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NASA’s Moon-Bound Orion Spacecraft is Officially Fit for Flight

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Danzig

Fit for Flight

NASA’s Orion, the spacecraft designed to carry American astronauts to the Moon as part of the agency’s Artemis program, just completed its System Acceptance Review and Design Certification Review. In other words, Orion is officially fit to embark on its maiden voyage as soon as next year.

The Orion spacecraft is a partially reusable capsule meant to ferry a crew of between two and six into space and as far as the lunar orbit. It also features an emergency abort system and the ability to provide safe re-entry from deep space.

SLS

Orion is designed to be carried into space using NASA’s next-generation, heavy lift Space Launch System (SLS) rockets.

The thorough review included system tests, inspection reports, and detailed analyses of every part of the spacecraft. It also signifies “the final formal milestone to pass before integration with the Space Launch System rocket,” according to a NASA statement.

The news comes a day after Northrop Grumman successfully fired a massive 154-foot SLS booster during a test in the Utah desert.

Artemis I

Artemis I, formerly known as Exploration Mission-1, will put Orion and SLS to the ultimate test — the mission will be a three week, uncrewed test flight around the Moon, getting to within just 60 miles of the lunar surface.

The mission is slated for November 2021. The first crewed mission, Artemis II, is expected to launch in August 2023.

READ MORE: Orion Program Completes Key Review for Artemis I [NASA]

More on Artemis: NASA Tests Rocket So Huge It Lights Entire Hillside on Fire

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NASA’s Moon-Bound Orion Spacecraft is Officially Fit for Flight

Psychophysicists: Your Brain Might Not Be as Conscious as You Think

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Danzig

A team of psychophysicists believe they've figured out how consciousness works in our mind. If so, they would also have settled a 1,500-year-old debate.

NPCs

A team of scientists thinks they’ve finally arrived at a model of how consciousness works in the human mind — and in doing so, may have settled a 1,500-year-old debate.

The big issue is whether consciousness is continuous or discrete: Basically, scientists and philosophers have long argued over whether we’re conscious all the time or only during concise moments. In an opinion piece published Thursday in the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences, the scientists say it’s a little bit of both — and their verdict could free scientists of various disciplines up to do their work without butting heads.

And/Or

The scientists, all psychophysicists at Switzerland’s Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), said that there’s a two-step process going on. While our brains are continuously processing information behind the scenes in more of an “unconscious” manner, we’re only actively conscious of that information during discrete moments.

“Conscious processing is overestimated,” lead author Michael Herzog said in a press release. “You should give more weight to the dark, unconscious processing period. You just believe that you are conscious at each moment of time.”

Autopilot

When we ride a bike, Herzog mused, our bodies automatically make minute adjustments to keep from falling over without consciously thinking about it. But even with his team’s two-step model, some of the secondary questions surrounding the ancient debate remain. Questions about how long these discrete moments of consciousness last, or how they differ among people, don’t have answers.

“The question for what consciousness is needed and what can be done without conscious? We have no idea,” Herzog said.

More on consciousness: Artificial Consciousness: How To Give A Robot A Soul

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Psychophysicists: Your Brain Might Not Be as Conscious as You Think

Amazon Promises Its Alexa For Landlords System Doesn’t Spy on Tenants

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Danzig

Amazon is launching a Alexa for Residential service that makes it easier for landlords to convert units into smart apartments.

Don’t Mind Me!

Amazon is launching a new program that would make it easier for landlords to install Alexa-enabled smart speakers and devices in their tenants’ homes.

Alexa for Residential, The Verge reports, would get Alexa integration set up in the now-smart apartment, and tenants would be able to link their Amazon accounts to the devices or just use them as standalone gadgets. Most importantly, Amazon says that the wealth of user data that these devices would gather on each tenant will stay out of their landlord’s hands.

Tall Order

Of course, Amazon telling us we can trust them to keep data private is a bit rich, given the myriad privacy scandals involving Amazon’s tech in recent years — not to mention its well-funded efforts to spy on its own employees.

That said, The Verge reports that tenants will be able to separate their Amazon account from the smart devices, and Amazon says that any voice recordings gathered by the devices will be deleted after a day.

Potential Upsell

In the coming months, companies that have already signed up for Alexa for Residential plan to install the units in rental properties in Colorado, Florida, and Maryland.

At that point, it’ll be interesting to see if the units get rented for more than they did previously – or, on the other hand, if people avoid the high-tech homes altogether.

More on Alexa: Thanks, Amazon! Echo Recorded And Sent Audio To Random Contacts Without Warning

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Amazon Promises Its Alexa For Landlords System Doesn’t Spy on Tenants

Watch Ford’s Insanely Powerful Electric Mustang Pop a Wheelie on the Drag Strip

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Danzig

The Ford Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 prototype is absolutely insane. It can barely keep itself on the road during a drag race.

Action Hero

Ford is gunning to become the name brand of choice when it comes to the new generation of American all-electric muscle cars — and with its one-off Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 prototype, dubbed the “all-electric action hero,” it might just have a shot to take first place.

The vigorous electric powertrain on wheels delivers a rubber-melting 1,400 horsepower and over 1,100 pound feet of torque, served up immediately with a single press of a pedal.

During a private test, Ford engineers were able to squeeze just over 1,500 horsepower out of the 800 volt powertrain, the company claims.

Up to 11

The Cobra Jet features four motors that spin at up to 10,000 revolutions per minute. Its battery pack can put out 350 kW — per motor.

It’s so much unbridled performance, the car can barely keep itself grounded. In a new video uploaded by Ford’s Performance division, the vehicle pops a wheelie as it screams down the drag strip.

“Since revealing the car, we’ve continued to fine-tune it and now know we’re just scratching the surface of what we may be able to achieve with this much electric horsepower in a drag racing setting,” Mark Rushbrook, global director at Ford Performance Motorsports, said in a statement.

There’s only a slim chance you’ll be able to buy one any time soon, though. Ford has, however, announced the Mustang Lithium, a 900 horsepower all-electric muscle car. There’s also the Mustang Mach-E.

More on Ford: Ford Software Update Lets Cop Cars Bake Away Coronavirus

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Close-Up Images of Sunspots Look Like Horrible Gaping Mouths

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Danzig

Using the recently upgraded GREGOR telescope on Tenerife, Spain, researchers zoomed in on the surface of the Sun to study its magnetism.

Enhance

Using Europe’s largest solar telescope GREGOR, researchers zoomed in on the surface of the Sun to study its magnetism and how it influences the Earth — and what they saw is absolutely terrifying.

They were able to get close enough to identify features as small as 50 kilometers across, the equivalent of spotting a needle on a soccer field from an entire kilometer away, according to a statement.

Telescope Upgrades

Telescope optics suffer from many of the same problems as glasses wearers who have the wrong prescription, resulting in blurry vision. These issues tend to be caused by fabrication issues involved in constructing the telescope’s numerous elements.

The team was able to correct for some of these issues on GREGOR by realigning its elements and making several mechanical upgrades, as outlined in a new paper published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

One of these issues was an astigmatism, another issue plaguing both human and telescopic vision. They eliminated it by polishing six nanometers off the ‘scope’s massive parabolic mirrors, or about 10,000th the diameter of a human hair.

Gaping Maw

Thanks to the upgrades, the team was able to get a detailed look at the Sun’s mysterious sunspots, strange and relatively cool spots that dot the surface of our star. Magnetic fields are very strong in these areas, trapping the heat within.

And as it turns out, they look absolutely terrifying when viewed from Earth — like a horrible gaping mouth.

READ MORE: New High-Res Images of The Sun Show How Creepy Sunspots Look in Closeup [Science Alert]

More on the Sun: Scientists Found Something Surprising in Closest-Ever Photos of the Sun

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Close-Up Images of Sunspots Look Like Horrible Gaping Mouths

A Three-Star System Ripped Apart Its Own Protoplanetary Disc

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Danzig

Scientists identified a solar system with three stars that tore apart its own protoplanetary disc with the stars' bizarre orbits.

Topsy-Turvy

For the first time, astronomers have found a star system that ripped apart its own protoplanetary disc, the ring of materials that gradually clump together to form planets.

The star system in question, GW Orionis, is particularly volatile. With three stars at its center, what once was a regular, uniform protoplanetary disk is now warped out of alignment, according to research published Thursday in the journal Science. It’s an unusual find, and it could help the hunt for more exoplanets elsewhere now that scientists know planets could form in bizarre, unique orbits.

Black Sheep

Thankfully, the damage to the protoplanetary disc isn’t so bad that exoplanets can’t form around the three stars. Even a separate misaligned ring still has enough material to potentially create a new world.

“Any planets formed within the misaligned ring will orbit the star on highly oblique orbits and we predict that many planets on oblique, wide-separation orbits will be discovered in future planet imaging campaigns,” study co-author Alexander Kreplin of the University of Exeter said in a press release.

Missing Piece

The scientists found that the three stars, all of which are in misaligned orbits, could have gradually ripped the disc apart. But a separate team from the University of Victoria thinks that there’s still a missing piece: one exoplanet formed in the middle of the mess that served as a trigger for the ensuing chaos.

“We think that the presence of a planet between these rings is needed to explain why the disc tore apart,” Victoria researcher Jiaqing Bi said in the release.

More on planet formation: A Baby Exoplanet Is Creating Strange Dust Rings Around Its Star

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A Three-Star System Ripped Apart Its Own Protoplanetary Disc

Russian Scientist Still Plotting to Create More CRISPR Babies

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Danzig

A Russian biologist plans to gene-hack more CRISPR babies in an attempt to prevent deafness despite other scientists' warnings.

Remember all the commotion and immediate backlash against the idea of CRISPR babies — human embryos that have their genes altered with CRISPR — after a Chinese researcher created a pair of twins with altered genetic code in 2018 and 2019?

Well, the concept hasn’t gone away, much to bioethicists’ chagrin. Now, Russian biologist Denis Rebrikov of Moscow’s Pirogov Medical University is telling New Scientist that he still plans to gene-hack human embryos, in an attempt to prevent congenital deafness.

“We are still planning to correct the inherited hearing loss mutation in [the gene] GJB2, so that a hearing baby is born to a deaf couple,” Rebrikov told the magazine.

But other scientists, of course, remain convinced that’s a bad idea. After the Chinese researcher He Jiankui created the world’s first CRISPR babies a few years back, an international team of doctors created the International Commission on the Clinical Use of Human Germline Genome Editing.

The commission, New Scientist reports, published a report on Thursday concluding that human gene editing is still unsafe, especially when the goal is to bring an embryo to term. And if a doctor absolutely must do so, they suggest that it ought to be only for life-saving purposes.

Even having read the report, Rebrikov told New Scientist that he’s still moving ahead with his plan.

It’s not clear that he’s got the necessary approval from Russian regulatory bodies. But, as is the case in many countries around the world, Russia doesn’t outright ban the practice so he may be able to sneak his experiments through.

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Neuroscientist: There Was a Huge Problem With Neuralink’s Demo

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Danzig

But not everybody was impressed with Neuralink's recent demo. To many experts, the demo seems to have raised far more questions than it was able to answer.

Not Impressed

On August 28, Elon Musk showed off an early version of his secretive startup Neuralink’s brain computer interface. He demonstrated a coin-sized prototype, implanted in a pig’s skull, that’s meant to read and write information from the brain.

Musk called it “kind of like a Fitbit in your skull, with tiny wires” during the event, and said it could solve a number of disorders, from depression to brain damage.

But not everybody was impressed. To many experts, the demo seems to have raised far more questions than it was able to answer.

“Let me give a more specific concern: The device we saw was placed over a single sensorimotor area,” John Krakauer, chief medical and scientific officer at MindMaze and professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University, told Inverse.

Studded Belt

Krakauer’s logistical concern: could one Neuralink device really give access to the entire brain?

“If we want to read thoughts rather than movements (assuming we knew their neural basis) where do we put it?” he added. “How many will we need? How does one avoid having one’s scalp studded with them? No mention of any of this of course.”

Big Huh

Krakauer wasn’t the only unimpressed neuroscientist.

“In terms of their technology, 1,024 channels is not that impressive these days, but the electronics to relay them wirelessly is state-of-the-art, and the robotic implantation is nice,” Andrew Jackson, professor of neural interfaces at Newcastle University said in a Science Media Center statement.

“The biggest challenge is what you do with all this brain data,” Jackson added. “The demonstrations were actually quite underwhelming in this regard, and didn’t show anything that hasn’t been done before.”

More on Neuralink: PETA Is Really Upset With Elon Musk For Testing Neuralink on Pigs

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Battery-Free Game Boy Powered by Force of Mashing Buttons

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Danzig

A team of scientists build a recreation of the Nintendo Game Boy that works without any batteries to demonstrate new ways to build clean gadgets.

Button Masher

A team of computer scientists have spent their year working on the world’s first battery-free Game Boy.

The device, CNET reports, is a faithful recreation of the 1989 Nintendo Game Boy, with one key difference: Instead of AA batteries, the handheld gaming system is powered entirely by tiny solar panels and the force of a heated gamer mashing the buttons. Just like the Game Boy was a breakthrough in mobile gaming, the scientists hope that they too can spark a revolution in battery-free technology.

Gamer Fuel

Playing the device — called the Engage — isn’t quite up to the standard of an authentic Game Boy, even though it can play the classic console’s entire library of games. That’s because its very limited power necessitates a tiny screen, no speakers, and just a few seconds of life without constant button-mashing.

“We’re really making a huge leap towards useful and usable systems that are built upon this foundation of intermittent computing,” Delft University of Technology computer scientist Przemyslaw Pawelczak told CNET.

Save States Enabled

Those limitations are by design, CNET reports, and the team found a way to make the console autosave your progress at the exact moment before it dies. Press a few buttons and the game springs back to life at the exact moment you left it. That’s great for games like Tetris, but more of a disruption for games like the Pokémon series that don’t require button mashing.

What remains to be seen, however, is how the notoriously-litigious Nintendo will react after the team presents the Engage at a research conference next week.

More on gaming: Putting Pokémon On The Blockchain Takes Microtransactions To Their Inevitable, Insufferable End

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China Just Launched a Mysterious “Reusable Test Spacecraft”

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Danzig

China quietly launched a mysterious reusable spacecraft into orbit this morning on top a massive Long March 2F rocket. Could it be the country's spaceplane?

Mysterious Spacecraft

China quietly launched a mysterious reusable spacecraft into orbit this morning, atop a massive Long March 2F rocket at the country’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

China’s state news website Xinhua called the launch a success. “The test spacecraft will return to its intended domestic landing site after a period of orbit, during which reusable technical validation will be carried out as planned,” reads the report, as translated by Google Translate.

Top Secret

It’s still unclear what the spacecraft, likely a project by the country’s main space contractor China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. (CASC), is designed to do — or what it even looks like, for that matter.

Some experts suggest it could be a spaceplane, reminiscent of the US’s top secret X-37B project, which recently carried out its sixth mission in orbit.

“China has been looking into a few different concepts for spaceplanes for quite a few years,” Andrew Jones, a freelance reporter specializing in China’s space program, told The Verge.

Wider Payloads

In 2017, China announced plans to test a reusable spaceplane in 2020, as SpaceNews reports. Adding to the rumors was apparent modification work on the launch tower, reportedly allowing wider payloads to be launched using the Long March 2F rocket.

The 2017 reports also claimed that such a reusable spacecraft would be designed to carry both crew and payloads, according to SpaceNews.

More on X-37B: The Space Force Is About to Launch a Mysterious Spacecraft

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Fauci Warns That Earth Has Entered a “Pandemic Era”

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Danzig

Dr. Fauci warns that we've all entered a

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House’s top coronavirus advisor, warns that humanity is now living in a “pandemic era.”

At this point, nearly half a year after the COVID-19 pandemic brought the U.S. to its knees, that may sound obvious. But as The Washington Post reports, Fauci is talking about something greater than just the current pandemic. Rather, he believes that human activity has become a major contributor to the emergence of new deadly diseases.

“COVID-19, recognized in late 2019, is but the latest example of an unexpected, novel, and devastating pandemic disease,” Fauci, along with his colleague Dr. David Morens, wrote in research published last month in the prestigious journal CELL. “One can conclude from this recent experience that we have entered a pandemic era. The causes of this new and dangerous situation are multifaceted, complex, and deserving of serious examination.”

Throughout the paper, Fauci and Morens point out numerous dangerous disease outbreaks that began as a downstream effect of industrialization or other ways that human civilization impacted nature. For instance, there’s the Nipah virus outbreak from around the turn of the 21st century that began because humanity burned down forests to make room for agriculture, which displaced infected bats closer to populated areas.

“There are many examples where disease emergences reflect our increasing inability to live in harmony with nature,” Fauci and Morens write.

In order to reverse course, the duo warns that we need to rethink many aspects of our society, from deforestation to living in crowded cities to unsanitary animal farming.

“Living in greater harmony with nature will require changes in human behavior as well as other radical changes that may take decades to achieve: rebuilding the infrastructures of human existence, from cities to homes to workplaces, to water and sewer systems, to recreational and gatherings venues,” Fauci and Morens write.

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Fauci Warns That Earth Has Entered a “Pandemic Era”

Plants Do Something Weird When They Grow Near Human Corpses, Scientists Say

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Danzig

According to a new paper, changes in the composition of tree and shrub canopies could guide search and rescue teams to find human remains.

It’s like an episode of “True Detective.”

How do you find human remains in a massive natural ecosystem like the Amazon rainforest? According to a new paper published in the journal Trends in Plant Science, tree and shrub canopies could guide search and rescue teams to find human remains, as CNN reports.

As they decompose, human remains create “cadaver decomposition islands,” the researchers write, altering the surrounding soil, roots and leaves. These changes could even be “detected remotely.”

“In smaller, open landscapes foot patrols could be effective to find someone missing, but in more forested or treacherous parts of the world like the Amazon, that’s not going to be possible at all,” explained senior author Neal Stewart Junior, a professor of plant sciences at the University of Tennessee, in a statement. “This led us to look into plants as indicators of human decomposition, which could lead to faster, and possibly safer body recovery.”

The researchers are planning to test their new cadaver discovering technique at the University of Tennessee’s “body farm,” more formally known as the Anthropology Research Facility, where they will assess changes in these cadaver decomposition islands including minute changes in the coloration and fluorescent signatures of individual leaves.

“The most obvious result of the islands would be a large release of nitrogen into the soil, especially in the summertime when decomposition is happening so fast,” Stewart said. “Depending on how quickly the plants respond to the influx of nitrogen, it may cause changes in leaf color and reflectance.”

There’s one key problem: humans aren’t the only mammals dying in the woods. That means the team will have to find a human specific way to spot these metabolic processes that differ, say, from a dead deer.

“One thought is if we had a specific person who went missing who was, let’s say, a heavy smoker, they could have a chemical profile that could trigger some sort of unique plant response making them easier to locate,” Stewart suggested. “Though at this stage this idea is still farfetched.”

Stewart and his team are hoping their research could make recovering human bodies — and possibly nearby survivors — in large forested ideas far more efficient.

“When you start to think about deploying drones to look for specific emissions, now we can think of the signals more like a check engine light,” he explained. “If we can quickly fly where someone may have gone missing and collect data over tens or even hundreds of square kilometers, then we’d know the best spots to send in a search team.”

More on forensics: Horrifying Study: Corpses Thrash Around For a Year After Death

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Plants Do Something Weird When They Grow Near Human Corpses, Scientists Say

Engineers Test Jetliner Where You Ride in the Wings

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Danzig

Engineers ran a flight test of a model Flying-V, the experimental plane that has seats inside its wings, for the first time.

We Have Liftoff

For the first time, a scale model of the Flying-V, an experimental jetliner that seats passengers inside its wings, took flight during an uncrewed test.

The results of a Flying-V test have been long awaited. The plane’s unusual design makes it 20 percent more fuel efficient than the most advanced planes on the market, according to New Atlas, which has covered the project previously. But, as with any unusual experimental design, it remains unclear how well it would actually work in practice.

Flight Simulator

Even if it wasn’t a real Flying-V, the successful flight test of the scaled down model is a pretty big deal. Even the engineers helping design it weren’t sure how well the new plane would fare during takeoff and landing.

“One of our worries was that the aircraft might have some difficulty lifting-off, since previous calculations had shown that ‘rotation’ could be an issue,” Roelof Vos, a propulsion researcher at Delft University of Technology, told Flightglobal.com. “The team optimized the scaled flight model to prevent the issue. But you need to fly to know for sure.”

Light Turbulence

The largest issue that the team ran into was during what Vos called “somewhat of a rough landing,” Vos told FlightGlobal.

When your flight lands, you might notice that the plane tends to tilt back and forth a bit as it lands up with the runway. The same thing happened with the Flying-V, Vos told the site, and we can’t imagine how nauseous passengers would have been.

More on aviation: New “Flying-V” Plane Puts Passenger Seats in the Wings

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Finally, There’s Evidence That the Russian COVID Vaccine Might Work

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Danzig

There's finally published research suggesting that the Russian COVID-19 vaccine boosts the immune system, but it's not clear if it will actually help.

Finally, after the Russian government approved it for use, there’s actual evidence that the country’s experimental coronavirus vaccine induces an actual immune response.

Results from a preliminary test were published in the academic journal The Lancet on Friday, New Scientist reports, ending weeks of mystery during which Russian officials bragged about the vaccine despite there being no publicly-available evidence that it worked.

Even the newly-published experiment is minuscule in scale compared to what’s necessary to prove that a vaccine works and is safe. The paper shows that the vaccine prepared the immune systems of all 76 healthy volunteers to fight the coronavirus without side effects. But, as New Scientist points out, there’s still no evidence that the vaccine actually prevents or even mitigates COVID-19 infections.

Without proper data, scientists remain skeptical of the vaccine — and, needless to say, the deployment of it — until there’s actual evidence that it will help.

“We are not expecting to see widespread vaccination until the middle of next year,” World Health Organization spokesperson Margaret Harris said at a Friday press briefing.

“This phase 3 must take longer because we need to see how truly protective the vaccine is and we also need to see how safe it is,” Harris added, speaking of experimental vaccines in general.

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Quarantine has led to spike in business for some Las Vegas industries – Las Vegas Sun

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Danzig

Some Las Vegas businesses are thriving during the pandemic. Because people are home more, they are tackling home improvement projects that they had let slide for too long. Christopher Sterles company, Acoustic Design Systems, is one of those that have gotten even busier.

Mostly, the pandemic created an increased demand for home network, home entertainment and home management equipment, said Sterle, CEO and owner of Acoustic, a home automation company. The pandemic created a sense of urgency for customers to make updates since they are staying home, concerned with safety and security, and have time to spend on home improvements.

But even before the pandemic, our industry had been experiencing tremendous growth. Last year was the largest year-over-year increase in households owning a smart device since 2017, and despite the pandemic, the U.S. smart home industry is predicted to grow by 25% and reach $246 billion in the next five years.

What is your background and how did you land in the commercial/home automation business?

My career began in Mentor, Ohio, in 1995, when I started selling and installing home electronics for a big box retail store. I had just graduated high school and knew college wasnt for me, but I was fascinated with audiovisual (AV). I attended training classes for various AV manufacturers, learning all aspects of their products and capabilities.

After realizing my passion for the industry, I decided to pursue home electronic installations full time and joined a local company that specialized in home AV and custom installs. A few years later, I relocated to Nevada to become a field manager for a Las Vegas residential AV company. For two years I worked closely with customers and delved deeper into the custom AV field, learning more about designing tailored systems for residential clients.

In 2000, I joined the production show EFX at MGM Grand to learn more about professional AV gear and installations within commercial environments. One year later, I left the show to begin planning and laying the foundation to start my own company, and in 2003 we launched Acoustic Design Systems.

What specific adaptations did you make as a result of the pandemic?

When the quarantine began, we launched virtual sales appointments for home-based businesses or homeowners interested in upgrading their technology. Our clients can connect with our team to schedule repairs, troubleshoot or talk about upgrading their existing wireless network, security systems and audio video systems while practicing social distancing. Then in May, we debuted a monthly service plan for remotely maintaining smart home technology systems.

Operationally, we changed our company practices to follow new guidelines face masks and social distancing, masks, gloves, and took additional steps to make sure our customers remain safe while we are in their homes.

We stopped conducting company meetings in our conference room and moved them into our warehouse, where we can be well spread out. We stopped allowing employees to ride with each other in our service vans and required everyone to travel in their own company vehicles. We are also having our employees work in separate offices instead of in clusters.

Financially, we put a limit on inventory to eliminate high overhead. We now wait to order the product well need for upcoming jobs to maximize cash flow, and were asking vendors to allow 60-day terms instead of 30 for a longer payout on bills. We also took advantage of business grants and payroll protection programs that were offered by government.

How did the pandemic change your outlook on business?

The pandemic reminded me of 2008, and I had to make sure we werent doing any wasteful spending because these types of situations can come up any time. Since then, we make sure we always have plenty of money in reserves.

What is the best business advice youve received?

My first business coach, Steve First, taught me that its OK to say no to a customer. Its very empowering to feel and know you can turn down a project. As popular as the business phrase the customer is always right is, its simply not always the case. If you get into a situation where you are asked to do something outside of your comfort zone, its better to say no than to say yes and ruin a relationship or experience for a customer.

What has been your most exciting professional project to date?

Overall, our long-term exclusive relationship with Toll Brothers has been one of the most fulfilling partnerships weve had, and is one that continues to grow stronger after seven years of working together. We approached them about partnering after discovering a potential revenue stream that we thought could turn into an amazing opportunity for us, and it really paid off.

As the housing market was bouncing back, we recognized there werent many other integrators working with production homebuilders. Before the recession, home automation was mainly seen as a luxury that only homeowners of custom builds could afford. Because of this, we saw a niche that could be developed to offer smart home technology to median-priced homeowners, leading us to shift from mostly designing home theaters to specializing in smart home automation integration.

Even as demand for smart home tech continues to flourish, there are still only a handful of homebuilders that are seeing the value in offering smart home technology as buyer options in new production builds. Most still just use electrical contractors for basic wiring, and are missing a golden opportunity, as a homes value can increase by up to 5% with home automation. In fact, we receive a ton of business from buyers whose builders dont offer smart home tech, requesting installation as their homes are in the process of being built.

Have you gone out to other businesses since the city began reopening?

Yes, I went to both the Cosmopolitan and the Shops at Crystals. It was an eerie and awkward experience with our wonderful town being so slow right now. I love our city and visit the Strip a lot, and I cant wait for it to get back to normal and filled with both locals and tourists.

What are you reading right now? Or binge-watching?

Im binge watching Formula 1 and trying to avoid political ads by watching as much Netflix as possible.

How do you wind down after a long day or busy week?

I work out after being in the office for the day because it clears my mind, and a little bit of bourbon always helps me go to bed. I have a collection of some of the rarest bourbons in the world, and I enjoy seeking out the newest and rarest distillers I can find.

If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be and why?

I would live full-time on the beach in Southern California, where I could ride bikes and skateboard every single day.

What is something that people might not know about you?

I started electric skateboarding at 40 years old.

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Quarantine has led to spike in business for some Las Vegas industries - Las Vegas Sun

Las Vegas buffet will survive the COVID pandemic, experts say – Las Vegas Review-Journal

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Danzig

Las Vegas buffets may be down these days, but experts say theyre not out.

As resorts began to gradually reopen after the COVID-19 shutdown, buffets remained shuttered, the health risks inherent and obvious. The Buffet at Wynn Las Vegas was the first to return, with a modified format, on June 18, followed by Wicked Spoon at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and the Garden Buffet at South Point. And then Wynn announced last week that its buffet would close indefinitely at the end of service Monday.

So was that it the death knell for the buffet?

Absolutely not, said Anthony Curtis, publisher of the Las Vegas Advisor newsletter and website, whos been following the citys buffets for decades. Its part of the firmament of what makes Las Vegas Las Vegas.

I dont think its going to go away, agreed Christine Bergman, a professor of food science and nutrition at UNLV.

Curtis said the Wynns version just wasnt what the Wynns guests wanted.

They gave it a shot, he said. I commend them for that. It sounds to me that it wasnt the right experience.

Under the Wynn model, guests ordered from a server who brought the food to the table. But Curtis said the appeal of a buffet is the experience of getting your own.

You cant make it perfect unless you do it yourself, he said. If you want to get two slices of tomato, you get two slices of tomato. If you just want a teaspoon of peas, you get a teaspoon of peas. You cant tell a server you want a teaspoon of peas.

Curtis said he thinks buffets at Cosmopolitan and South Point will continue to succeed in their current formats because they deliver what their particular guests are seeking something thats echoed by the two resorts executives.

We wanted to make sure we were still offering the Cosmopolitan experience, said executive chef Bryan Fyler.

Patrick Nichols, general manager and chief strategy officer, noted that from the time Wicked Spoon opened with the Cosmopolitan in 2010, nearly all foods on the buffet were individually plated, as opposed to being scooped out of large pans by guests.

That made the transition to our new approach pretty simple, Nichols said. And they ensured that that approach wasnt changed too radically.

We thought it was very important with our approach that our guests have the experience of going up to the buffet, he said. To see whats available, get the lay of the land.

The only real change is that instead of the guest grabbing the dish, a server at each station hands it to them. The additional servers also can explain dishes to guests, and they and roaming personnel ensure that social distancing is enforced and masks are worn. An employee at the entrance explains how the buffet has changed and reminds about safety protocols.

Wicked Spoon currently serves only brunch, Thursdays through Sundays, because thats the highest demand from guests, and because virtually all of the resorts restaurants are open at other times. Brunch is $39 for adults, $20 for children 4-10.

Similarly, the South Point reopened its buffet to respond to guest demand. Michael Kennedy, director of food operations, said owner Michael Gaughan told his staff that the buffet was the No. 1 request among the resorts slot players.

Kennedy said before the shutdown, the Garden Buffet had already been converted to a staff-served model, so it was easy to carry on with that upon reopening.

We put extra cooks behind the line to serve the guests, so the guests never touch any utensils, Kennedy said. Guests are frequently reminded of anti-COVID protocols, he said.

We have signage that tells you to wear your mask unless youre actively eating, he said. If, by chance, you get up and you dont have your mask, we have masks at each of our food lines, and the cooks will not serve you any food if you dont have a mask.

Kennedy said the Garden Buffet is serving its full menu on a full schedule of breakfast and lunch on weekdays, brunch on weekends and dinner nightly.

Our guests love prime rib, he said. We do it every night, and twice on the weekends.

Curtis said he thinks a big draw for the Garden Buffet is value; the Las Vegas Advisor recently labeled it the No. 2 overall value in Las Vegas. Prices range from $12.95 for breakfast to $32.95 for the Friday night seafood and prime rib buffet, which includes two glasses of wine or beer. Children 4-8 are charged half price, and all prices are lower for rewards club members.

He said he doesnt see demand for the buffet diminishing.

Theyre all waiting anxiously for their return, Curtis said of his readers. When people schedule a vacation, theyre thinking about what buffets theyre going to go to. Buffets will start to creep back.

The creative folks on the Strip are going to come up with more ways to manage it, Bergman said. Just this kind of tapas version, thats not what customers go to a buffet for. Its an indulgence, hedonistic, Im going to have a good time and eat what I want with no judgment.

I think its going to be reimagined again. If you think about it, thats whats been happening all along with the quality of the food changing, prices changing. The history is that this product changes. And in light of COVID, I think its going to continue.

Contact Heidi Knapp Rinella at Hrinella@reviewjournal.com. Follow @HKRinella on Twitter.

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Las Vegas buffet will survive the COVID pandemic, experts say - Las Vegas Review-Journal

Sisolak, Trump at odds from the very beginning – Las Vegas Review-Journal

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Danzig

WASHINGTON Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak and President Donald Trump didnt exactly get off to a great start and recent events suggest theyre not heading for a buddy movie ending.

The relationship started with the Democratic governor snubbing the Republican president. Now as the nations states are working to get their share of federal coronavirus funds, the president is snubbing back the man to whom he has given the nickname, clubhouse governor.

What does clubhouse governor mean? The President is referring to how the partisan Nevada Governor is doing this only because of politics, an aide told the Review Journal last month.

In February 2019 when he attended his first National Governors Association winter meeting in Washington, the newly elected Sisolak boycotted association functions held at the White House to protest the Department of Energys secret shipment of weapons grade plutonium to the Nevada National Security Site northwest of Las Vegas the year before.

At the time, Sisolak told the Review Journal, To go to a fancy White House dinner when Ive got this hanging over Nevada, I didnt think it was appropriate.

At the time White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere told the Review-Journal, The Trump administration is open to discussions with the governor on this topic as well as others. Gov. Sisolak has been invited to the White House twice in the last two months and turned down the invitation both times that partisan approach is disappointing.

Sisolaks decision did not inspire copycats. A month later, Attorney General Aaron Ford skipped a White House event, but he told the Review-Journal a scheduling conflict was the reason and definitely not a boycott.

Shortly thereafter Nevada Lt. Gov. Kate Marshall, also a Democrat, attended a workforce development roundtable at the White House. Its important that Nevada has a seat at the table, and I look forward to continuing the conversation with stakeholders back home, she said in a statement.

In early February as a nod to political reality, Trump announced he was reversing his prior moves to fund re-licensing for a nuclear waste facility at Yucca Mountain.

Nevada, I hear you on Yucca Mountain and my Administration will RESPECT you! Congress and previous Administrations have long failed to find lasting solutions my Administration is committed to exploring innovative approaches Im confident we can get it done! Trump tweeted.

Then the coronavirus gave the two executives common ground.

Coronavirus fallout

In April, when the Review-Journal asked Trump if he supported Sisolaks decision to shut down nonessential businesses to slow the spread of the pandemic, or if he agreed with Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodmans view that the shutdown was total insanity, Trump took Sisolaks side.

Noting that the order adversely affected his eponymous Trump International Hotel Las Vegas, Trump responded, Its a very severe step he took. Im okay with it. Im okay with it. But, you know I mean, you could call that one either way.

In recent months, coronavirus has presented new areas of conflict.

In May, Trump protested against Nevadas decision to allow universal mail-in ballots which he called illegal and fraud friendly, as he suggested that he could hold up funds to the State. There was no follow-up.

On Aug. 3 when Sisolak signed a measure to send mail-in ballots to active registered voters that allowed so-called ballot harvesting in November, Trump called it an illegal late night coup that was using COVID to steal the state and make it impossible for Republicans to win. The Trump campaign and Republican National Committee filed a lawsuit that challenged the measures constitutionality.

Also on Aug. 3, Trump directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reduce states reimbursement allocation for National Guard troops deployed to help with their COVID-19 response from 100 percent to 75 percent. The White House made it known that governors could call Trump to appeal for full reimbursement, which Trump did for Texas, Florida, California, Connecticut and Louisiana.

Sisolak has requested a phone call with Trump, but a call has yet to be scheduled.

On Aug. 8 Trump signed a memorandum that created an additional $300 of weekly unemployment insurance benefits for which states would have to apply. On Wednesday, Nevada became the last state to apply for those benefits.

While the President wished the Governor moved faster to leverage the unemployment benefits made possible through his executive action, the President is pleased that Governor Sisolak finally took his own action to support the hardworking people of Nevada, a White House official told the Review-Journal in an email.

Fraught relationship

Asked about relations between the Nevada Governor and U.S. president, the official responded, The Trump Administration remains committed to working with governors on both sides of the aisle in every state across the country to help the American people. In Nevada, the presidents policy on Yucca Mountain reflects the reverence he gives to the voices of the people.

I dont know if there is a relationship, Nevada GOP chairman Michael J. McDonald offered, before adding that he thinks Trump cares about Nevadans.

In May, the Trump Department of Justice warned Sisolak that his ban on in-person gatherings of 50 or more in churches and other places of worship could violate the First Amendment.

The Review-Journal reported, Sisolaks office called Metro to learn why police hadnt shut down an Evangelicals for Trump event held on Aug. 6 at the Ahern Hotel.

At this time, no call has been scheduled in regards to the Nevada National Guard reimbursement, Sisolak spokeswoman Meghin Delaney told the Review-Journal. The Governors Office followed up with the Administration as recently as this week with a request to schedule a call and emphasized the critical role the Guard has played in the states ongoing effort to combat COVID-19.

Contact Debra J. Saunders at dsaunders@reviewjournal.com or 202-662-7391. Follow @DebraJSaunders on Twitter.

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Sisolak, Trump at odds from the very beginning - Las Vegas Review-Journal

2 men arrested by Child Exploitation Task Force in Las Vegas after decoy ad – FOX5 Las Vegas

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Danzig

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2 men arrested by Child Exploitation Task Force in Las Vegas after decoy ad - FOX5 Las Vegas

Enjoy cuisine without borders at Trece in Las Vegas – Lasvegasmagazine

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Danzig

The legalization of marijuana in Nevada changed everything. There are now dispensaries popping up all over the Las Vegas Valley, offering a wide variety of cannabis products. One of the most popular destinations in Las Vegas for both tourists and locals is Planet 13, which features not only a large and accommodating dispensary, but an entire entertainment complex. A huge part of this complex is the restaurant Trece, and its already made a huge splash in a very short amount of time. One meal here and youll understand why.

The greenhouse dining area of Trece is expansive, allowing for easy social distancing while you dine. Its bright, colorful and theres plenty of people watching to be had. Executive chef Manny Sanchez keeps his menu lively and fresh, focusing mostly on Mexican cuisine, but branching out to other fun, flavorful areas. Dont forget to accompany your meal with a beer from the restaurants 24 available taps.

Whether youre vegetarian or carnivore, theres something for everyone at Trece. Starters are so much funeveryone will enjoy the hummus plate, which does not skimp on the creamy, house-made chickpea dip. Its served with some truly attractively presented seasonal veggies and garlic flatbread. Theres so much here its practically a meal. Speaking of which the perfectly crispy carne asada fries are irresistible, liberally ladled with cheese sauce, guacamole, sour cream and ribeye cut. Theyre listed under shareables, but you may want this all to yourself. Cant say we blame you.

The signature Mexican dishes include Flaming Fajitas, arriving at your table while still sizzling with sauted bell peppers and onions, accompanied with corn tortillas, pico de gallo and red sauce. Wait until you see the steamed corn masa house tamaleits unlike any youve ever seen, served round and thick and smothered with green or red salsa, Oaxaca cheese, Mexican sour cream and queso fresco. Stuff it with the meat of your choice and enjoy!

Not in the mood for Mexican food? Try ricotta cheese ravioli filled with kale and fresh herbs, served with cherry tomatoes, sweet peas and cauliflower florets in a white wine sauce; pan-seared Parmesan chicken served with roasted tomatoes, squash ribbons and peppery greens in a lemon butter sauce; or grilled salmon, accompanied by a corn meal cake and wilted greens in a lemon caper sauce.

Theres even a selection of great pizzas, from a classic margherita with mozzarella, tomato sauce and fresh basil, to a keto pie with a cauliflower crust and topped with peppadew peppers, crispy bacon bits, black olives, wild arugula and a fig reduction drizzle. So good!

Round out your experience with dessert. The gram matcha cheesecake topped with raspberry sauce is rich and decadent, while the house flan is a lighter, but still flavorful, option, topped with fresh seasonal berries and whipped cream. You could also go a little unconventional and get a smoothiethere are plenty of options available here, from strawberry peach to mango berry. There are no wrong choices at Trece; let your appetite guide you.

2548 W. Desert Inn Road, No. 105-110, 702.665.6701

Click here for your free subscription to the weekly digital edition of Las Vegas Magazine, your guide to everything to do, hear, see and experience in Southern Nevada. As part of your subscription, each week via email you will receive the latest edition of Las Vegas Magazine, full of informative content such as restaurants to visit, cocktails to sip and attractions to enjoy.

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Enjoy cuisine without borders at Trece in Las Vegas - Lasvegasmagazine

Misconduct complaints filed against two Las Vegas judges, accusations range from improper to abusive behavior – KLAS – 8 News Now

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Danzig

Misconduct complaints filed

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Earlier in the week the I-Team reported that Las Vegas Judge Melanie Tobiasson had been formally accused of improper conduct as well as using her power on the bench inappropriately.8 News Now has learned two other judges are facing misconduct accusations; District Court Judges William S. Potter and Kerry Earley are also facing formal complaints before the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline.

In the documents obtained by 8 News Now, state the allegations against District Judge William S. Potter in the following count:

The complaint notes that the depiction on the patch is commonly associated with sexual bondage, domination, fetish and fantasy and that gags also have connotations of punishment, control, humiliation and helplessness. According to the complaint, the judge and other employees Potter gave this patch to found it offensive and inappropriate behavior for the workplace.

Potter was previously found in violation of codes in a complaint in 2017.

The complaint against District Court Judge Kerry Earley accuses her of misconduct on the following 5 counts:

The complaints on Earley and Potter accuse them of misconduct and violating several Codes of the Judicial Canon including Judicial Canon 1, Rule 1.1 (failing to comply with the law, including the Code of Judicial Conduct, in not being patient, dignified and courteous and by harassing others) among other Canon violations.

Judge Melanie Tobiasson is accused of abusing her power, letting family issues influence her conduct and judgment, and failing to disqualify herself when there may have been a conflict of interest on the bench.

The commission is set to hold public hearings on the complaints, if they find the violations to be true, the commission will proceed with sanctions and disciplinary actions.

To read the complaints on the above judges you may click here to be directed to the Commission on Judicial Discipline web page.

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Misconduct complaints filed against two Las Vegas judges, accusations range from improper to abusive behavior - KLAS - 8 News Now

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