by population.

Village Farms, the parent company of British Columbia cannabis producer Pure Sunfarms, bought 70% ownership of the privately held business for up to 46.7 million Canadian dollars ($37 million), consisting of CA$19.9 million in cash and CA$26.8 million in shares.

In a September interview, Village Farms CEO Michael DeGiglio said the company was focused on entering the promising Quebec market. In a note to investors, Doug Cooper, a Toronto-based analyst for Beacon Securities, said the acquisition likely would enable the company to sell Pure Sunfarms products in Quebec.

With Quebec as the final piece of the Canadian puzzle, Pure Sunfarms will now be selling to more than 90% of the Canadian population, the analyst wrote, adding that likely secures the market the company needs to bring the second half of its 1.1 million-square-foot BC facility into production.

In Quebec, Rose distributes its own brand of cannabis products. It is also the distribution entity for cannabis producers Entourage Health, Sundial, Tilray, The Flowr Corp, and 10 micro and craft growers.

The deal includes Roses 55,000-square-foot cultivation and processing facility in Quebec. Under the agreement terms, Rose CEO Davide Zaffino and Chief Operations Officer Brian Stevenson will remain in their current roles after the acquisition. They will also retain a 30% interest in the company they co-founded.

Village said the deal gives it a pathway to acquire the remainder of Rose if certain milestones are met before March 31, 2025. Shares of Village Farms International are traded as VFF on the Nasdaq and Toronto Stock Exchange, respectively.

#3: Schwazze

Schwazze (OTCQX: SHWZ) is the parent company of a portfolio of leading cannabis businesses and brands spanning seed to sale. The company is building the premier vertically integrated cannabis company in Colorado and plans to take its operating system to other states to develop a differentiated leadership position. Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. was Schwazzes former operating trade name. And the corporate entity continues to be named Medicine Man Technologies, Inc.

On November 16, 2021, the Colorado-based retail chain said it acquired the cannabis shop Smokin Gun Apothecary in the Denver suburb of Glendale for $4 million and 100,000 shares of stock.

The vertically integrated Schwazze has been on an acquisition spree, having gobbled up indoor cultivator Brow 2 in August for $6.7 million, Southern Colorado Growers in July for $11.3 million, and retail chain competitor Star Buds in March for $72.3 million. The addition of Smokin Gun brings its retail store footprint to 20.

The transaction, expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2021, includes the retail store and Smoking Gun Land Co.

On Wednesday, November 17, 2021, the quickly growing Colorado retail chain said it had acquired two more cannabis shops in its home state, bringing the companys store count to 22. According to a news release issued Tuesday, Schwazze agreed to pay $29 million for MCG, which does business as Emerald Fields and has shops in Glendale, a Denver suburb, and Manitou Springs.

The deal is expected to close within 75 days and will be paid 60% in cash and 40% in Schwazze stock. The deal was the second acquisition in a week for Schwazze, which has been on an acquisition tear through much of 2021.

#4: WM Technology

WM Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAPS) provides SaaS subscription offerings to retailers and brands in the United States and Canadian cannabis markets.

The Irvine, California-based WM Technology, a cannabis special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), said it acquired Sprout, a cloud-based customer relationship management and marketing platform for the marijuana space. However, the terms of the deal were not disclosed.

WM Technology is the parent company of Weedmaps, a digital marijuana retail directory that offers such features as menus and online ordering. The company went public in June after merging with SPAC Silver Spike Acquisition Corp.

According to Chris Beals, CEO and chair of WM Technology, the acquisition is expected to help clients target, reach, acquire, and retain customers at scale. Sprout is used by cannabis dispensaries and brands in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico.

With the addition of Sprout, we are one step closer to realizing this vision of providing an all-in-one seamless and integrated solution to run, manage and grow ones cannabis business, Beals said in the release.

Top Psychedelic Stocks to Keep a Close Eye On

#1: Awakn

Awakn Life Sciences Corp. (NEO: AWKN) (OTCQB: AWKNF) is a biotechnology company that engages in researching, developing, and delivering psychedelic therapeutics to treat addiction other mental health conditions in the United Kingdom and Europe. The company is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

This week Awakn announced that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Devon Partnership NHS Trust (a provider of mental health services to <1 million people living in Devon, south-West England) and the University of Exeter.

The proposed partnership intends to enhance the evidence base for ketamine-assisted psychotherapy as an alternative treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder and treatment-resistant depression within the NHS. At present, Brits looking to access these therapies must do so by paying out-of-pocket: a practice that is much rarer in the UK vs. the US, for example.

#2: MindMed

Mind Medicine (MindMed) Inc. (NASDAQ: MNMD) is a psychedelic medicine biotech company that discovers, develops, and deploys psychedelic inspired medicines and therapies to address addiction and mental illness.

The Nasdaq-listed company announced that it had begun recruitment for a randomized placebo-controlled study evaluating the effects of daytime and evening administration of repeated low doses of LSD.

MindMed will measure the effects of LSD microdoses on neuroplasticity markers such as BDNF plasma levels, as well as measures of sleep, mood, cognitive performance, and more. Dr. Kim Kuypers at Maastricht University will lead the study.

The post Weekly Roundup on the Cannabis Sector & Psychedelic Sector appeared first on Market Exclusive.

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Weekly Roundup on the Cannabis Sector & Psychedelic Sector - Yahoo Finance

Entheon Biomedical: Data and DMT among the keys to creating safe and effective treatments for patients battling addiction – Proactive Investors USA…

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Danzig

Entheon believes that it can provide better outcomes for people who have not been helped by previous types of addiction treatment

Entheon Biomedical Corp (CSE:ENBI, OTCQB:ENTBF) CEO Timothy Ko speaks passionately about his company and its objectives within the burgeoning psychedelics industry, not only because he heads one of the most dynamic teams in the space, but also because he credits psychedelics with saving his life.

Following a childhood of challenges that continued into his adult years, Ko ultimately found peace of mind after psychedelic intervention enabled him to look at life differently than he had been, repair important relationships and, as he puts it, learn to love again.

Kos experience defined what is now a life mission for him. This shined through in an eloquent and authoritative discussion with Canadian Securities Exchange Magazine in mid-September.

It would be difficult to come out of a conversation with Ko not believing that there is something to psychedelic treatments for those working to overcome mental illness. Its no longer about masking or dulling symptoms, but rather probing the drivers of problematic behaviour and replacing closely held, harm-inducing beliefs with new, healthier ones.

The specifics are best conveyed in Kos own words.

Proactive: Entheon is researching and developing products to help treat addiction. There are already products on the market that are used for this purpose. What are you trying to achieve with your treatments that existing alternatives do not?

Timothy Ko: I think before I answer that directly, we first have to look at the treatment landscape for addiction as it currently stands. When we assess treatment options available for various addictions be it tobacco, alcohol, or things like opiates we see a rather bleak landscape where many of the treatments, though widely available, are not particularly efficacious.

And looking at the population, it is estimated that, globally, over 2% of the population struggles with an alcohol or illicit drug addiction. In spite of the options currently available for addiction recovery we still see hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people die every year as a result of tobacco, alcohol and opioid use disorder. The reality is that many people are rendered treatment-resistant over the course of multiple failed attempts to address their condition.

Entheon believes that we can provide better outcomes for people who have not been helped by previous types of treatment. In our estimation, the treatment-resistant form of addiction is more common than generally thought, and Entheon treatments are designed for people for whom other forms of treatment have failed.

Entheon focuses on a fast-acting hallucinogenic known widely as DMT. Does DMT have advantages over other psychedelics for addiction treatment?

Its important to demystify what psychedelics do. A really important observation of ours with DMT is that there is a feature that is present in other psychedelic molecules called entropy. Psilocybin, LSD and DMT can induce a state of heightened entropy, or randomness.

That might sound like a bad thing, but when you look at people with pathological conditions, there is often a degree of tunnel vision. These pathologies make it such that a severely depressed person, or an addicted person, is unable to look outside their normal frame of reference. Their reactions to stimulus or experiences are pre-determined, so you have this immobile state where they cannot envision a life outside of the one they have already experienced.

What DMT and other psychedelics do is to promote a state of hyper-connectedness. They allow individuals undergoing psychedelic treatment to enter a highly neuroplastic state that enables them to have entirely new experiences. In combination with therapy, they are able to experience old traumas, belief systems and memories, and rather than go to their pre-defined pathological reaction set, they are able to have perceptions that reshape their experience in a more positive way.

Where DMT is different is that it is very well metabolized by the body, which means the experience is short. Psilocybin is a bit of an unwieldy type of molecule to work with, as it is very powerful and the length of engagement is six to eight hours or longer. That window of engagement is commercially difficult to manage. And because these are such powerful experiences and the individual is often dealing with inherently difficult subject matter, the risk of an overwhelming experience is amplified.

With DMT, we can still facilitate powerful transformational experiences, but you have the benefit of being able to limit them to 30, 60 or 90 minutes. If we need to, we can stop the experience altogether and that person can return to a functional baseline in 10 to 15 minutes. If a person is having a difficult time with psilocybin, however, they are on that rocket ship for as long as the rocket has fuel.

In a recent news release, you discussed treatment algorithms through the Entheon IQ program. What is a treatment algorithm exactly, and what work is required to make the technology widely available?

The way Entheon sees the industry evolving is that there is a broad array of psychiatric conditions, as well as a broad spectrum of individuals appropriate for psychedelic use.

Not everyone will respond the same to different drugs. Different phenotypes will respond differently to different therapies.

What we are doing with Entheon IQ is taking a data-focused approach to look at what individual factors make different drugs and different treatment types appropriate for different individuals. We have acquired a company that has a genetic test that looks at a variety of mental health risk factors based on genetics, as well as a function of metabolic factors that dictate whether a person is more or less likely to have a strong or weak response to drugs. We believe genetics is a very strong component of ensuring that appropriate treatments are prescribed to the right people.

We are also on the verge of launching a study with a partner in Texas looking at different biomarkers associated with the ketamine experience, and were also looking at biomarkers associated with DMT.

Without generalizing too much, Entheon IQ and Entheon DNA are working to create biomarkers to help predict and direct appropriate treatments for individuals across a broad spectrum of psychedelic molecules and psychiatric disorders.

Talk to us about your business model. At what point does monetization become a reality, and how do you scale the business?

I think thats a question that the entirety of the psychedelic drug industry is looking at. The reality is that, as promising as the research is, in the interest of patient safety these development processes are bound to regulatory processes of governing bodies where we seek to commercialize.

We will need to make it through various stages of clinical validation, then have conversations with regulators and ensure our research is done in such a way that the data is irrefutable and highly understandable to the authorities that ensure these products are safe and effective.

The development timeline as it pertains to this approval process is five to 10 years, and we believe that we can have a timeline on the lower end of that range.

But in an earlier time frame, we think the development of tools to service the ketamine space should commercialize sooner.

You have a strong and growing advisory board of accomplished professionals in the addiction treatment space. Tell us how you choose new members for your team.

Our advisory board is among the best in the industry. It is populated by some of the most prominent and well-researched members in the psychedelic research space.

The psychedelic industry is under the general umbrella of science, yet it is highly specialized and the pioneers are limited to a very core group. When we started Entheon, we wanted to make sure we worked with minds that understood the unique properties of psychedelics better than other scientists.

Unlike other medicines that work in respect to brain chemistry, psychedelics take into account poorly understood features of the human psyche that are only now beginning to be characterized. We really wanted to select advisors with the most comprehensive understanding of the features of psychedelic medicine.

Lets close with a look at the industry in general. Do you come across misconceptions in the broader audience that you feel need to be cleared up?

The stigma associated with psychedelics often unfairly highlights radicalism or esoteric belief systems. There was a comprehensive anti-drug policy in the 1960s and 1970s that sought to vilify psychedelic drugs as potentially catastrophic to society and having no therapeutic value.

Rather than us having to dispel these myths, I think the research is truly bearing out a rebuttal to the notion that there is no therapeutic value to psychedelics. With each passing month, we see more research that shows huge transformational capacity to help people with end-of-life anxiety, nicotine addiction, as well as major depressive disorders.

We exist within a very interesting moment where on a purely scientific basis, not only are these substances not addictive, harmful or detrimental, but they may actually be the molecules with the therapeutic potential to disrupt a system that has seen very little innovation in the past few decades.

Contact Peter at peter@proactiveinvestors.com

The Reason I Was Wrong on Pot Stocks Is Why Im Right About This – Investorplace.com

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Danzig

Once upon a time, we were bullish on cannabis stocks.

We saw the statistics that young folks like to smoke/eat/ingest marijuana as much as they like to drink. We saw the political dominoes falling, one-by-one, with country after country legalizing pot. We connected the dots, and believed that we were entering a new world where young folks would buy a lot of legal marijuana over the next few years.

In fact, we believed this trend was going to create a $50+ BILLION global cannabis industry, and that out of that industry would emerge the marijuana-equivalent of Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ), Molson Coors (NYSE:TAP), and Anheuser-Busch (NYSE:BUD) all alcoholic beverage giants worth a combined $150 billion.

But that time has passed. Now, were no longer bullish on cannabis stocks. In fact, instead of buying cannabis stocks, we think you should eliminate all exposure to the marijuana industry right now.

Source: TradingView

Why?

Because, while cannabis consumption trends remain strong and the legal backdrop continues to grow more supportive, the overwhelming majority of data today suggests that marijuana companies arent ever going to make huge profits.

You see, our initial bull thesis didnt just hinge on the cannabis industry getting really big (it will), but it also hinged on the idea that companies like Canopy Growth (NYSE:CGC) were going to be able to build big consumer brands in the cannabis industry and competitively monetize those brands at strong profit margins.

But recent trends imply that wont happen.

All of these cannabis giants just reported earnings. And while they all broadly reported healthy topline results, most of them also reported widening losses despite bigger revenues. The implication? Theyre spending to grow, and theyre earning negative ROI on that spend.

Why is this the case? Because the cannabis industry is entirely commoditized.

As it turns out, pot is pot. Sure, theres a difference in quality and strain. But your average consumer cannot tell that difference, and even if they can, most dont care. Those who can tell the difference and care represent a small segment of the population, and they already often have loyalty to a home-grown brand or their dealer down the street. They dont have loyalty to a Canopy Growth or Aurora Cannabis brand.

In the absence of meaningful product differentiation and brand loyalty, these cannabis companies are having to rely on price and distribution to drive competitive advantages.

Thats a losing ball game because you get into price wars where everyone loses, and spending on distribution only works until your competitor also scores the same distribution deals, in which case everything reverts to a lose-lose price war.

And that, in a nutshell, is why were bearish on cannabis stocks.

We were hopeful these companies were going to be able to turn supercharged demand for legal pot into huge revenues and profits. But, as each quarter passes and these companies lose more and more money, it has become clear that they wont.

Marijuana companies will forever struggle to make profits, and therefore, cannabis stocks will forever struggle to make you money.

Interestingly enough, though, our bearishness on cannabis stocks has made us doubly bullish on psychedelics stocks.

I know. Everyone likes to think of psychedelic stocks the companies making new, psychedelic-inspired treatments for mental health disorders as the second coming of cannabis stocks. But that couldnt be more false.

In reality, early-stage psychedelic companies like us recognized the shortcomings of their cannabis peers, and have done everything to make sure they dont fall into the same money-losing hole as cannabis companies.

Primarily, theyve developed competitive moats.

Whereas the cannabis industry is centered around making recreational pot accessible to everyone which opens the door up to commoditization the psychedelics industry is about making specialized medicines accessible to a small segment of the population.

These medicines have to be developed, and the science behind them is quite rigorous, meaning development is a huge barrier-to-entry. On top of that, they have to go through rigorous FDA trials another huge barrier-to-entry. They have to pass those trials another huge barrier-to-entry. And they have to win mass doctor approval yet another huge barrier-to-entry.

In other words, while the cannabis industry has essentially no barriers to entry, the psychedelics industry is comprised of nothing but barriers to entry.

Beyond that, psychedelics-inspired treatment isnt just about the medication. Its about the delivery of the medication. During treatment, patients need to be in controlled environments. They need to feel comfortable when taking the medication. They need to be safe. When not on the medication, they require therapy and counseling to optimize the medications effectiveness.

Its a whole process.

And guess what psychedelic companies are doing? Theyre trying to patent their whole process, meaning that at scale, psychedelic companies will have competitive moats not just around their medications, but around the delivery of those medications, too.

Folks the Shroom Boom is nothing like the Pot Boom. The latter is the archetype of commoditization. The former is the quintessence of building competitive advantages.

Which is why pot stocks are a horrible investment, but psychedelic stocks are a fantastic investment.

So, if you have any pot stocks in your portfolio, drop em. Forget about em. And take that money and go all-in with psychedelic stocks.

But, alas, heres the million-dollar question: What are the best psychedelic stocks to buy today?

To answer that, lets turn to our flagship investment research advisory, Innovation Investor.

In Innovation Investor, weve been following the psychedelics industry for a while now. Weve been through all the clinical trial results. Weve dug through all the companies in the industry. Weve talked to insiders and experts.

And, though it all, weve arrived at the conclusion that there is one shroom stock that everyone should buy right now before it soars to the moon.

To get the name, ticker symbol, and key business details of that tiny company and to access dozens of other hypergrowth tech stock picks right now click here.

On the date of publication, Luke Lango did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.

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The Reason I Was Wrong on Pot Stocks Is Why Im Right About This - Investorplace.com

What is quantum computing?

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Danzig

Quantum computing is an area of study focused on the development of computer based technologies centered around the principles ofquantum theory. Quantum theory explains the nature and behavior of energy and matter on thequantum(atomic and subatomic) level. Quantum computing uses a combination ofbitsto perform specific computational tasks. All at a much higher efficiency than their classical counterparts. Development ofquantum computersmark a leap forward in computing capability, with massive performance gains for specific use cases. For example quantum computing excels at like simulations.

The quantum computer gains much of its processing power through the ability for bits to be in multiple states at one time. They can perform tasks using a combination of 1s, 0s and both a 1 and 0 simultaneously. Current research centers in quantum computing include MIT, IBM, Oxford University, and the Los Alamos National Laboratory. In addition, developers have begun gaining access toquantum computers through cloud services.

Quantum computing began with finding its essential elements. In 1981, Paul Benioff at Argonne National Labs came up with the idea of a computer that operated with quantum mechanical principles. It is generally accepted that David Deutsch of Oxford University provided the critical idea behind quantum computing research. In 1984, he began to wonder about the possibility of designing a computer that was based exclusively on quantum rules, publishing a breakthrough paper a few months later.

Quantum Theory

Quantum theory's development began in 1900 with a presentation by Max Planck. The presentation was to the German Physical Society, in which Planck introduced the idea that energy and matter exists in individual units. Further developments by a number of scientists over the following thirty years led to the modern understanding of quantum theory.

Quantum Theory

The Essential Elements of Quantum Theory:

Further Developments of Quantum Theory

Niels Bohr proposed the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum theory. This theory asserts that a particle is whatever it is measured to be, but that it cannot be assumed to have specific properties, or even to exist, until it is measured. This relates to a principle called superposition. Superposition claims when we do not know what the state of a given object is, it is actually in all possible states simultaneously -- as long as we don't look to check.

To illustrate this theory, we can use the famous analogy of Schrodinger's Cat. First, we have a living cat and place it in a lead box. At this stage, there is no question that the cat is alive. Then throw in a vial of cyanide and seal the box. We do not know if the cat is alive or if it has broken the cyanide capsule and died. Since we do not know, the cat is both alive and dead, according to quantum law -- in a superposition of states. It is only when we break open the box and see what condition the cat is in that the superposition is lost, and the cat must be either alive or dead.

The principle that, in some way, one particle can exist in numerous states opens up profound implications for computing.

A Comparison of Classical and Quantum Computing

Classical computing relies on principles expressed by Boolean algebra; usually Operating with a 3 or 7-modelogic gateprinciple. Data must be processed in an exclusive binary state at any point in time; either 0 (off / false) or 1 (on / true). These values are binary digits, or bits. The millions of transistors and capacitors at the heart of computers can only be in one state at any point. In addition, there is still a limit as to how quickly these devices can be made to switch states. As we progress to smaller and faster circuits, we begin to reach the physical limits of materials and the threshold for classical laws of physics to apply.

The quantum computer operates with a two-mode logic gate:XORand a mode called QO1 (the ability to change 0 into a superposition of 0 and 1). In a quantum computer, a number of elemental particles such as electrons or photons can be used. Each particle is given a charge, or polarization, acting as a representation of 0 and/or 1. Each particle is called a quantum bit, or qubit. The nature and behavior of these particles form the basis of quantum computing and quantum supremacy. The two most relevant aspects of quantum physics are the principles of superposition andentanglement.

Superposition

Think of a qubit as an electron in a magnetic field. The electron's spin may be either in alignment with the field, which is known as aspin-upstate, or opposite to the field, which is known as aspin-downstate. Changing the electron's spin from one state to another is achieved by using a pulse of energy, such as from alaser. If only half a unit of laser energy is used, and the particle is isolated the particle from all external influences, the particle then enters a superposition of states. Behaving as if it were in both states simultaneously.

Each qubit utilized could take a superposition of both 0 and 1. Meaning, the number of computations a quantum computer could take is 2^n, where n is the number of qubits used. A quantum computer comprised of 500 qubits would have a potential to do 2^500 calculations in a single step. For reference, 2^500 is infinitely more atoms than there are in the known universe. These particles all interact with each other via quantum entanglement.

In comparison to classical, quantum computing counts as trueparallel processing. Classical computers today still only truly do one thing at a time. In classical computing, there are just two or more processors to constitute parallel processing.EntanglementParticles (like qubits) that have interacted at some point retain a type can be entangled with each other in pairs, in a process known ascorrelation. Knowing the spin state of one entangled particle - up or down -- gives away the spin of the other in the opposite direction. In addition, due to the superposition, the measured particle has no single spin direction before being measured. The spin state of the particle being measured is determined at the time of measurement and communicated to the correlated particle, which simultaneously assumes the opposite spin direction. The reason behind why is not yet explained.

Quantum entanglement allows qubits that are separated by large distances to interact with each other instantaneously (not limited to the speed of light). No matter how great the distance between the correlated particles, they will remain entangled as long as they are isolated.

Taken together, quantum superposition and entanglement create an enormously enhanced computing power. Where a 2-bit register in an ordinary computer can store only one of four binary configurations (00, 01, 10, or 11) at any given time, a 2-qubit register in a quantum computer can store all four numbers simultaneously. This is because each qubit represents two values. If more qubits are added, the increased capacity is expanded exponentially.

Quantum Programming

Quantum computing offers an ability to write programs in a completely new way. For example, a quantum computer could incorporate a programming sequence that would be along the lines of "take all the superpositions of all the prior computations." This would permit extremely fast ways of solving certain mathematical problems, such as factorization of large numbers.

The first quantum computing program appeared in 1994 by Peter Shor, who developed a quantum algorithm that could efficiently factorize large numbers.

The Problems - And Some Solutions

The benefits of quantum computing are promising, but there are huge obstacles to overcome still. Some problems with quantum computing are:

There are many problems to overcome, such as how to handle security and quantum cryptography. Long time quantum information storage has been a problem in the past too. However, breakthroughs in the last 15 years and in the recent past have made some form of quantum computing practical. There is still much debate as to whether this is less than a decade away or a hundred years into the future. However, the potential that this technology offers is attracting tremendous interest from both the government and the private sector. Military applications include the ability to break encryptions keys via brute force searches, while civilian applications range from DNA modeling to complex material science analysis.

Continued here:

What is quantum computing?

Why Blockchain isnt as secure as you think – Evening Standard

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Danzig

lockchain has rapidly become one of the most disruptive technologies of the 21st century, but with the continuous improvements in quantum computing, the foundations of the technology are starting to falter.

Blockchain, cryptocurrencies, NFTs and decentralised finance have become common terms, with blockchain now hailed as an extremely secure and much faster method of recording transactions due to the computational intensity of attempting to break it. Both companies and people have poured endless amounts of capital into the technology by buying cryptocurrencies or by developing their own currency or asset chains.

But in a dynamic cyber environment, is this $2.7 trillion dollar market really future-proof and secure?

With every innovation in quantum computing, the threat to blockchain increases.

There are two main issues that face the technology, the first being its reliance on a form of encryption known as public key cryptography; and second, its reliance on a type of algorithm called a hash function.

Public key cryptography is a method of encryption that publishes a key for the world to use so that they can encrypt information that only the holder of the private key can see.

A hash is generated by running a widely known and well-established algorithm on a piece of information to create a near unique digital representation of it. It is computationally impossible to construct the original information from a hashed representation, and they are said to be resistant to finding another piece of data that has the exact same digital representation. In both proof-of-work and proof-of-stake blockchains, digitally signed hashes are used in combination with random numbers to sign off a block.

The threat from quantum computing to public key encryption is a known issue and has been discussed at length by many experienced professionals. It is an issue that both governments and commercial entities have recognised. NIST, the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, is currently in the process of defining what the next phase of encryption (also known as post-quantum encryption) will be. Many experts will highlight that the types of quantum computers that are capable of cracking this are still far away, which is true, but various competing technologies alongside quantum are bringing this to the forefront of the cybersecurity threat vector.

Therefore, one can see that the main near-term issue facing the chain comes from the threat to the hashing algorithm from quantum computing or quantum accelerated hardware. There are a few issues with the hash-method, however, the main issue facing these chains is that a quantum computer will be able to solve for these hashes at a much faster rate than any computational-based approach, thereby taking ownership of a network. Significant progress has been made in the past two years on a type of quantum algorithm called Grovers algorithm, which poses the greatest risk to the network as a fully well error-corrected quantum computer is not needed.

Evaluating and understanding the risk only gets us part way, says David Worrall, co-founder of Secqai. It is now time to implement the solutions available to prepare us for the future.

This risk is further accentuated due to the decentralised nature of blockchain, where the latest cyber technology hasnt been built to integrate easily with, for example, new hardware based cryptography such as secure entropy sources or quantum random number generators.

Indeed, research has shown that the deployment of post quantum safe algorithms in todays blockchain architectures is not possible without a huge increase in transaction costs sometimes outweighing the value of the transaction.

Conversely, traditional banking infrastructure is relatively easy to update as the back-end software and hardware is managed centrally by each bank and each integrated party, i.e. the list of parties that need to be secure is well known.

Blockchain developers understand the challenge today, and as has been shown need to start the work of preparing their systems by integrating post-quantum methods into their infrastructure and adopt best practice techniques to ensure that they are prepared for a quantum world.

Rahul Tyagi is an ex-management consultant, inventor and co-founder of cyber security start-up Secqai

Role of Quantum Computing and AI in Healthcare Industry – Analytics Insight

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Danzig

One of our ages major achievements in healthcare. Medical research has advanced rapidly, extending life expectancy around the world. However, as people live longer, healthcare systems face increased demand, rising expenses, and a staff that is straining to meet the needs of the patient.

Population aging, changing patients needs, a change in life choices, and the never-ending loop of innovation are just a few of the relentless forces driving demand. The consequences of an aging population stand out among these. Healthcare is one of our generations main achievements. Medical research has progressed at a breakneck pace, extending life expectancy all around the world.

When you use the classic computing method, your machine doubles in size every time the number of data doubles. Processing the vast amounts of data necessary in many areas, such as healthcare, manufacturing, big data, and financial services, is difficult and time-consuming as a result.

Quantum computing doubles the computers potentiality with each additional cubit rather than increasing the programs size. Without growing the footprint, computers can process progressively massive amounts of data in near real-time. Quantum computing is already being used in a variety of businesses with vast volumes of data to swiftly solve previously intractable tasks.

Quantum computings advantages are already being observed in healthcare, particularly in personalized medicine, where researchers and healthcare providers are working to forecast health risks and find the best therapy for groups of people who share certain features. Personalized medicine, in comparison to conventional medicine, is patient-centered care that analyses a patients genetic profile to identify health risks and provide therapies that are tailored to their specific needs.

Specialists in the burgeoning sector are increasingly depending on quantum computers unique capacity to tackle complicated data managerial challenges with high speed in order to effectively process enormous amounts of health data from millions of disparate data points. This is in favor of customized medicines development and its favorable impact on healthcare systems.

Researchers discussed their efforts to develop policies that address critical concerns about emerging technologies, highlighting the distinctions between capacity-building basic open basic and applied competitive study with direct state defense and commercial ramifications.

Foster discussed impending legislation that will expand the National Quantum Initiative by assisting in the creation of a larger pool of workers with the highly specialized skills required. The money will be used to boost military training as well as quantum-related college programs. The goal is to strengthen the Department of Defenses quantum staff, which will aid in the attempt to harness quantums power and speed to solve the most difficult problems.

Dr. Paul Lopata, Ph.D., Principal Head for Quantum Science, shared his thoughts on what businesses should be doing now to set themselves up for future quantum success. He emphasized that high-performance computing is made up of supercomputers, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and GPUs, rather than a single technique.

According to Lopata, businesses should think about the long game with quantum computing and begin thinking about the future now. In quantum computing, he revealed his 3 phases to long-term thinking:

1. Adhere to the values of your company

2. Develop your own specialty

3. Collaborate with organizations that share your values.

Quantum computing can be one of several game-changing technologies that help us improve our ability to assure healthy lives and encourage well-being for people of all ages, as well as help us build a more long-term sustainable society. Quantum computing combined with artificial intelligence allows us to address some of todays most pressing concerns while also creating re-creatable and scalable technology foundations and procedures as we strive toward global healthcare for all.

The applications that have an impact on care delivery, such as how existing tasks are completed and how they are disturbed by changing healthcare requirements or the processes necessary to fulfill them. From day-to-day operational improvement in clinical organizations to population-health management and the realm of healthcare technology, applications that support and develop healthcare delivery. Its a broad term that encompasses natural language processing (NLP), image processing, and machine learning-based predictive analytics.

While there are many issues about what is actually in AI in healthcare nowadays, this paper examined 23 applications currently in use and presents case studies for 14 of them. These examples show how AI can impact a wide range of domains, from applications that help patients control their own treatment to online symptom detectors and e-triage AI systems, virtual assistants that can perform duties in hospitals, and bionic pancreas to assist diabetic patients.

Read the rest here:

Role of Quantum Computing and AI in Healthcare Industry - Analytics Insight

Google AI Blog: Quantum Supremacy Using a Programmable …

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Danzig

This result is the first experimental challenge against the extended Church-Turing thesis, which states that classical computers can efficiently implement any reasonable model of computation. With the first quantum computation that cannot reasonably be emulated on a classical computer, we have opened up a new realm of computing to be explored.

The Sycamore ProcessorThe quantum supremacy experiment was run on a fully programmable 54-qubit processor named Sycamore. Its comprised of a two-dimensional grid where each qubit is connected to four other qubits. As a consequence, the chip has enough connectivity that the qubit states quickly interact throughout the entire processor, making the overall state impossible to emulate efficiently with a classical computer.

The success of the quantum supremacy experiment was due to our improved two-qubit gates with enhanced parallelism that reliably achieve record performance, even when operating many gates simultaneously. We achieved this performance using a new type of control knob that is able to turn off interactions between neighboring qubits. This greatly reduces the errors in such a multi-connected qubit system. We made further performance gains by optimizing the chip design to lower crosstalk, and by developing new control calibrations that avoid qubit defects.

We designed the circuit in a two-dimensional square grid, with each qubit connected to four other qubits. This architecture is also forward compatible for the implementation of quantum error-correction. We see our 54-qubit Sycamore processor as the first in a series of ever more powerful quantum processors.

ApplicationsThe Sycamore quantum computer is fully programmable and can run general-purpose quantum algorithms. Since achieving quantum supremacy results last spring, our team has already been working on near-term applications, including quantum physics simulation and quantum chemistry, as well as new applications in generative machine learning, among other areas.

We also now have the first widely useful quantum algorithm for computer science applications: certifiable quantum randomness. Randomness is an important resource in computer science, and quantum randomness is the gold standard, especially if the numbers can be self-checked (certified) to come from a quantum computer. Testing of this algorithm is ongoing, and in the coming months we plan to implement it in a prototype that can provide certifiable random numbers.

Whats Next?Our team has two main objectives going forward, both towards finding valuable applications in quantum computing. First, in the future we will make our supremacy-class processors available to collaborators and academic researchers, as well as companies that are interested in developing algorithms and searching for applications for todays NISQ processors. Creative researchers are the most important resource for innovation now that we have a new computational resource, we hope more researchers will enter the field motivated by trying to invent something useful.

Second, were investing in our team and technology to build a fault-tolerant quantum computer as quickly as possible. Such a device promises a number of valuable applications. For example, we can envision quantum computing helping to design new materials lightweight batteries for cars and airplanes, new catalysts that can produce fertilizer more efficiently (a process that today produces over 2% of the worlds carbon emissions), and more effective medicines. Achieving the necessary computational capabilities will still require years of hard engineering and scientific work. But we see a path clearly now, and were eager to move ahead.

AcknowledgementsWed like to thank our collaborators and contributors University of California Santa Barbara, NASA Ames Research Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Forschungszentrum Jlich, and many others who helped along the way.

Today we published the results of this quantum supremacy experiment in the Nature article, Quantum Supremacy Using a Programmable Superconducting Processor. We developed a new 54-qubit processor, named Sycamore, that is comprised of fast, high-fidelity quantum logic gates, in order to perform the benchmark testing. Our machine performed the target computation in 200 seconds, and from measurements in our experiment we determined that it would take the worlds fastest supercomputer 10,000 years to produce a similar output.

Each run of a random quantum circuit on a quantum computer produces a bitstring, for example 0000101. Owing to quantum interference, some bitstrings are much more likely to occur than others when we repeat the experiment many times. However, finding the most likely bitstrings for a random quantum circuit on a classical computer becomes exponentially more difficult as the number of qubits (width) and number of gate cycles (depth) grow.

Original post:

Google AI Blog: Quantum Supremacy Using a Programmable ...

Interested in Blogging? | Bradley Bowen – Patheos

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Danzig

It looks like The Secular Outpost blog will be retired in December.

My understanding is that previously published posts on The Secular Outpost will be archived and available through The Secular Web after this blog is retired.

However, a new site for multiple skeptical/secular blogs might be created by the Internet Infidels in 2022, so another skeptical/secular blog might be created to replace The Secular Outpost.

If you are interested in contributing posts to a new skeptical/secular blog that might be created to replace The Secular Outpost, then please send me an email (to: bbowen737@msn.com) with answers to the following questions:

What topics would you be likely to write about? (select all that apply)

__atheism__agnosticism__naturalism__secularism__supernaturalism/miracles__theism/God__humanism__critical thinking/rationality__religion__Christianity__Islam__Judaism__Hinduism__Buddhism__life after death/souls__faith vs. reason__philosophy of religion__ethics__science vs. religion__current events__other topics (please specify)

How often do you think you would write a post in 2022 if you become a contributor to a new skeptical/secular blog?

__ times per week

__times per month

__times per year

What sort of approach(es) would you generally take in your blog posts? (select all that apply)

__scientific or empirical facts and evidence for atheism/naturalism/skepticism/secularism

__philosophical/logical arguments for atheism/naturalism/skepticism/secularism

__scientific or empirical facts and evidence against theism/religion/supernaturalism

__philosophical/logical arguments against theism/religion/supernaturalism

__critique of scientific or empirical facts and evidence against atheism/naturalism/skepticism/secularism

__critique of scientific or empirical facts and evidence for theism/religion/supernaturalism

__critique of philosophical/logical arguments against atheism/naturalism/skepticism/secularism

__critique of philosophical/logical arguments for theism/religion/supernaturalism

__ some other approach (please provide a brief description)

What education and/or experience do you have thinking and writing about the topics that you would be likely to blog about?

[Just write a paragraph or two responding to this question].

View original post here:

Interested in Blogging? | Bradley Bowen - Patheos

Salvation Army’s Donors Withdraw Support in Response to Racial ‘Wokeness’ Initiative – Newsweek

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Danzig

As The Salvation Army launches its Red Kettle Campaign this holiday season, some of its long-time donors are withdrawing their support from the 156-year old charitable organization citing its newly embraced "woke" ideology as the reason.

Of great concern to loyal supporters and faithful Salvationists is the initiative dubbed "Let's Talk About Racism." In a nutshell, its curriculum outlines the Christian church's alleged racial collusion and provides action steps to analyze and combat racism through an "anti-racist" lens while incorporating Critical Race Theory.

Definitions of institutional and systemic racism are included while real or perceived differences in life outcomes ("inequities") are attributable not to individual effort and other circumstances, but to discrimination. Sections address topics including police brutality, health care and Black unemployment linking such topics to "racial inequity."

That's troublesome for those who note The Salvation Army has been a leader in confronting racism long before the rest of the country and over five decades before the civil rights movement. And they're asking why then should members of an organization built by the Christian faith to actually assist people of all races in need, be repentant of behavior they never perpetuated?

"In my estimation, CRT is a Trojan horse taking in well-intentioned Christian enterprises thatbecause they care about justice and oppose oppressionnaively promote the most serious threat to biblical Christianity I have seen in 50 years," wrote Christian apologist and radio talk show host Greg Koukl in a Facebook post earlier this month.

Entitled An Open Letter to The Salvation Army, Koukl prefaces the post by informing TSA that he is terminating his monthly donations and directing them to another organization. Koukl is also the founder and president of the Stand to Reason, a non-profit religious organization that "trains Christians to think more clearly about their faith and to make an even-handed defense for classical Christianity."

"There is a massive number of academicsBlack and white, Christian and non-Christian, atheist and theistwho have raised the alarm against the aggressive indoctrination and, frankly, bullying of CRTnot to mention the racial essentialism inherent in the view, the false witness it bears against virtuous people, and the general destruction it continues to wreak on race relations in this country. CRT has set us back 50 years," he continued.

Koukl isn't the only one that's voiced his concerns over the new training created through TSA's International Social Justice Commission. It was last July that it was disseminated through emails, videos, devotionals and other materials to field officers serving poor communities across the U.S. by the organization's four territorial commanders.

Active officers in the Salvation Army's western territory were trained in matters of racial equity in a compulsory manner in January. The agenda for the Territorial Virtual Officers' Councils on Racial Equity workshop mirrored the "Let's Talk About Racism" resource put out by the Commission and was required of current officers.

General Brian Peddle, CEO of The Salvation Army announced the initiative in February through a video in which he said "it examines racism through the lens of scripture, church and world history and guides gracious discussions about overcoming the damage racism has inflicted upon our world and yes, on our Salvation Army."

"As we anticipate having courageous conversations about race please join me in working toward a world in which all people feel included, valued and loved on Earth just as they are in heaven," Peddle stated in the one-minute video.

But a commentary by author Kenny Xu published on the conservative news website The Daily Signal last month addressed what he described as the Commission "unhealthily mixing admirable human rights works with politically charged advocacy based in politics."

Xu, who is also the president of Color Us Unitedan organization that advocates for a race-blind Americanoted terms that "echo both radical 'anti-racism' jargon and divisive teachings of critical race theory" in the materials prepared for The Salvation Army's more than 1.7 million members. It's terminology that Xu notes, "divides people into two camps: the oppressors and the oppressed."

"In some aspects, the materials are indistinguishable from the 'anti-racist' programs of any multinational corporation, or the expounding of critical race theory at a major university," wrote Xu, noting that "Let's Talk About Racism" accuses white Salvationists of being unable or unwilling to acknowledge their racism. He also noted its encouragement for whites to read Robin DiAngelo's White Fragility and Ibram X. Kendi's How to Be an Antiracist.

But as Xu reminds readers in his piece, "the Gospel itself is colorblind."

"Despite what the church's International Social Justice Commission says, ordinary members of The Salvation Army are committed to a colorblind perspective, and admirably so," he wrote, noting that faithful Salvationists recognize this. Xu also contends that an individual's perspective of social justice analysis doesn't necessarily correspond to the Christian ethic of individual salvation.

Xu questioned why the traditionally a-political Salvation Army would begin to promote such political and racial ideologies to begin with, which led him to organize a petition, co-written by Salvation Army captains and sponsored through Color Us United. It asks those to "stand against the insertion of politically charged racial ideologies into The Salvation Army's good work."

The appeal, calling for a revocation of the "Let's Talk About Racism" curriculum, currently has 12,200 signatures from members and donors rejecting what they consider a "woke script."

Originally founded in London in 1865 by one-time Methodist preacher William Booth and his wife Catherine, TSA is both a Christian church and an international charitable organization. Organized in an "army" structure with officers, soldiers and volunteers, collectively they are referred to as Salvationists who are called to serve both the physical and spiritual needs of the impoverished as their Christian faith dictates.

"Repentance solely for the fact that you're white, we don't think that's very productive," Xu told Newsweek, who also noted that 60 percent of those served by The Salvation Army are from ethnic minority communities. That's a statistic he told Newsweek he discovered by talking to Commissioner and TSA National Commander Kenneth G. Hodder.

"Here's the thing with the SA that's so crazythese people spend their entire lives serving the poor," said Xu. "There is absolutely no reason to even suggest or insinuate repentance for their supposed complicity in racism."

Xu noted that after he spoke to Hodder about his concerns and current petition, the extensive "Let's Talk About Racism" guide (along with its diversity, equity and inclusion trainings) was moved from the first page of The Salvation Army's International Social Justice Commission site to a less visible page. In a November 4 Facebook post by Koukl, he noted it was now listed as a guide on the site's "Resources" page.

While Newsweek reached out to both Peddle and Hodder, External Communications Manager Joseph Cohen responded to questions regarding the initiative and corresponding petition.

Cohen said The Salvation Army has in no way changed its views or adopted any new ideology, like CRT.

"Our beliefs have always been rooted in scripture, and they still are. That includes our complete rejection of racism, which is in stark contrast to the biblical principle that we're all created in the image of God. We believe that, as God loves us all, so we should all love one another," said Cohen, noting the organization's international positional statement on the issue, which was created in 2017.

Cohen did recognize that TSA occasionally provides voluntary discussion guides to its people to prepare them to engage with others on various topics. In terms of racism, two such guides have been prepared through the International Social Justice Commission, he explained.

"But these voluntary discussion guides certainly are not required, and they never take the place of our Positional Statements," said Cohen. "For us, the Truth in scripture is always supreme."

Additionally, Cohen noted that The Salvation Army has gifted more than $200 million in direct financial assistance to help people stay in their homes in 2021. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the non-profit has provided more than $225 million meals, $81 million in utility assistance and $111 million in rent and mortgage assistance.

A Newsweek story published earlier this month noted that Americans gave more charitable donations to the United Way Worldwide and the Salvation Army in 2020 than to any other nonprofit focusing on direct aid, as reported by the Associated Press. Specifically, the SA raised $1.8 billion in 2020, an increase of 31 percent from the previous year.

Still, there are those inside the organization that are finding it challenging to accept the incongruence between the organization's new initiative and its historically non-political stance.

"As so many oppose this within and without our ranks, why are we clinging onto it so tightly?" wrote active officer Captain Charles DeJesus of the Salvation Army's western territory, in a public Facebook post that he has since taken down.

In it, DeJesus, who is Black, asked Salvation Army leaders and influencers to get the organization back to being apolitical.

"I am directly calling upon you, without equivocation, to restore The Salvation Army's purely apolitical position and spirit of Blood and Fire/World for God Salvationism," DeJesus wrote in the preface of his post. "There are countless individuals who are working angles and schemes of racial justice and unity. For that reason alone, why are we so fixated on this, the environment, DEI initiatives, and other things that make us indistinguishable from academia, humanism, and other things that appear partisan?"

DeJesus also removed a corresponding follow-up video message he made to his initial post.

Meanwhile, Newsweek talked to other donors, who are at the very least questioning the Salvation Army's entree into "woke" territory with some, like Koukl, going so far as to pull their support entirely.

One such concerned donor is a longtime former chairman of the organization's advisory board and current national board advisory member Mary Theroux.

"I have a real problem with that website and the resources that are suggested readingsto my mind they do not accord with what I've seen at the SA," said Theroux, who has spent more than 25 years in a governing role.

"They're silly notions that are not going to resolve the disparate conditions of people." Rather, Theroux said there are concerted actions people can take rather than "spending a lot of time and effort in training or gnashing of teeth."

"I don't think it advances real solutions and real solutions are needed," added Theroux. "Jargon like systemic racism and whiteness being a sin is a smokescreen for correctly diagnosing the problems and addressing them in a meaningful way that will resolve them."

That's while another long-time supporter expressed his dismay in an email thanking Xu for his recent piece and sharing his own letter to Salvation Army leaders.

"I have been a faithful supporter of The Salvation Army for many years. My parents were supporters when they were alive, and they passed that down to me and my siblings. It was always a joy to see the red kettles around the holidays, as well as to hear of the efforts of TSA in helping the poor and those affected by disasters," wrote Richard N. Nakano. "Now I have noticed TSA has taken a turn to the far left politically, championing and virtue signaling such 'woke' policies as LGBTQ 'rights' and CRT. I am very disappointed the TSA has turned away from its Christ-centered mission, and is now embracing such un-Christian, world-centered views."

Nakano went on to write, "Until the TSA admits its error, denounces these woke views and turns back to its original foundations, I will NOT support itfinancially or otherwise. There are other Christian organizations I can send my donations to, just as deserving and NOT politically subservient to the woke mob."

Xu, who re-iterated that his goal is for the Salvation Army to release a statement renouncing CRT in its racial equity push, said he felt a duty to speak out against it and for those who otherwise couldn't speak for themselves.

"If you truly believe that racism is evilyou need to get rid of CRT, which is a racist ideology, assigning certain characteristics to one race and some to others," said Xu.

Added Theroux, who noted the most valuable thing to her while working with the Salvation Army is the learning she's seen "on the ground" by the officers who model Christ's love and action all the time.

"They look at individuals and truly see every one of us, whether you're a board member or someone in needthey do not see the difference between us. That's what's been so personally valuable to me," said Theroux, noting she doesn't see "wokeness" at the level she's working at. "What I see are people who have dedicated their lives."

"The Salvation Army I know is doing extremely good work, given that I do have concerns about this messaging I see," she added. "Again, I love the Army and I don't want to see it hurt. It's like when you have a friend and they're doing something sillyyou feel the need to correct them."

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Salvation Army's Donors Withdraw Support in Response to Racial 'Wokeness' Initiative - Newsweek

Party workers need to make people aware about developmental schemes of Modi Govt : Nadda – United News of India

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Danzig

Shimla, Nov 26 (UNI) BJP National president Jagat Prakash Nadda while addressing party state executive meeting appealed to the party workers to educate the masses about the various developmental schemes started by the party in the state.Nadda who was addressing party state executive meeting at Peterhof virtually from north east India said that BJP is a lone cadre based party in the country which was not being governed by any single man or family. Lashing out at other parties Nadda said that all political parties either revolve around a family or a person including the Indian National Congress and PDP of Jammu and Kashmir, BJP's political adversaries in Uttar Pradesh and in south India. He added that it is only the BJP where a common man like Jai Ram Thakur coming from no political ground could become CM, Suresh Kashayap could be president of the state unit of the party and he himself also not belonging to a non political family could become the national president."It is not BJP culture that one came to public life to have a chair or occupy coveted post, but we came here to change the picture of the nation at large. Party believes in the principle of Integeral humanism, happiness of every being. Former Rajasthan party CM Bharav Singh Shekhawat came up with the new concept of Antyodaya to provide food for everyone. This was further propagated by the former BJP CMs like Shanta Kumar and Kalyan Singh government in the eighties and nineties of 20th centuries."Reacting to the party brainstorming session of the debacle in the bye elections the BJP leader said that they have to introspect what they are doing or test their strength and capabilities while sitting together. He said that party strength has increased to 7792 booths panna pramukh in the state as the state has members in around 10400 booths including eight lakh booths in the country.Organisation has done good work, Pana committee has done a commendable job, in the state vistar and e-vistar yojana is doing good work in Himachal as it became the model state for the party in the country.The victory and loss goes together sometime there are set back or you would be elated by victory, the double engine government in Himachal, party workers should propagate this minutely among the people that party has a double engine for the development and members of the Working committee should also carry this message among lakhs of party cadres down to last person, he said.BJP president took the credit for the Kold dam and Atal tunnel project and said that it was prime minister Atal Bihari Vajapyee who laid the foundation stone for these projects when Modi came in power in 2014 he dedicated both the project to the people in 2021. He said that Luhri power project, Dhaulsidh power projects are under construction.The Modi government is doing every effort to bring the benefits of development to this hill state as it provided a special grant to Rs 533 cr in 2020-21 and Rs 400 cr in 2019-29. The state also got soft loans during the BJP Government. There was a time when the Railway health and Education budget was very low. Nine districts of Himachal were added to the universal water mission 'Harjal Ghar' which include Lahaul Spiti district. Longest eight kilometer ropeway Rs 450 cr scheme in the state have been given FCA clearance and environment clearances would be obtained shortly.Taking credit for announcing AIIMS at Bilaspur, health minister Mr Nadda said that a grand building is coming up in his home district. Party president said that he is coming to Bilaspur to inspect the progress of AIIMS construction along with the Union Health Minister on Dec 5. The OPD would be dedicated on the same day, he added. Now four medical colleges are coming up in the state, ESI Medical college became functional in Mandi, six trauma centres are coming up in the state. Four lane work is going with great speed, Chandigarh- Shimla and Sawarghat to Mandi, he added.UNI ML RKM 1339

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Party workers need to make people aware about developmental schemes of Modi Govt : Nadda - United News of India

Liberal dark money juggernaut raises $1.6 billion to flood left-wing groups with cash, tax forms reveal – Fox News

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Danzig

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

A left-wing dark money juggernaut hauled in a jaw-dropping $1.6 billion in cash from anonymous donors to bankroll groups and causes in 2020, tax forms reveal.

The forms further show that the secret money network, managed byWashington, D.C.-based consulting firm Arabella Advisors, pushed an astounding $896 million in contributions and grants to liberal groups last year.

The Arabella-managed network has solidified howDemocratsquietly benefit from massive amounts of anonymous donations as they simultaneously rail against the influence of dark money in the political sphere.

The network's web of groups sits under four Arabella-managed nonprofits: the New Venture Fund, Sixteen Thirty Fund, Windward Fund and Hopewell Fund.

DEMOCRATS' HR1 ELECTION BILL BOOSTED BY LIBERAL DARK MONEY GROUP FINANCED BY FOREIGN NATIONAL

Each of the funds acts as a fiscal sponsor to other liberal nonprofits, meaning they provide their tax and legal status to the nonprofits housed beneath the funds. This arrangement allows the fiscally sponsored groups to avoid filing tax forms to theIRS, which would shed light on their financials.

The funds do not disclose donors on their tax forms.

"Arabella is proud to work for these nonprofits, providing HR, legal, payroll, and other administrative services," Steve Sampson, spokesperson for Arabella Advisors, told Fox News. "They make their own decisions on their strategy, programmatic work, and fundraising."

The New Venture Fund is the network's largest nonprofit incubator in terms of sheer cash. In 2020, the fund raised $965 million in anonymous contributions, itstax formsshow.

The Sixteen Thirty Fund hauled in$388 million, the Windward Fund raised$158 millionand the Hopewell Fund facilitated$150 millionin secret donations, their respective tax forms show.

The funds funneled a combined $1.6 billion from secret donors in 2020 - a drastic increase of $885 million over what the fundshad raked inthroughout 2019.

The Capital Research Center found the four funds have implemented more than 300 "pop-up" projects to boost Democratic causes and attack Republican initiatives since their inception.

The groups push efforts ranging fromhealth careto climate initiatives, work on state-level advocacy and ballot measures, and spent big last year to defeat formerPresident Trump.

As the Arabella-managed funds garnered astronomical donations last year, they passed large sums of cash to nonprofits in and outside its network.

The New Venture Fund disbursed $447 million in 2020, itstax formsshow. The contributions include $44 million to America Votes, $25 million to the election reform group Center for Tech and Civic Life and $1 million to the Center for American Progress, which has produced dozens ofBiden White Housestaffers.

RON KLAIN, BIDEN'S POWERFUL CHIEF OF STAFF, LEADS WHITE HOUSE RIFE WITH DARK MONEY TIES

"In response to the urgent global and nationwide challenges of 2020, we were proud to work on all major issues in philanthropy last year, including addressing climate change, election security, racial justice, youth empowerment and education, and global health and international development," Lee Bodner, president of the New Venture Fund, told Fox News.

Bodner said the New Venture Fund does not engage in partisan activities or support any political campaigns.

Meanwhile, the Sixteen Thirty Fund provided$325 millionto liberal endeavors, according to tax forms. Its lucrative grants went to groups such as America Votes ($128 million), Defending Democracy Together ($10 million), a Bill Krystol-directed group, and American Bridge 21st Century Foundation ($2.1 million), led by liberal operative David Brock.

The Sixteen Thirty Fund also financed attack ads against President Trump and other Republicans,Politicoreported.

Amy Kurtz, president of the Sixteen Thirty Fund, told Fox News that last year the group "helped progressive changemakers quickly and efficiently launch new initiatives to address existential threats of historic proportion: a global pandemic, a long-overdue reconning with racial justice, and a climate crisis that we are now living month after month."

Kurtz said the fund is dedicated to "reducing the influence of special interest money in politics" and "leveling the playing field for progressives." She added that they support the For the People Act, which calls for tackling dark money.

The Windward Fund, which primarily focuses onenvironmentalinitiatives, pushed$44 millioninto causes, its tax forms show. Despite their primary focus, the fund moved money to voter engagement groups such as the Missouri Organizing and Voter Engagement Collaborative and the National Vote at Home Institute.

"As the effects of climate change continue to impact communities across the United States and world, the Windward Fund incubated and supported a range of water, climate, and environmental initiatives last year," the group told Fox News in a statement.

"We are proud that we connected and supported groups across diverse geographies, sectors, and communities like never before in 2020, enabling them to mobilize efficiently and elevate the voices of those impacted most by the environmental crisis," the Windward Fund said.

The Hopewell Fund funneled$80 millionto Democratic causes in 2020, its tax forms show. Its most significant contribution was $8 million to ACRONYM, a progressive-media group.

Tara McGowan, who led ACRONYM, launcheda new project this year called Good Information, Inc. to counter "fake news" and disinformation. ACRONYM funded Courier Newsroom, which has been called a "fake news" site by watchdogs. Good Information acquired Courier Newsroom as part of its operations.

"The Hopewell Fund is proud of the work we did in 2020 to help make the world a more equitable place through fiscal sponsorship, charitable initiatives, and grant making," the group wrote in a statement to Fox News. "Our work last year helped nonprofit projects address some of the most pressing issues our society is experiencing, including income inequality, civic engagement, and health care access."

LIBERAL DARK MONEY GROUPS DRIVE EFFORTS TO PACK THE SUPREME COURT

Caitlin Sutherland, executive director of the watchdog group Americans for Public Trust, attempted to gather the fund's tax forms in person last week but was escorted out by security.

"No wonder Arabella Advisorscalled securityon Americans for Public Trust when we requested these tax returns," Sutherland told Fox News. "They were delaying the release of documents that would show they funneled over $1 billion to liberal and left wing causes."

"After years of railing on the evils of dark money, all while being bankrolled by a Swiss billionaire, it is clear liberals are the main beneficiary of undisclosed donations," Sutherland said.

A host of influential Democratic donors use the Arabella-managed funds as a conduit to funnel cash to projects, including billionairesGeorge Sorosand Hansjorg Wyss, a Swiss national who said in 2014 he did not hold American citizenship.

The Open Society Policy Center, Soros' advocacy nonprofit, was anearly funderof the judicial advocacy group Demand Justice, which the Sixteen Thirty Fund fiscally sponsored until this year.

Demand Justice has been at the forefront of Republican judicial fights, including pushing back against the nomination of now-Supreme CourtJustice Brett Kavanaugh.

FILE - In this Sept. 27, 2015, file photo, George Soros, chairman of Soros Fund Management, talks during a television interview for CNN at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York. (AP)

Shortly before Demand Justice publicly launched in 2018, Brian Fallon, the group's leader, mingled at an Atlanta Democracy Alliance donor club gathering, which counts Soros as a member. Hewas in attendanceto promote his group, and Soros' donation flowed to the group around that time.

The Democracy Alliance has alsorecommendedthat its members, who largely remain hidden, provide donations to initiatives housed at the Arabella-managed funds in its internal documents.

Sorosaddedmillions more to projects housed at the Sixteen Thirty Fund last year, including the Governing for Impact Action Fund and Trusted Elections Action Fund, an Open Society Foundations database shows.

The Sixteen Thirty Fundalso paidthe Democracy Alliance hundreds of thousands of dollars in consulting services in the past.

At least one Arabella Advisors employee, Scott Nielson, its managing director of advocacy,workedwith Soros' nonprofits and the Democracy Alliance before joining the consulting firm.

Meanwhile, Wyss, theSwissbillionaire, is also connected to the Democracy Alliance and is a significant financial backer of the Sixteen Thirty Fund.

Between 2016 and early 2020, Wyss directed $135 million into the Sixteen Thirty Fund through the Wyss Foundation's advocacy arm, the Berger Action Fund, the New York Times reported.

LIBERAL DARK MONEY GROUP 1630 FUND'S ELECTION WISHLIST BOOSTED BY SWISS BILLIONAIRE

Another group closely related to the Sixteen Thirty Fund and Wyss is the Hub Project, a behind-the-scenes group that has received millions of dollars from the Wyss Foundation. The Wyss Foundation is one of the top donors to the Hub Project, which has a history of distributing funds from the Sixteen Thirty Fund to state-level groups.

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 01: Former Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg (L) and philanthropist Hansjorg Wyss attend Oceana's 2015 New York City benefit at Four Seasons Restaurant on April 1, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Oceana) (Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Oceana)

One of the state-level groups was Floridians for a Fair Democracy, which received $3.95 million from the Sixteen Thirty Fund to help restore voting rights for more than a million felons through a ballot initiative in 2018.

Another billionaire, eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, disclosed giving $45 million to the Sixteen Thirty Fund for a group called the Civic Action Fund last year,Politicoreported.

Arabella Advisors collected large sums from the four funds for administrative, operations and management services in 2020, making it a highly lucrative business.

The tax forms show the New Venture Fund paid nearly$27 millionto Arabella, while the Sixteen Thirty Fund disbursed$9 millionto the firm. The Windward Fund doled out almost$3 millionfor its services, while the Hopewell Fund added$6.6 million to Arabella.

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Arabella was paid $45 million between the funds for their management services.

Eric Kessler, a formerBill Clintonappointee and member of the Clinton Global Initiative, is the founder and head of Arabella Advisors.

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Liberal dark money juggernaut raises $1.6 billion to flood left-wing groups with cash, tax forms reveal - Fox News

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