Dyne Therapeutics Appoints Susanna High as Chief Operating Officer – Business Wire

Posted on by

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dyne Therapeutics, a biotechnology company focused on developing life-transforming therapeutics for patients with serious muscle diseases, today announced that it has appointed Susanna High, MBA, as its chief operating officer. Ms. High has more than two decades of experience leading corporate strategy, portfolio management, business planning and operations for biotechnology companies.

Susannas demonstrated success at innovative biotech companies will be an incredible asset to Dyne as we pursue our goal of building the worlds leading muscle disease company, said Joshua Brumm, president and chief executive officer of Dyne. I look forward to partnering with Susanna and drawing on her depth of experience, particularly in rare diseases, as we work to develop and commercialize modern oligonucleotide therapeutics for serious muscle diseases. I am thrilled to welcome Susanna to the Dyne family.

In her most recent position, Ms. High served as chief operating officer of bluebird bio where her numerous responsibilities included the advancement of the companys severe genetic disease portfolio, leading to the European filing and then approval of ZYNTEGLO, a gene therapy for the treatment of transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia, as well as overseeing the build-out of its European organization. Before joining bluebird, Ms. High worked in roles of increasing responsibility at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, including as senior vice president, strategy and business integration, where she led corporate and portfolio strategy, program and alliance management, business planning and information technology. Previously, she supported corporate strategy and business operations at Millennium Pharmaceuticals (now Takeda Oncology). Ms. High holds an M.S. in economics and business management from Bocconi University in Italy and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

The progress Dyne has made in its lead programs underscores the potential of the FORCE platform and the companys commitment to transforming the treatment opportunities for individuals living with serious muscle diseases, said Ms. High. This is an exciting time for Dyne as their programs advance towards the clinic, and I am honored to join this committed leadership team to develop potentially life-changing therapies.

About Dyne Therapeutics

Dyne Therapeutics is building a leading muscle disease company focused on advancing innovative life-transforming therapeutics for patients with genetically driven diseases. The Company utilizes its proprietary FORCE platform to overcome the current limitations of muscle tissue delivery with modern oligonucleotide therapeutic candidates. Dyne is developing a broad portfolio of therapeutics for muscle diseases, including lead programs in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). Dyne was founded by Atlas Venture and is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. For more information, please visit http://www.dyne-tx.com, and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Original post:

Dyne Therapeutics Appoints Susanna High as Chief Operating Officer - Business Wire

Cell and Gene Therapy Industry Market with manufacturers, Application, regions and SWOT Analysis 2025 – CueReport

Posted on by

Global Cell and Gene Therapy Industry market Report 2020 presents critical information and factual data about the Cell and Gene Therapy Industry market, providing an overall statistical study of this market on the basis of market drivers, market limitations, and its future prospects. The widespread Cell and Gene Therapy Industry market opportunities and trends are also taken into consideration in Cell and Gene Therapy Industry industry. with growth trends, various stakeholders like investors, traders, suppliers, SWOT analysis Opportunities and Threat to the organization and others.

The Cell and Gene Therapy Industry market report comprises of the key trends which influence the industry growth with respect to the regional terrain and competitive arena. The study highlights the opportunities that will support the industry expansion in existing and untapped markets along with the challenges the business sphere will face. Besides this, the report also offers an intricate analysis of case studies including those of COVID-19 pandemic, with the aim to provide a clear picture of this industry vertical to all shareholders.

Request Sample Copy of this Report @ https://www.cuereport.com/request-sample/27662

Pivotal pointers from COVID-19 impact assessment:

Request Sample Copy of this Report @ https://www.cuereport.com/request-sample/27662

Analysis of the regional terrain:

Highlights of the Cell and Gene Therapy Industry market report:

Key Coverage of report:

Impact of the latest technological innovations on the Cell and Gene Therapy Industry market

Key growth strategies adopted by the prominent market players to address the challenges and restraints put forward by the COVID-19 pandemic

Historical and current trends likely to affect the overall market dynamics of the Cell and Gene Therapy Industry market

Growth assessment of the various market segments over the forecast timeline

Regional and global presence of major market players in the Cell and Gene Therapy Industry market

Table of Content:

1 Cell and Gene Therapy Industry market Introduction and Market Overview

1.1 Objectives of the Study

1.2 Overview of Cell and Gene Therapy Industry market

1.3 Scope of The Study

1.3.1 Key Market Segments

1.3.2 Players Covered

1.3.3 COVID-19's impact on the Cell and Gene Therapy Industry industry

1.4 Methodology of The Study

1.5 Research Data Source

2 Executive Summary

2.1 Market Overview

2.1.1 Global Cell and Gene Therapy Industry market Size, 2015 - 2020

2.1.2 Global Cell and Gene Therapy Industry market Size by Type, 2015 - 2020

2.1.3 Global Cell and Gene Therapy Industry market Size by Application, 2015 - 2020

2.1.4 Global Cell and Gene Therapy Industry market Size by Region, 2015 - 2025

2.2 Business Environment Analysis

2.2.1 Global COVID-19 Status and Economic Overview

2.2.2 Influence of COVID-19 Outbreak on Cell and Gene Therapy Industry Industry Development

Request Customization on This Report @ https://www.cuereport.com/request-for-customization/27662

Excerpt from:

Cell and Gene Therapy Industry Market with manufacturers, Application, regions and SWOT Analysis 2025 - CueReport

Investing in Advanced Manufacturing to Support Public Health – FDA.gov

Posted on by

By: Stephen M. Hahn, M.D., Commissioner of Food and Drugs, and Anand Shah, M.D., Deputy Commissioner for Medical and Scientific Affairs

Americans may be surprised to learn that many 21st century medical products are still being manufactured using technologies commonly employed since the middle of the last century. These manufacturing platforms are not dynamic and can increase the risk of shortages, limit flexibility during an emergency, and contribute to the high cost of medical products. For the past several years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has sought to encourage and facilitate the adoption of advanced manufacturing, which refers to new and emerging approaches for the production of medical technologies.

Advanced manufacturing approaches are applicable to different medical product areas. For example, process intensification methods, such as continuous manufacturing, can simplify and centralize the production of many essential medicines. Likewise, techniques such as 3D printing can help produce patient-specific medical devices. Furthermore, digital and smart design and manufacturing processes also promise to increase efficiency and reduce uncertainty.

The potential public health value of advanced manufacturing is even greater in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has highlighted the strain on supply chains and the need for adaptive manufacturing systems to accelerate the production of medical countermeasures. The FDA has established a strong regulatory foundation to support the uptake of advanced manufacturing, and COVID-19 provides the unique impetus to spur further advancement of medical manufacturing.

FDA regulations cover both sides of the innovation equation: development (whether the product meets the appropriate statutory standard) and manufacturing (whether quality products can be produced for widespread use). Many manufacturers continue to use the same production techniques that were developed more than 50 years ago. Typical manufacturing processes that use long shipping lines or outsourced supply chains render U.S. manufacturing vulnerable to delays, disruptions, and quality control issues. These existing supply chain vulnerabilities have been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, batch manufacturing lacks the flexibility needed to sustainably produce therapies for the personalized medicine era; this is a significant concern given that the FDA anticipates approving approximately 40 gene therapies in the next few years.

Advanced manufacturing often enables innovation, increases in efficiency, and improved supply chain resiliency for medical products that provide wide-ranging public health benefits. Over the past decade, the FDA made strategic, forward-looking investments in personnel, policies, and processes to create a clear regulatory pathway for innovators across the three medical product areas of drugs, biologics, and devices.

First, the agency recognized that innovators seeking to adopt advanced manufacturing technologies may be concerned about the technical and regulatory challenges associated with transitioning away from their existing platforms. To this end, the FDAs Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) created the Emerging Technology Program, which has a dedicated team available to provide pre-submission support on issues such as the development of process control measures for continuous manufacturing of drugs. To provide focused expertise for advanced manufacturing of biological products, the FDAs Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) established the Advanced Technologies Team, which works with prospective developers on issues such as technical considerations for platform technologies in gene therapy.

Second, the FDA recognizes that policy must keep pace with innovation. To expedite the development of newer technologies, the agency developed a series of leapfrog guidance documents, which the FDA uses to share initial thoughts regarding emerging technologies that are likely to be of public health importance. Such leapfrog guidance documents include the FDAs Center for Devices and Radiological Healths (CDRH) 2017 guidance on Technical Considerations for Additive Manufactured Medical Devices, which encompasses many technologies including 3D printing. The agency has provided further regulatory clarity as technologies mature and are commercialized; for example CDER issued guidance in 2019 on Quality Considerations for Continuous Manufacturing. The FDAs engagement in public dialogue supports the proactive identification and resolution of potential barriers for the transition to advanced manufacturing.

Third, as a science-based agency, the FDA supports research and partnerships that expand the knowledge base for advanced manufacturing. For example, the FDA has used authorities in the 21st Century Cures Act to award research grants to support investigators exploring key questions around monitoring and control techniques for advanced manufacturing platforms. To foster collaborations across the public, private, and non-profit sector, the FDAs Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) launched a new program for advancing regulatory science in public health and formed partnerships with stakeholders such as America Makes, BioFab USA, the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL), and a number of industry organizations and clinical societies. OCS has also spearheaded multiple intramural research programs to help develop the regulatory expertise required to evaluate advanced manufacturing technologies. These initiatives will enable the FDA to identify and address cross-cutting scientific, technical, and regulatory challenges and opportunities for advanced manufacturing.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how conventional manufacturing practices and predominantly international supply chains may be a liability for Americas emergency response efforts. In addition to the policy and programmatic foundations described above, the FDA has also taken a number of actions to shore up manufacturing capacity specifically for public health preparedness. For example, CDER entered a multi-year partnership with BARDA, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, to explore how continuous manufacturing techniques could improve Americas capacity to rapidly manufacture medical countermeasures during emergency situations. During COVID-19 specifically, OCS and CDRH helped develop a Memorandum of Understanding between the FDA, the National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Veterans Affairs to facilitate information sharing on 3D printing to help support manufacturing of essential medical supplies such as personal protective equipment and medical device parts.

Advances in regulatory science are not an end in themselves. True public health preparedness requires incentives and investments in the technologies that the agency has been promoting for years. Increasing emphasis on domestic manufacturing strengthens our response capability, yet it is not enough to bring supply chains back home. We must also ensure that the renewed focus on the importance of domestic manufacturing capacity is paired with a recognition of the capital requirements and scientific expertise needed to adopt more resilient and efficient platforms.

The FDA is committed to doing its part to foster the adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies. To reduce the burden on innovators, the agency is actively working to ensure international concordance on guidelines for continuous manufacturing as part of the International Council for Harmonisations Q13 proposal. To ensure that best practices are informed by the latest research, the agency is committed to monitoring ongoing grant programs, with the intent of fostering initiatives that can demonstrate tangible improvements in safety, quality, and efficiency. To promote communication about the adoption of best practices and innovative ideas between stakeholders, the FDA will continue to proactively provide forums for scientific discussion, participate in national and international workshops, and collaboratively engage stakeholders.

Because pandemics by nature are unpredictable, our approach to manufacturing must be adaptable. Advanced manufacturing provides an approach for protecting our supply chain and improving our response capacity during crisis situations. By establishing the regulatory foundation, the FDA has created a pathway for industry to continue adopting the needed improvements in manufacturing technology for the benefit of public health.

See the rest here:

Investing in Advanced Manufacturing to Support Public Health - FDA.gov

Genetic Studies Could Pave the Way to New Pain Treatments – Pain News Network

Posted on by

By Dr. Lynn Webster, PNN Columnist

Millions of Americans order DNA test kits to determine their ancestries. Knowing where you come from can be entertaining. However, DNA testing can also help identify your risk of developing some diseases, including chronic pain.

Prenatal testing for genetic disorders is common. But genetic testing is also increasingly used to determine the risk of developing certain diseases or potential responses to specific drugs.

Currently, little is known about how to use genes to make an individual more or less sensitive to pain, or to learn the likelihood that someone will respond in a particular way to an analgesic based on their genetics. The good news is that we are on the cusp of gaining more information about the genes that control pain and pain treatments, and that knowledge should allow us to develop targeted pain therapies.

Most physicians still believe that everyone experiences pain in the same way. Research recently published in Current Biology discovered a genethe so-called "Neanderthal gene"that is associated with increased sensitivity to pain. Recognizing that a mutation of a specific gene can influence pain perception may be illuminating for many members of the medical profession.

Pain specialists have known for a long time that given the same stimulus, some people feel more pain than others. The truth is, there are several genes besides the Neanderthal gene that determine how an individual experiences pain. Some genes increase our sensitivity to pain, while other genes decrease it. Some genes influence how pain is processed, while other genes determine an individual's response to an analgesic.

The ability for an analgesic to provide pain relief in an individual is partially determined by the genetics of the receptor to which the pain medication binds. These genes are different from pain-sensitivity genes. For example, oxycodone may be very effective in relieving pain for one individual, but only partially effective for another.

Optimal pain relief requires recognition that each individual responds uniquely to a given analgesic. Doctors are beginning to provide gene therapy for cancer patients. Advancements in research may someday allow us to do the same for patients with pain.

The array of pain responses to the same stimulus is a major reason why one-size-fits-all dosing of pain medications is flawed. A given dose may leave some patients undertreated and others over-treated. Unfortunately, regulators who set arbitrary dose limits fail to understand or consider this biologic variability.

Differing clinical responses to pain stimuli and medications underscore the need to individualize therapy. Knowing more about the biology of pain can help us to understand each individuals response to painful stimuli and the variable response to any therapy.

How we experience pain is a result of both environmental and genetic features. The genetic factors are what we inherit. Environmental factors which we develop rather than inherit include cultural attitudes, emotions, and individual responses to stress. Our personality and lifes experiences are included in the environmental factors that contribute to our experience of pain. Therefore, pain is a result of genetic and environmental interactions. Both can make an individual more or less sensitive to stimuli or analgesia. It is a complex and dynamic process.

The so-called Neanderthal gene is not a new discovery but was newly recognized in Neanderthals. The discovery is interesting, because it implies the gene has an evolutionary purpose. The gene is known as SCN9. There are several pain syndromes associated with the genetic mutations of the SCN9 gene, including some types of back pain and sciatica. Mutations of this gene can result in the total absence of pain or a heightened pain expression. The type of mutation determines the phenotype (or personal characteristics) of our response to a painful stimulus.

It is unclear how Neanderthals benefited biologically from increased pain sensitivity. As we know, acute pain elicits an alarm and is considered protective. It teaches us to avoid dangers that can threaten our life, and prevents us from walking on a broken leg until it heals sufficiently to bear our weight.

Evolution may not have been concerned about the effects of chronic pain. The Neanderthals' limited life expectancy, and the fact that their survival depended on strong physical conditioning, may have made chronic pain a non-issue. Chronic pain may have made survival difficult, or even impossible, for the Neanderthals.

The recent discovery that Neanderthals had the SCN9 gene should not be surprising, given the fact that modern humans shared a common ancestor with Neanderthals. The Neanderthal gene study is of particular interest to me, because I am working with several companies that are exploring potential drugs to affect the function of the SCN9 gene. The companies have different approaches, but they all are trying to find a way to dial down an individual's sensitivity to painful stimuli.

Since the SCN9 gene can be responsible for the total absence of all pain, as well as several extreme forms of pain, it may be reasonable to target the SCN9 gene to modulate pain.

My hope is that manipulation of the SCN9 gene will reduce pain sensitivity, making it easier to control pain by adjusting the dose and type of drug we prescribe.

It is possible one or more drugs that target the SCN9 gene will be available within the next 4-6 years. If that occurs, it could be game changer for people in pain. We can then thank our Neanderthal ancestors for the evolutionary gift.

Lynn R. Webster, MD, is a vice president of scientific affairs for PRA Health Sciences and consults with the pharmaceutical industry. He is author of the award-winning book, The Painful Truth, and co-producer of the documentary, It Hurts Until You Die. You can find Lynn on Twitter: @LynnRWebsterMD

More here:

Genetic Studies Could Pave the Way to New Pain Treatments - Pain News Network

Oxford Biomedica Signs Development, Manufacture & License Agreement with Beam Therapeutics Inc., for LentiVector Platform for Next Generation…

Posted on by

Oxford Biomedica Signs Development, Manufacture & License Agreement with Beam Therapeutics Inc., for LentiVector Platform for Next Generation CAR-T Therapeutics

Oxford, UK 3 August 2020: Oxford Biomedica plc (LSE:OXB) (Oxford Biomedica or the Group), a leading gene and cell therapy group, announced today that it has signed a new Development, Manufacture & License Agreement (DMLA) with Beam Therapeutics Inc. (Beam) (Nasdaq: BEAM), a Cambridge, Mass.-based biotechnology company developing precision genetic medicines through the use of base editing. The DMLA grants Beam a non-exclusive license to Oxford Biomedicas LentiVector platform for its application in next generation CAR-T programmes in oncology and puts in place a three year Clinical Supply Agreement.

Under the terms of the DMLA, Oxford Biomedica will receive an undisclosed upfront payment, as well as payments related to development and manufacturing of lentiviral vectors for use in clinical trials, and certain development and regulatory milestones for products sold by Beam that utilise Oxford Biomedicas LentiVector platform and an undisclosed royalty on the net sales of products sold by Beam that utilise the Groups LentiVector platform.

Oxford Biomedica is currently working on one pre-clinical programme with Beam, and the Agreement allows for the Parties to initiate additional projects in the future.

John Dawson, Chief Executive Officer of Oxford Biomedica, said: Beam Therapeutics is one of the leading next-generation CAR-T developers who deploy a wide range of innovative technologies to bring innovative CAR-T products into development. We are proud to be working with a leader in the field of gene editing technologies, including base editing, and this provides us another valuable opportunity for our LentiVector platform to support innovative product development of CAR-T products.

This is our third announced partnership with leaders in the CAR-T field, building on our longstanding partnership with Novartis and our more recently announced partnership with Bristol Myers Squibb earlier this year. We look forward to supporting the next generation CAR-T programmes at Beam.

-Ends-

Oxford Biomedica plc

John Dawson, Chief Executive OfficerStuart Paynter, Chief Financial OfficerCatherine Isted, Head of Corporate Development & IR

T: +44 (0)1865 783 000T: +44 (0)1865 783 000T: +44 (0)1865 954 161 / E: ir@oxb.com

Consilium Strategic Communications

Mary-Jane Elliott/Matthew Neal

T: +44 (0)20 3709 5700

About Oxford BiomedicaOxford Biomedica (LSE:OXB) is a leading, fully integrated, gene and cell therapy group focused on developing life changing treatments for serious diseases. Oxford Biomedica and its subsidiaries (the "Group") have built a sector leading lentiviral vector delivery platform (LentiVector), which the Group leverages to develop in vivo and ex vivo products both in-house and with partners. The Group has created a valuable proprietary portfolio of gene and cell therapy product candidates in the areas of oncology, ophthalmology, CNS disorders, liver diseases and respiratory disease. The Group has also entered into a number of partnerships, including with Novartis, Bristol Myers Squibb, Sanofi, Axovant Gene Therapies, Orchard Therapeutics, Santen, Boehringer Ingelheim, the UK Cystic Fibrosis Gene Therapy Consortium and Imperial Innovations, through which it has long-term economic interests in other potential gene and cell therapy products. Additionally the group has signed a Clinical and Commercial Supply Agreement with AstraZeneca for manufacture of the adeno based COVID-19 vaccine candidate, AZD1222. Oxford Biomedica is based across several locations in Oxfordshire, UK and employs more than 550 people. Further information is available atwww.oxb.com

Read more:

Oxford Biomedica Signs Development, Manufacture & License Agreement with Beam Therapeutics Inc., for LentiVector Platform for Next Generation...

AZ partners with Daiichi on ADC therapy – BioPharma-Reporter.com

Posted on by

AstraZeneca has returned to commit approximately $6bn (5.1bn) on Daiichi Sankyos antibody drug conjugate (ADC), after completing another separate multi-billion dollar deal last year with the company.

Yesterdays agreement sees AZ pay Daiichi $1bn upfront, due in three intervals, a further $1bn tied to regulatory approvals, and up to $4bn in sales-related milestones. In return, AZ gets access to DS-1062, a trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2-directed ADC.

The drug candidate is being lined up as a treatment for multiple tumor types, with Daiichi already running Phase I trials against non-small cell lung cancer and exploring the possibility to target breast cancers.

Both companies will jointly develop and commercialize the treatment candidate, except in Daiichis home market, Japan, where it will retain exclusive rights. Daiichi will also be responsible for the production and supply of DS-1062.

With this latest deal, AZ has strengthened its existing collaboration with Daiichi, after the two companies announced a potential $7bn deal last year for another ADC, which the partners recently commercialized as Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan).

The treatment was the lead drug in Daiichis ADC pipeline, with it being approved initially in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer but going through additional Phase III trials to expand its indication.

As a result of both deals, AZs CEO, Pascal Soriot, was able to point to six potential blockbusters that the company has in its portfolio, whilst also noting the potential of its early- and late-stage pipeline.

The company has been working to bolster its pipeline in oncology through a number of smaller partnership and acquisition deals, which saw AZ acquire the rights to Innates potential first-in-class treatment, currently in Phase II trials, and agree a deal to develop oncolytic virus candidate alongside Transgene.

For Daiichi, the deal means that it has the capital for the further development of its ADC programs and to make deals to expand its own pipeline, such as bolstering its expansion into the gene therapy area.

View post:

AZ partners with Daiichi on ADC therapy - BioPharma-Reporter.com

Suspects in Monroe officer’s line-of-duty shooting appear in court – WTOL

Posted on by

Examiners are determining if the 2 men allegedly involved in Cpl. Renae Peterson's shooting are competent to stand trial. She continues to recover.

MONROE, Michigan Forensic examiners are determining if two men facing charges in the shooting of a Monroe police officer are competent to stand trial.

Kordney McDonald and Kobe Falls appeared in court Monday morning.

McDonald is accused of shooting Corporal Renae Peterson in late May after she was trying to apprehend a carjacking suspect. He is charged with assault with intent to murder. His competency review was adjourned so the forensic center can complete its report.

Falls is charged with armed robbery, assaulting and resisting a police officer. He has not been evaluated yet for competency and the matter is rescheduled for late August.

McDonald and Falls' next court appearance is scheduled for late August.

Both men are reported to be homeless, but were living in the Monroe area, according to the Monroe News.

Peterson, a 16-year veteran of the force, was struck twice during the incident. She underwent several surgical procedures while hospitalized.

According to the Monroe Police Department website, Peterson was named officer of the year in 2016.

The Monroe Police Department's account of events says that, at about 7:57 p.m. on May 24, police received a call of a stolen vehicle in the area of East Second Street and Winchester Street. Officers arrived and spoke with the victim, who said an unknown suspect hit her in the head with a handgun, while stealing her vehicle.

While searching the area, Corporal Peterson found the vehicle on North Dixie Highway at Ternes Drive. The officer attempted to make a traffic stop and called out to the vehicle, at which point police said the suspects began shooting. Corporal Peterson was struck multiple times, at which point, the suspects fled on foot eastbound. The two male suspects later were taken into custody.

Corporal Peterson was transported by Monroe Community Ambulance to a Toledo-area hospital.

Continue reading here:

Suspects in Monroe officer's line-of-duty shooting appear in court - WTOL

Adrian Peterson could benefit from the lack of offseason activities – NBC Sports Washington

Posted on by

For many players on Washington Football Team's roster, the lack of a typical offseason almost certainly has done more harm than good. Washington has one of the youngest rosters in the NFL, full of players that could benefit from every rep that was lost with no minicamp, OTAs and preseason games.

However, the lack of team-organized football activities over the past four months due to the coronavirus pandemic was not the worst thing for one Washington player: Running back Adrian Peterson.

In a Zoom call with local reporters on Friday, Washington running backs coach Randy Jordan said he believes the extra time off for the veteran will actually "rejuvenate" Peterson for the upcoming season.

"In terms of a guy that is older, this is something I feel like will rejuvenate him and hell come back just like he normally does in shape and ready to go," Jordan said.

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TALK PODCAST

The running backs coach pointed to the two years of Peterson's career prior to joining Washington in 2018 as to why he feels the extended break could serve 'All Day' well.

In 2016, coming off a career-high in carries, Peterson suffered a torn meniscus, causing him to miss all but three games. In 2017, Peterson signed with the Saints, but only saw a handful of touches before getting traded to Arizona in Week 6. Over that two year span, Peterson had a total of just 193 carries, far less than he had during any singular season prior to that point.

"His longevity, people will not talk about this, is he had a stretch where he did not play a lot of football," Jordan said."In terms of that, he was able to pretty much get rejuvenated."

Peterson arrived in Washington the following season as a late camp addition. Frankly, Washington only signed the veteran back because then-rookie Derrius Guice suffered a torn ACL during the preseason.

Over the past two seasons, Peterson has been arguably Washington's most productive weapon on offense. In 2018, he immediately emerged as Washington's lead back and topped 1,000 yards for the eighth time in his career. Last year, he still finished with over 850 yards on the ground despite Washington having the lowest-scoring offense in the NFL.

Peterson's resume speaks for itself. He's a future Hall of Famer and arguably the best running back of the 21st century. He already ranks in the top 5 all-time for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns and will almost certainly moveup on both those lists before he hangs up the cleats.

However, while the running back may not want to admit it, very few running backs in the past have been productive at his current age. Peterson turned 35 in March. Only two running backs, John Henry Johnson and Washington great John Riggins, have topped the thousand-yard mark at age 35 or older.

Washington doesn't need Peterson to be a 1,000-yard rusher in 2020. Guice is fully healthy. Third-round pick Antonio Gibson has earned nothing but praise since arriving in Washington. Bryce Love hasfinally recovered from his knee injury in 2018, and the team signed two veterans, J.D. McKissic and Peyton Barber, in free agency.

But as Peterson has proved over the past two seasons, the inevitable 'Father Time' can wait a little longer. Jordan has little doubt that theageless wonder can still produce for Washington this season.

"When God made him, he just said 'hey, you a football player,'" Jordan said. "And gave him all the tools, the physical statue, the speed, the vision, being able to understand angles, a natural runner.Just God-given ability, things you cannot coach."

Stay connected to the team with the MyTeams app.Click hereto download for comprehensive coverage of your teams.

MORE WASHINGTON FOOTBALL NEWS:

Originally posted here:

Adrian Peterson could benefit from the lack of offseason activities - NBC Sports Washington

Mets vs. Red Sox recap: The Mets beatdown in Beantown continues – Amazin’ Avenue

Posted on by

Earlier in the day on Tuesday, Major League Baseball made the call on how it would handle the outbreak within the Marlins and the jeopardy that several games were put into. The Marlins season is on pause for a week, the Phillies will not be playing until Friday, and now the Yankees and Orioles will be playing each other this week. There was a growing concern of what would happen if this continued to be a problem, how MLB and Commissioner Rob Manfred would handle it if it hit more teams, and there was never a solid answer given.

Under this dark cloud, the Mets played their second game of two at Fenway Park, coming in off a hot night where the Mets bats finally broke out. Tonight, they not only looked to complete an away sweep, but also to see what their rookie pitcher David Peterson had to contribute. The rotation was in flux following injuries and a disappointing performance by Rick Porcello just two nights before, and an even halfway decent performance by Peterson would go a long way in solidifying a number five in a rotation once deep enough to have competition for the last slot in spring training.

Luckily for the Mets, Peterson gave them more than decent, delivering a great performance in five and two-thirds innings, giving up just two earned runs and striking out three batters. He had to contend with a defense that was less than stellar behind him, with mistakes made by several members of the team, including quite a few notable ones by Jeff McNeil at the hot corner.

At one point Peterson was facing a bases loaded, no outs situation with J.D. Martinez stepping up to the dish. Protecting a three run lead, it looked like things were about to get really bad for the rookie. But Peterson was able to escape the situation giving up just one run, striking out Martinez and a run scoring on a confusing play in the field. Robinson Cano made a force out (that was actually a poorly called line drive) at second and Andrew Benintendi making an egregious base-running mistake, getting tagged out in a rundown, which allowed Kevin Plawecki to score.

The Mets batters gave Peterson more than enough run support to Peterson. Other than a two-run J.D. Davis home run off of Peskys Pole in the fifth inning, the Mets didnt score any runs on the long ball, instead playing a pass-the-baton type of approach. Amed Rosario drove in two on an RBI single in the second inning, and Jeff McNeil and Brandon Nimmo both got RBI doubles in the eighth inning.

One of the most heartening developments of the evening was the apparent awakening of Robinson Canos bat, as he got two hits tonight, including an RBI double in the second inning. On the other hand, Yoenis Cespedes and Pete Alonsos bats both appear to still be dormant. Each has had a big homer already this season, Alonso hitting one as part of the home run bonanza last night, but tonight they were the only two starters to not record a hit. Alonso struck out once and Cespedes struck out twice.

Peterson left the game after recording the first two outs in the sixth inning, and the Mets bullpen held it together after that. Drew Smith recorded the final out of the sixth inning, getting Mitch Moreland to strike out and stranding Kevin Pillar at second. Justin Wilson pitched a clean seventh inning, and other than a two out single to Rafael Devers, Dellin Betances pitched a good inning. Hunter Strickland came in the ninth inning to wrap things up, and despite giving up a double to Kevin Pillar, which turned into a run after a couple of groundouts, he got the Mets to the end of the game and a win went in the books.

Despite being a southpaw in Fenway, usually a nightmarish place for a lefty to throw, David Peterson came out of his major league debut with a win, and looks to be a lock for the Mets rotation going forward. He is the first Mets pitcher to secure a win in their debut since Steven Matz did it in 2015. The Mets rotation looks to be in better shape than was thought a few days ago, and hopefully for the rest of the season Peterson can continue to impress. And if the last couple days are any indicator, the Mets arent hurting for any offense.

Amazin AvenueOver the Monster

ESPNMLB

Win Probability Added

Whats WPA?

Big Mets winner: Robinson Can, +18.5% WPABig Mets loser: Pete Alonso, -9.4% WPAMets pitchers: +27.1% WPAMets hitters: +22.9% WPATeh aw3s0mest play: Amed Rosario single in the second, +14.4 WPATeh sux0rest play: Jose Peraza single in the third, -7.9% WPA

Read the rest here:

Mets vs. Red Sox recap: The Mets beatdown in Beantown continues - Amazin' Avenue

No mass shootings in the U.S. since the pandemic started what about once its over? – ABC27

Posted on by

AUSTIN (KXAN) One year after a mass shooting at an El Paso Walmart left 23 dead, criminal justice researchers who study mass shootings have noticed a peculiar trend there hasnt been a mass shootings in the U.S. since the pandemic started.

As more people stay home and mass gatherings are discouraged, the public shootings have gone away.

Weve never had anything like this, said Dr. Jillian Peterson, the founder of The Violence Project, a nonprofit that tracks and studies mass shootings.

Peterson listed going to school, church, work, and other large gatherings as examples of activities that have stopped or slowed significantly.

But it isnt just that the opportunity is no longer there. Another factor is our societys focus shifting intensely to the pandemic.

We know that mass shootings are socially contagious, we know that they cluster, we know that perpetrators copy each other, Peterson said.

She believes that the longer mass shootings arent happening, the less likely a mentally ill person is to consider one as a viable solution to dealing with their problems.

While the U.S. averaged seven mass shootings per year from 2017-19, this years lone mass shooting was at the end of February before the pandemic took hold in the country.

Interestingly, the Violence Project found mass shootings also dropped off after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The U.S. has averaged five per year from 1999-2001. Then, there was just one in all of 2002.

Additionally, Petersons work found that a majority of school shootings happen shortly after students return to campus, in September and October, and also in May before the end of the year.

I think particularly this September and October is where people are keeping their eyes on things, and feeling a little anxious perhaps, she said.

However, the big question now is whatll happen once the pandemic is over.

While Peterson is hopeful that mass shootings will fade away after so much time is spent focused on the coronavirus, she worries that a lot of the risk factors are starting to compound.

We know that young people are at home in sometimes abusive homes. We know that theres increases in depression and hopelessness. We know that people are losing their jobs, that relationships are hurting, she said. Those are often triggers. Then we also know that gun sales have really skyrocketed since this started, which is another contributing factor.

Read the original:

No mass shootings in the U.S. since the pandemic started what about once its over? - ABC27

Litecoin Shows Its ‘Habit of Leading Bitcoin’ Once Again – Cryptonews

Posted on by

Source: Adobe/Wit

A relationship or lack thereof between bitcoin (BTC) and litecoin (LTC) has been a recurring topic in the crypto community for years. In this rally, an early move by litecoin seemingly confirmed a theory that LTC has a habit of leading BTC once again.

As of press time on Tuesday (13:42 UTC), litecoin was up nearly 9% over the past 24 hours to a price of USD 53, outperforming bitcoins 6% move over the same time period to USD 10,933. The strong rally for litecoin even positioned the coin as the todays best-performer among the top 60 cryptoassets by market capitalization, according to Coinpaprikas ranking.

More notable, however, was that litecoins surge higher started on early Saturday morning, one day before bitcoin gained enough traction to break through the USD 10,000 level on Sunday.

Following litecoins rally on Saturday, bitcoin picked up steam throughout Sunday and Monday, before litecoin caught up again on Monday and went on to outperform bitcoin over the next few hours.

Indeed, the past weekends rally in litecoin is not the first time the cryptocurrency, often dubbed the silver to bitcoins gold, has signaled a coming bitcoin rally. The same also happened in late January this year, when the prominent bitcoin analyst Willy Woo correctly predicted that higher litecoin prices could pave the way for bitcoin. Shortly after, bitcoin followed up and soared to above USD 10,000.

Woo once again reiterated his view on litecoins predictive power back in April, when he said that LTC has a habit of leading BTC. What followed was once again a steady rise for the bitcoin price that ended with a high of just over USD 10,000 a month later, on May 7.

Meanwhile, on July 22, US-based crypto custodian Anchorage added support for LTC, enables institutional investors to store and trade litecoin from Anchorage's platform.___Learn more: Cardano Rally Continues as Hoskinson Suggests Litecoin CollaborationLitecoin an Unlikely Champ as Crypto Hedge Funds Continue to Diversify

Go here to read the rest:

Litecoin Shows Its 'Habit of Leading Bitcoin' Once Again - Cryptonews

Litecoin (LTC) Down $0.98 Over Past 4 Hours, Makes Big Move Relative to Past Three Months; in an Uptrend Over Past 14 Days – CFDTrading

Posted on by

Litecoin 4 Hour Price Update

Updated August 03, 2020 03:19 PM GMT (11:19 AM EST)

Litecoin closed the last 4 hour candle up 1.25% ($0.73); this denotes the 4th candle in a row it has gone up. Relative to other instruments in the Top Cryptos asset class, Litecoin ranked 2nd since the last 4 hour candle in terms of percentage price change.

Litecoins 3 day positive streak has officially concluded, as the candle from yesterday closed down 8.04% ($4.96). As for how volume fared, yesterdays volume was up 20.67% from the previous day (Saturday), and up 116.84% from Sunday of the week before. Relative to other instruments in the Top Cryptos asset class, Litecoin ranked 4th since yesterday in terms of percentage price change. Below is a daily price chart of Litecoin.

Trend traders will want to observe that the strongest trend appears on the 14 day horizon; over that time period, price has been moving up. Or to view things another way, note that out of the past 14 days Litecoins price has gone up 8 them.

Over on Twitter, here were the top tweets about Litecoin:

It kind of crazy that Litecoin & BitcoinCash have a much higher market cap than #DigiByte. Thats why we are buying as much as of it as we can. If everything was always at the price it should be, there would never be any way of making money from investing.

Most Litecoin holders Ive talked to dont give a crap about Charlie Lee selling his coins. It seems like most people clinging onto this are other-coiners trying to find a reason to hate Litecoin.

I picked up some #Litecoin on that dump.Hard to imagine it going back below $48 any time soon.Long term investment for this one. Off to the cold wallet.Lowest I ever see it going is $19 (seems unlikely now).

Read the original post:

Litecoin (LTC) Down $0.98 Over Past 4 Hours, Makes Big Move Relative to Past Three Months; in an Uptrend Over Past 14 Days - CFDTrading

5 Altcoin Recommendations to Follow from the Analyst – Somag News

Posted on by

Popular cryptocurrency analyst Nicholas Merten said the two cryptocurrencies will rise with Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and XRP as a new bull market appears.

In the last part of DataDash, Merten says the correction in the altcoin markets offers investors a chance before the next big rally boom. The analyst said that traders should pay attention to Cardano (ADA) and Tezos (XTZ) to prepare for the next rise. However, the analyst also draws attention to Litecoin (LTC). In short, according to Merten, besides BTC, 5 altcoin, LTC, ETH, XRP, ADA and XTZ must be followed.

Merten used the following statements:

Now that were having a retreat here, this offers an opportunity to return to some bulls who have missed most of the rally parts of the rally. The most important thing to focus on is cryptocurrencies, which really have a chance to load. Cardano and Tezos are one of them. However, these cryptocurrencies will be our focus, as well as major currencies such as Ethereum, Litecoin, XRP.

As for Litecoin, Merten says a new rally will happen if the bulls can catch a key level:

Like Bitcoin, just like Ethereum, Litecoin has built long-term technical entities and has a very clear resistance and support points. Apparently, if you really look at the daily schedule, we basically need to go above $ 70, we can really experience this rise.

Merten also expects a long-term rise in Ethereum. According to him, the second largest cryptocurrency will be able to see the highest levels of all time.

Excerpt from:

5 Altcoin Recommendations to Follow from the Analyst - Somag News

SpaceX Launch Schedule

Posted on by

Select Your Timezone

(GMT-11:00) Pacific, Midway(GMT-11:00) Pacific, Niue(GMT-11:00) Pacific, Pago Pago(GMT-10:00) Pacific, Honolulu(GMT-10:00) Pacific, Rarotonga(GMT-10:00) Pacific, Tahiti(GMT-09:30) Pacific, Marquesas(GMT-09:00) America, Adak(GMT-09:00) Pacific, Gambier(GMT-08:00) America, Anchorage(GMT-08:00) America, Juneau(GMT-08:00) America, Metlakatla(GMT-08:00) America, Nome(GMT-08:00) America, Sitka(GMT-08:00) America, Yakutat(GMT-08:00) Pacific, Pitcairn(GMT-07:00) America, Creston(GMT-07:00) America, Dawson(GMT-07:00) America, Dawson Creek(GMT-07:00) America, Fort Nelson(GMT-07:00) America, Hermosillo(GMT-07:00) America, Los Angeles(GMT-07:00) America, Phoenix(GMT-07:00) America, Tijuana(GMT-07:00) America, Vancouver(GMT-07:00) America, Whitehorse(GMT-06:00) America, Belize(GMT-06:00) America, Boise(GMT-06:00) America, Cambridge Bay(GMT-06:00) America, Chihuahua(GMT-06:00) America, Costa Rica(GMT-06:00) America, Denver(GMT-06:00) America, Edmonton(GMT-06:00) America, El Salvador(GMT-06:00) America, Guatemala(GMT-06:00) America, Inuvik(GMT-06:00) America, Managua(GMT-06:00) America, Mazatlan(GMT-06:00) America, Ojinaga(GMT-06:00) America, Regina(GMT-06:00) America, Swift Current(GMT-06:00) America, Tegucigalpa(GMT-06:00) America, Yellowknife(GMT-06:00) Pacific, Easter(GMT-06:00) Pacific, Galapagos(GMT-05:00) America, Atikokan(GMT-05:00) America, Bahia Banderas(GMT-05:00) America, Bogota(GMT-05:00) America, Cancun(GMT-05:00) America, Cayman(GMT-05:00) America, Chicago(GMT-05:00) America, Eirunepe(GMT-05:00) America, Guayaquil(GMT-05:00) America, Indiana, Knox(GMT-05:00) America, Indiana, Tell City(GMT-05:00) America, Jamaica(GMT-05:00) America, Lima(GMT-05:00) America, Matamoros(GMT-05:00) America, Menominee(GMT-05:00) America, Merida(GMT-05:00) America, Mexico City(GMT-05:00) America, Monterrey(GMT-05:00) America, North Dakota, Beulah(GMT-05:00) America, North Dakota, Center(GMT-05:00) America, North Dakota, New Salem(GMT-05:00) America, Panama(GMT-05:00) America, Rainy River(GMT-05:00) America, Rankin Inlet(GMT-05:00) America, Resolute(GMT-05:00) America, Rio Branco(GMT-05:00) America, Winnipeg(GMT-04:00) America, Anguilla(GMT-04:00) America, Antigua(GMT-04:00) America, Aruba(GMT-04:00) America, Asuncion(GMT-04:00) America, Barbados(GMT-04:00) America, Blanc-Sablon(GMT-04:00) America, Boa Vista(GMT-04:00) America, Campo Grande(GMT-04:00) America, Caracas(GMT-04:00) America, Cuiaba(GMT-04:00) America, Curacao(GMT-04:00) America, Detroit(GMT-04:00) America, Dominica(GMT-04:00) America, Grand Turk(GMT-04:00) America, Grenada(GMT-04:00) America, Guadeloupe(GMT-04:00) America, Guyana(GMT-04:00) America, Havana(GMT-04:00) America, Indiana, Indianapolis(GMT-04:00) America, Indiana, Marengo(GMT-04:00) America, Indiana, Petersburg(GMT-04:00) America, Indiana, Vevay(GMT-04:00) America, Indiana, Vincennes(GMT-04:00) America, Indiana, Winamac(GMT-04:00) America, Iqaluit(GMT-04:00) America, Kentucky, Louisville(GMT-04:00) America, Kentucky, Monticello(GMT-04:00) America, Kralendijk(GMT-04:00) America, La Paz(GMT-04:00) America, Lower Princes(GMT-04:00) America, Manaus(GMT-04:00) America, Marigot(GMT-04:00) America, Martinique(GMT-04:00) America, Montserrat(GMT-04:00) America, Nassau(GMT-04:00) America, New York(GMT-04:00) America, Nipigon(GMT-04:00) America, Pangnirtung(GMT-04:00) America, Port of Spain(GMT-04:00) America, Port-au-Prince(GMT-04:00) America, Porto Velho(GMT-04:00) America, Puerto Rico(GMT-04:00) America, Santiago(GMT-04:00) America, Santo Domingo(GMT-04:00) America, St. Barthelemy(GMT-04:00) America, St. Kitts(GMT-04:00) America, St. Lucia(GMT-04:00) America, St. Thomas(GMT-04:00) America, St. Vincent(GMT-04:00) America, Thunder Bay(GMT-04:00) America, Toronto(GMT-04:00) America, Tortola(GMT-03:00) America, Araguaina(GMT-03:00) America, Argentina, Buenos Aires(GMT-03:00) America, Argentina, Catamarca(GMT-03:00) America, Argentina, Cordoba(GMT-03:00) America, Argentina, Jujuy(GMT-03:00) America, Argentina, La Rioja(GMT-03:00) America, Argentina, Mendoza(GMT-03:00) America, Argentina, Rio Gallegos(GMT-03:00) America, Argentina, Salta(GMT-03:00) America, Argentina, San Juan(GMT-03:00) America, Argentina, San Luis(GMT-03:00) America, Argentina, Tucuman(GMT-03:00) America, Argentina, Ushuaia(GMT-03:00) America, Bahia(GMT-03:00) America, Belem(GMT-03:00) America, Cayenne(GMT-03:00) America, Fortaleza(GMT-03:00) America, Glace Bay(GMT-03:00) America, Goose Bay(GMT-03:00) America, Halifax(GMT-03:00) America, Maceio(GMT-03:00) America, Moncton(GMT-03:00) America, Montevideo(GMT-03:00) America, Paramaribo(GMT-03:00) America, Punta Arenas(GMT-03:00) America, Recife(GMT-03:00) America, Santarem(GMT-03:00) America, Sao Paulo(GMT-03:00) America, Thule(GMT-03:00) Antarctica, Palmer(GMT-03:00) Antarctica, Rothera(GMT-03:00) Atlantic, Bermuda(GMT-03:00) Atlantic, Stanley(GMT-02:30) America, St. Johns(GMT-02:00) America, Godthab(GMT-02:00) America, Miquelon(GMT-02:00) America, Noronha(GMT-02:00) Atlantic, South Georgia(GMT-01:00) Atlantic, Cape Verde(GMT) Africa, Abidjan(GMT) Africa, Accra(GMT) Africa, Bamako(GMT) Africa, Banjul(GMT) Africa, Bissau(GMT) Africa, Conakry(GMT) Africa, Dakar(GMT) Africa, Freetown(GMT) Africa, Lome(GMT) Africa, Monrovia(GMT) Africa, Nouakchott(GMT) Africa, Ouagadougou(GMT) Africa, Sao Tome(GMT) America, Danmarkshavn(GMT) America, Scoresbysund(GMT) Atlantic, Azores(GMT) Atlantic, Reykjavik(GMT) Atlantic, St. Helena(GMT) UTC(GMT+01:00) Africa, Algiers(GMT+01:00) Africa, Bangui(GMT+01:00) Africa, Brazzaville(GMT+01:00) Africa, Casablanca(GMT+01:00) Africa, Douala(GMT+01:00) Africa, El Aaiun(GMT+01:00) Africa, Kinshasa(GMT+01:00) Africa, Lagos(GMT+01:00) Africa, Libreville(GMT+01:00) Africa, Luanda(GMT+01:00) Africa, Malabo(GMT+01:00) Africa, Ndjamena(GMT+01:00) Africa, Niamey(GMT+01:00) Africa, Porto-Novo(GMT+01:00) Africa, Tunis(GMT+01:00) Atlantic, Canary(GMT+01:00) Atlantic, Faroe(GMT+01:00) Atlantic, Madeira(GMT+01:00) Europe, Dublin(GMT+01:00) Europe, Guernsey(GMT+01:00) Europe, Isle of Man(GMT+01:00) Europe, Jersey(GMT+01:00) Europe, Lisbon(GMT+01:00) Europe, London(GMT+02:00) Africa, Blantyre(GMT+02:00) Africa, Bujumbura(GMT+02:00) Africa, Cairo(GMT+02:00) Africa, Ceuta(GMT+02:00) Africa, Gaborone(GMT+02:00) Africa, Harare(GMT+02:00) Africa, Johannesburg(GMT+02:00) Africa, Khartoum(GMT+02:00) Africa, Kigali(GMT+02:00) Africa, Lubumbashi(GMT+02:00) Africa, Lusaka(GMT+02:00) Africa, Maputo(GMT+02:00) Africa, Maseru(GMT+02:00) Africa, Mbabane(GMT+02:00) Africa, Tripoli(GMT+02:00) Africa, Windhoek(GMT+02:00) Antarctica, Troll(GMT+02:00) Arctic, Longyearbyen(GMT+02:00) Europe, Amsterdam(GMT+02:00) Europe, Andorra(GMT+02:00) Europe, Belgrade(GMT+02:00) Europe, Berlin(GMT+02:00) Europe, Bratislava(GMT+02:00) Europe, Brussels(GMT+02:00) Europe, Budapest(GMT+02:00) Europe, Busingen(GMT+02:00) Europe, Copenhagen(GMT+02:00) Europe, Gibraltar(GMT+02:00) Europe, Kaliningrad(GMT+02:00) Europe, Ljubljana(GMT+02:00) Europe, Luxembourg(GMT+02:00) Europe, Madrid(GMT+02:00) Europe, Malta(GMT+02:00) Europe, Monaco(GMT+02:00) Europe, Oslo(GMT+02:00) Europe, Paris(GMT+02:00) Europe, Podgorica(GMT+02:00) Europe, Prague(GMT+02:00) Europe, Rome(GMT+02:00) Europe, San Marino(GMT+02:00) Europe, Sarajevo(GMT+02:00) Europe, Skopje(GMT+02:00) Europe, Stockholm(GMT+02:00) Europe, Tirane(GMT+02:00) Europe, Vaduz(GMT+02:00) Europe, Vatican(GMT+02:00) Europe, Vienna(GMT+02:00) Europe, Warsaw(GMT+02:00) Europe, Zagreb(GMT+02:00) Europe, Zurich(GMT+03:00) Africa, Addis Ababa(GMT+03:00) Africa, Asmara(GMT+03:00) Africa, Dar es Salaam(GMT+03:00) Africa, Djibouti(GMT+03:00) Africa, Juba(GMT+03:00) Africa, Kampala(GMT+03:00) Africa, Mogadishu(GMT+03:00) Africa, Nairobi(GMT+03:00) Antarctica, Syowa(GMT+03:00) Asia, Aden(GMT+03:00) Asia, Amman(GMT+03:00) Asia, Baghdad(GMT+03:00) Asia, Bahrain(GMT+03:00) Asia, Beirut(GMT+03:00) Asia, Damascus(GMT+03:00) Asia, Famagusta(GMT+03:00) Asia, Gaza(GMT+03:00) Asia, Hebron(GMT+03:00) Asia, Jerusalem(GMT+03:00) Asia, Kuwait(GMT+03:00) Asia, Nicosia(GMT+03:00) Asia, Qatar(GMT+03:00) Asia, Riyadh(GMT+03:00) Europe, Athens(GMT+03:00) Europe, Bucharest(GMT+03:00) Europe, Chisinau(GMT+03:00) Europe, Helsinki(GMT+03:00) Europe, Istanbul(GMT+03:00) Europe, Kiev(GMT+03:00) Europe, Kirov(GMT+03:00) Europe, Mariehamn(GMT+03:00) Europe, Minsk(GMT+03:00) Europe, Moscow(GMT+03:00) Europe, Riga(GMT+03:00) Europe, Simferopol(GMT+03:00) Europe, Sofia(GMT+03:00) Europe, Tallinn(GMT+03:00) Europe, Uzhgorod(GMT+03:00) Europe, Vilnius(GMT+03:00) Europe, Zaporozhye(GMT+03:00) Indian, Antananarivo(GMT+03:00) Indian, Comoro(GMT+03:00) Indian, Mayotte(GMT+04:00) Asia, Baku(GMT+04:00) Asia, Dubai(GMT+04:00) Asia, Muscat(GMT+04:00) Asia, Tbilisi(GMT+04:00) Asia, Yerevan(GMT+04:00) Europe, Astrakhan(GMT+04:00) Europe, Samara(GMT+04:00) Europe, Saratov(GMT+04:00) Europe, Ulyanovsk(GMT+04:00) Europe, Volgograd(GMT+04:00) Indian, Mahe(GMT+04:00) Indian, Mauritius(GMT+04:00) Indian, Reunion(GMT+04:30) Asia, Kabul(GMT+04:30) Asia, Tehran(GMT+05:00) Antarctica, Mawson(GMT+05:00) Asia, Aqtau(GMT+05:00) Asia, Aqtobe(GMT+05:00) Asia, Ashgabat(GMT+05:00) Asia, Atyrau(GMT+05:00) Asia, Dushanbe(GMT+05:00) Asia, Karachi(GMT+05:00) Asia, Oral(GMT+05:00) Asia, Qyzylorda(GMT+05:00) Asia, Samarkand(GMT+05:00) Asia, Tashkent(GMT+05:00) Asia, Yekaterinburg(GMT+05:00) Indian, Kerguelen(GMT+05:00) Indian, Maldives(GMT+05:30) Asia, Colombo(GMT+05:30) Asia, Kolkata(GMT+05:45) Asia, Kathmandu(GMT+06:00) Antarctica, Vostok(GMT+06:00) Asia, Almaty(GMT+06:00) Asia, Bishkek(GMT+06:00) Asia, Dhaka(GMT+06:00) Asia, Omsk(GMT+06:00) Asia, Qostanay(GMT+06:00) Asia, Thimphu(GMT+06:00) Asia, Urumqi(GMT+06:00) Indian, Chagos(GMT+06:30) Asia, Yangon(GMT+06:30) Indian, Cocos(GMT+07:00) Antarctica, Davis(GMT+07:00) Asia, Bangkok(GMT+07:00) Asia, Barnaul(GMT+07:00) Asia, Ho Chi Minh(GMT+07:00) Asia, Hovd(GMT+07:00) Asia, Jakarta(GMT+07:00) Asia, Krasnoyarsk(GMT+07:00) Asia, Novokuznetsk(GMT+07:00) Asia, Novosibirsk(GMT+07:00) Asia, Phnom Penh(GMT+07:00) Asia, Pontianak(GMT+07:00) Asia, Tomsk(GMT+07:00) Asia, Vientiane(GMT+07:00) Indian, Christmas(GMT+08:00) Antarctica, Casey(GMT+08:00) Asia, Brunei(GMT+08:00) Asia, Choibalsan(GMT+08:00) Asia, Hong Kong(GMT+08:00) Asia, Irkutsk(GMT+08:00) Asia, Kuala Lumpur(GMT+08:00) Asia, Kuching(GMT+08:00) Asia, Macau(GMT+08:00) Asia, Makassar(GMT+08:00) Asia, Manila(GMT+08:00) Asia, Shanghai(GMT+08:00) Asia, Singapore(GMT+08:00) Asia, Taipei(GMT+08:00) Asia, Ulaanbaatar(GMT+08:00) Australia, Perth(GMT+08:45) Australia, Eucla(GMT+09:00) Asia, Chita(GMT+09:00) Asia, Dili(GMT+09:00) Asia, Jayapura(GMT+09:00) Asia, Khandyga(GMT+09:00) Asia, Pyongyang(GMT+09:00) Asia, Seoul(GMT+09:00) Asia, Tokyo(GMT+09:00) Asia, Yakutsk(GMT+09:00) Pacific, Palau(GMT+09:30) Australia, Adelaide(GMT+09:30) Australia, Broken Hill(GMT+09:30) Australia, Darwin(GMT+10:00) Antarctica, DumontDUrville(GMT+10:00) Asia, Ust-Nera(GMT+10:00) Asia, Vladivostok(GMT+10:00) Australia, Brisbane(GMT+10:00) Australia, Currie(GMT+10:00) Australia, Hobart(GMT+10:00) Australia, Lindeman(GMT+10:00) Australia, Melbourne(GMT+10:00) Australia, Sydney(GMT+10:00) Pacific, Chuuk(GMT+10:00) Pacific, Guam(GMT+10:00) Pacific, Port Moresby(GMT+10:00) Pacific, Saipan(GMT+10:30) Australia, Lord Howe(GMT+11:00) Antarctica, Macquarie(GMT+11:00) Asia, Magadan(GMT+11:00) Asia, Sakhalin(GMT+11:00) Asia, Srednekolymsk(GMT+11:00) Pacific, Bougainville(GMT+11:00) Pacific, Efate(GMT+11:00) Pacific, Guadalcanal(GMT+11:00) Pacific, Kosrae(GMT+11:00) Pacific, Norfolk(GMT+11:00) Pacific, Noumea(GMT+11:00) Pacific, Pohnpei(GMT+12:00) Antarctica, McMurdo(GMT+12:00) Asia, Anadyr(GMT+12:00) Asia, Kamchatka(GMT+12:00) Pacific, Auckland(GMT+12:00) Pacific, Fiji(GMT+12:00) Pacific, Funafuti(GMT+12:00) Pacific, Kwajalein(GMT+12:00) Pacific, Majuro(GMT+12:00) Pacific, Nauru(GMT+12:00) Pacific, Tarawa(GMT+12:00) Pacific, Wake(GMT+12:00) Pacific, Wallis(GMT+12:45) Pacific, Chatham(GMT+13:00) Pacific, Apia(GMT+13:00) Pacific, Enderbury(GMT+13:00) Pacific, Fakaofo(GMT+13:00) Pacific, Tongatapu(GMT+14:00) Pacific, Kiritimati

Read the original:

SpaceX Launch Schedule

You Can’t Buy SpaceX Stock Right Now, but Here’s How You …

Posted on by

SpaceX made history over the weekend when it launched two U.S. astronauts into space, the first crewed space launch from U.S. soil in nearly a decade. It was a remarkable accomplishment, and one that should usher in a new era of space cooperation between private companies and NASA.

It also was largely a nonevent for investors, as SpaceX is a private company and founder Elon Musk has expressed an interest in keeping it that way. SpaceX has big dreams, including colonizing Mars, and those sorts of ambitions, and research expenses, don't usually sync well with Wall Street's quarter-to-quarter tracking.

But even if SpaceX isn't publicly traded, there are some options for investors who want to buy into the new space race. Here's a look at some of the options available to those who are interested.

There aren't a lot of large public companies focused solely on space; I'll get into why that is, and what it might suggest for investors later on. But there are a few options. Virgin Galactic (NYSE:SPCE), Richard Branson's space tourism venture, went public last year and has been the primary publicly traded beneficiary of SpaceX's recent success.

Image source: Getty Images.

Virgin Galactic has yet to launch a human into space, and the company is very much in its development phase. Virgin Galactic generated just $238,000 in revenue in the first quarter, but it can boast a reservation list of more than 1,000 people who have signed up to eventually pay $250,000 to briefly go into space.

The company hopes to begin service this year and believes that with repetition it can bring down the cost of its launches and become profitable. It had better, because even if the entire reservation list is converted into full-paying customers, the money raised wouldn't go much further than covering the $200 million Virgin Galactic burned through in 2019.

Another option is Maxar Technologies (NYSE:MAXR), which is focused on satellites, digital imagery, and analytics tools. The company is a rollup of a number of small satellite providers perhaps best known as the source of many of the satellite images used by Alphabet's Google Maps product, but it gets most of its revenue from government and commercial customers.

Finally, Aerojet Rocketdyne (NYSE:AJRD) is focused on providing the rocket engines needed to get astronauts and satellites into orbit and beyond.

All of the space pure plays tend to be smaller, niche companies. There is a reason for that. Space by its nature is risky, and expensive. SpaceX has experienced a number of high-profile mishaps on its way to getting an astronaut into orbit. Testing and failure are parts of the development process, and that can be hard for smaller companies to manage and finance.

A significant portion of the revenue related to space is soaked up by larger, more diversified defense contractors. Most defense titans have space units, with Boeing (NYSE:BA) and Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) in a joint venture called United Launch Alliance (ULA) focused on lift and Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) making rockets via its Orbital ATK acquisition. Those companies, as well as others, includingRaytheon Technologies (NYSE:RTX) andL3Harris Technologies(NYSE:LHX), also make satellites and sensors that are launched into orbit.

Image source: Lockheed Martin.

Although SpaceX is best known for its crewed efforts, the company so far has made its most significant impact in the launch business. Because it is private, we don't know the exact numbers, but SpaceX has succeeded in bringing down launch costs for government and commercial operators and has put pressure on incumbents including ULA and Northrop.

The real money in space comes from the manufacture of satellites, probes, and other objects designed to fly through space, and specifically the high-tech sensors and electronics on those objects, and not the rockets that get them there. That's a tough business to break into, especially since many of the launches are shrouded intelligence efforts that require employees with clearances, and at least for now are left largely to defense companies with strong ties to the Pentagon.

SpaceX appears to have no interest in going public, but management has in the past discussed eventually spinning off its planned Starlink internet service provider as a publicly traded entity. Starlink in the coming years plans to launch 12,000 small, low-orbiting satellites that can beam internet service to areas that are hard to reach by terrestrial offerings.

They aren't the first to try the plan: Viasat (NASDAQ:VSAT) and EchoStar's (NASDAQ:SATS) Hughes Network Systems currently offer satellite internet with various levels of success. Starlink is one of a number of next-generation companies that want to use an armada of small, inexpensive satellites instead of a couple of larger, more complex ones to provide service.

SpaceX in the past has predicted Starlink could generate upward of $30 billion in annual sales by 2025, though that appears to just be based on assuming all 12,000 satellites are utilized at maximum capacity. It could be a challenge to get to those sales numbers. The business will have to compete against incumbent satellite vendors, similar efforts funded by Amazon.comand others, traditional Earth-based providers, and new technologies including 5G wireless networking technologythat could solve the same problems without the costs and complexity of going into space.

In the meantime, the Starlink launches are providing a steady stream of business for SpaceX and helping advance the company's goal of establishing a space-based communications network that could be used in future efforts to get to the moon and beyond. But as a stand-alone business, Starlink still has a lot to prove.

As mentioned above, space is hard. It is also exciting, and over time, as these technologies develop, could be lucrative. Bankers at Morgan Stanleyin 2017 predicted the space industry could grow to as much as $1.75 trillion in annual revenue by 2040.

Motley Fool co-founder David Gardner likes to say, "make your portfolio reflect your best vision for our future," and it's easy to fit a world with space tourism, improved communications, and even moon colonies into that vision. Unfortunately, the complex engineering challenges needed to be tackled every day to launch people, and objects, into space inevitably lead to high costs and some business failures.

As an investor, it's OK to devote a small percentage of your portfolio to some of these pure-play space companies and hope for the best. But, as always, diversification is key. Given the risks associated with these businesses, it's dangerous to make space a key part of your retirement portfolio.

See more here:

You Can't Buy SpaceX Stock Right Now, but Here's How You ...

‘I prayed for this one – Space.com

Posted on by

A relieved SpaceX CEO Elon Musk welcomed home the first NASA astronauts to fly to space on his company's Crew Dragon vehicle.

Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken returned to Earth after two months in orbit and safely splashed down in the Gulf Coast waters off Florida on Sunday (Aug. 2). The astronauts, finally back on their home planet, then caught a plane ride home to Houston, where NASA's astronaut corps is based. There, Musk joined NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine to welcome the pair home from the test flight and share his excitement about what comes next.

"I do think what this heralds really is fundamentally a new era in spaceflight," Musk said. "We're going to go to the moon, we're going to have a base on the moon, we're going to send people to Mars and make life multiplanetary and I think this day heralds a new age of space exploration. That's what it's all about."

In photos: SpaceX's historic Demo-2 test flight with astronauts

Hurley and Behnken's flight, dubbed Demo-2, was the first crewed flight in NASA's commercial crew program to outsource astronaut rides to the space station to companies, an initiative that began in 2014. A second company, Boeing, also holds a contract with the program and is expected to refly an uncrewed test flight of its Starliner vehicle after a mishap in December left the capsule unable to reach the space station.

Spaceflight is always risky, but particularly so during a test flight, a fact that astronauts and mission leaders alike have acknowledged throughout the lead-up to the Demo-2 flight. Musk referenced the riskiness obliquely in his welcoming remarks.

"I think, like, my entire adrenaline just dumped, you know? Like, thank God," Musk said. "I'm not very religious, but I prayed for this one."

Musk also pointed to the context in which Hurley and Behnken made their flight. The pair flew to and from space as a pandemic ravaged the country, among other ongoing crises.

"I think this is something that the whole world can take some pleasure in and can really look at this as an achievement of humanity," Musk said. "These are difficult times, when there's not that much good news. I think this is one of those things that is universally good, no matter where you are on planet Earth. This is a good thing, and I hope it brightens your day."

Email Meghan Bartels at mbartels@space.com or follow her on Twitter @meghanbartels. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

See the original post here:

'I prayed for this one - Space.com

SpaceX crew returned to Earth and other space news you missed – Winston-Salem Journal

Posted on by

THIS PRODUCT COVERS CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA**TROPICAL STORM ISAIAS WILL BRING HEAVY RAIN AND TROPICAL STORM FORCEWINDS TO EASTERN NC THIS EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING**NEW INFORMATION---------------* CHANGES TO WATCHES AND WARNINGS:- THE TROPICAL STORM WATCH HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO A TROPICAL STORMWARNING FOR FRANKLIN, HARNETT, HOKE, WAKE, AND WARREN- THE TROPICAL STORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR SCOTLAND* CURRENT WATCHES AND WARNINGS:- A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR CUMBERLAND,EDGECOMBE, FRANKLIN, HALIFAX, HARNETT, HOKE, JOHNSTON, NASH,SAMPSON, WAKE, WARREN, WAYNE, AND WILSON* STORM INFORMATION:- ABOUT 360 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF RALEIGH NC- 30.7N 80.1W- STORM INTENSITY 70 MPH- MOVEMENT NORTH OR 360 DEGREES AT 13 MPHSITUATION OVERVIEW------------------TROPICAL STORM ISAIAS WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE GEORGIA AND SOUTHEASTSOUTH CAROLINA COASTS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ISAIAS IS THENFORECAST TO MAKE LANDFALL NEAR THE NORTH CAROLINA/SOUTH CAROLINABORDER AND MOVE NORTHEAST ACROSS EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE CAROLINASTONIGHT THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY. CONDITIONS SHOULD BEGIN TODETERIORATE THIS EVENING, WITH THE GREATEST IMPACTS EXPECTED TONIGHTTHROUGH EARLY TUESDAY.TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS, HEAVY RAINFALL AND ASSOCIATED FLOODINGARE THE MAIN THREATS. DUE TO SATURATED SOILS AND STRONG WINDS,EXPECT NUMEROUS DOWNED TREES AND POWER LINES. ISOLATED TORNADOES AREALSO POSSIBLE. CONDITIONS SHOULD BEGIN TO IMPROVE SOUTH TO NORTHLATE TUESDAY MORNING AND INTO THE AFTERNOON.POTENTIAL IMPACTS-----------------* WIND:PROTECT AGAINST DANGEROUS WIND HAVING POSSIBLE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTSALONG AND EAST OF US 1. POTENTIAL IMPACTS IN THIS AREA INCLUDE:- SOME DAMAGE TO ROOFING AND SIDING MATERIALS, ALONG WITH DAMAGETO PORCHES, AWNINGS, CARPORTS, AND SHEDS. A FEW BUILDINGSEXPERIENCING WINDOW, DOOR, AND GARAGE DOOR FAILURES. MOBILEHOMES DAMAGED, ESPECIALLY IF UNANCHORED. UNSECURED LIGHTWEIGHTOBJECTS BECOME DANGEROUS PROJECTILES.- SEVERAL LARGE TREES SNAPPED OR UPROOTED, BUT WITH GREATERNUMBERS IN PLACES WHERE TREES ARE SHALLOW ROOTED. SEVERALFENCES AND ROADWAY SIGNS BLOWN OVER.- A FEW ROADS IMPASSABLE FROM LARGE DEBRIS, AND MORE WITHIN URBANOR HEAVILY WOODED PLACES. A FEW BRIDGES, CAUSEWAYS, AND ACCESSROUTES IMPASSABLE.- SCATTERED POWER AND COMMUNICATIONS OUTAGES, BUT MORE PREVALENTIN AREAS WITH ABOVE GROUND LINES.ALSO, PROTECT AGAINST HAZARDOUS WIND HAVING POSSIBLE LIMITED IMPACTSACROSS THE WESTERN PIEDMONT AND WESTERN SANDHILLS.* FLOODING RAIN:PROTECT AGAINST DANGEROUS RAINFALL FLOODING HAVING POSSIBLESIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. POTENTIAL IMPACTSINCLUDE:- MODERATE RAINFALL FLOODING MAY PROMPT SEVERAL EVACUATIONS ANDRESCUES.- RIVERS AND TRIBUTARIES MAY QUICKLY BECOME SWOLLEN WITH SWIFTERCURRENTS AND OVERSPILL THEIR BANKS IN A FEW PLACES, ESPECIALLYIN USUALLY VULNERABLE SPOTS. SMALL STREAMS, CREEKS, AND DITCHESOVERFLOW.- FLOOD WATERS CAN ENTER SOME STRUCTURES OR WEAKEN FOUNDATIONS.SEVERAL PLACES MAY EXPERIENCE EXPANDED AREAS OF RAPIDINUNDATION AT UNDERPASSES, LOW-LYING SPOTS, AND POOR DRAINAGEAREAS. SOME STREETS AND PARKING LOTS TAKE ON MOVING WATER ASSTORM DRAINS AND RETENTION PONDS OVERFLOW. DRIVING CONDITIONSBECOME HAZARDOUS. SOME ROAD AND BRIDGE CLOSURES.* TORNADOES:PROTECT AGAINST A DANGEROUS TORNADO EVENT HAVING POSSIBLE SIGNIFICANTIMPACTS ALONG AND EAST OF INTERSTATE 95. POTENTIAL IMPACTS INCLUDE:- THE OCCURRENCE OF SCATTERED TORNADOES CAN HINDER THE EXECUTIONOF EMERGENCY PLANS DURING TROPICAL EVENTS.- SEVERAL PLACES MAY EXPERIENCE TORNADO DAMAGE WITH A FEW SPOTSOF CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE, POWER LOSS, AND COMMUNICATIONS FAILURES.- LOCATIONS COULD REALIZE ROOFS TORN OFF FRAME HOUSES, MOBILEHOMES DEMOLISHED, BOXCARS OVERTURNED, LARGE TREES SNAPPED ORUPROOTED, VEHICLES TUMBLED, AND SMALL BOATS TOSSED ABOUT.DANGEROUS PROJECTILES CAN ADD TO THE TOLL.ELSEWHERE ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA, LITTLE TO NO IMPACT ISANTICIPATED.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS----------------------------------NOW IS THE TIME TO CHECK YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN AND EMERGENCY SUPPLIESKIT AND TAKE NECESSARY ACTIONS TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY AND SECURE YOURHOME OR BUSINESS.WHEN MAKING SAFETY AND PREPAREDNESS DECISIONS, DO NOT FOCUS ON THEEXACT FORECAST TRACK SINCE HAZARDS SUCH AS FLOODING RAIN, DAMAGINGWIND GUSTS, STORM SURGE, AND TORNADOES EXTEND WELL AWAY FROM THECENTER OF THE STORM.ALWAYS HEED THE ADVICE OF LOCAL OFFICIALS AND COMPLY WITH ORDERS THATARE ISSUED. DO NOT NEEDLESSLY JEOPARDIZE YOUR LIFE OR THE LIVES OFOTHERS.* ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION:- FOR INFORMATION ON APPROPRIATE PREPARATIONS SEE READYNC.ORG- FOR INFORMATION ON CREATING AN EMERGENCY PLAN SEE GETAGAMEPLAN.ORG- FOR ADDITIONAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION SEE REDCROSS.ORGNEXT UPDATE-----------THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHERSERVICE IN RALEIGH NC AROUND 5 PM EDT, OR SOONER IF CONDITIONSWARRANT.

More:

SpaceX crew returned to Earth and other space news you missed - Winston-Salem Journal

Whats on TV Sunday: Connected and the SpaceX Landing – The New York Times

Posted on by

Whats Streaming

CONNECTED Stream on Netflix. As the director of research for Radiolab, Latif Nasser has covered all sorts of fascinating stories for the science podcast, like that of a Guantnamo Bay detainee who shares his name, or what the 2016 N.H.L. All-Star Game can teach us about democracy. Now, as the host of this new Netflix show, Nasser will uncover the surprising ways humans are connected to one another, the world and the universe at large. Its a fascinating topic one that highlights how a law of numerical probability applies to classical music, social media and tax fraud, or how a shipwreck laid the ground work for weather forecasting and cloud computing.

SPACE LAUNCH LIVE: SPLASHDOWN 1 p.m. on Discovery and Science Channel. Back in May, millions of people turned their eyes to the skies (and their screens) to witness the launch of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. The mission, which was a partnership between NASA and Elon Musks company SpaceX, marked the first time U.S. astronauts were sent into orbit onboard a private spacecraft. Now, after spending two months docked at the International Space Station, the astronauts, Robert L. Behnken and Douglas O. Hurley, will make their journey home. The host Chris Jacobs will be joined by current and former astronauts, engineers and other special guests, before the spacecrafts scheduled landing in the Atlantic Ocean.

HIROSHIMA: 75 YEARS LATER 9 p.m. on History. This two-hour documentary looks back at the development, detonation and aftermath of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, featuring the perspectives of leaders, physicists, soldiers and survivors who witnessed its catastrophic destruction. Featuring archival footage, color film from the aftermath and audio testimony from victims, the film takes a hard look at one of the most devastating moments in human history through a moral and scientific lens.

TASKMASTER 9 p.m. on the CW. This widely entertaining series assigns a group of comedians with a number of creatively vague tasks such as make the most exotic sandwich or fill an egg cup with tears" leaving the host, Greg Davies, and the task devisor, Alex Horne, to choose a winner. Its a clever take on the classic British panel show format that doubles as a devious way to torture its celebrity guests with hilarious, and occasionally genius, results.

ILL BE GONE IN THE DARK 10 p.m. on HBO. In April 2018, the decades-long search for the sexual predator known as the Golden State Killer, concluded in the arrest of Joseph James DeAngelo. But the true crime writer Michelle McNamara, who spent years investigating the case, died before she could see the man who terrorized California in the 1970s and 80s brought to justice. This six-part series traces the evolution of the case, as well as McNamaras remarkable life and work, as an adaptation of her book, which was published posthumously. In the finale, McNamaras husband, the comedian Patton Oswalt, connects with survivors of DeAngelos crimes and reflects on McNamaras absence.

Continue reading here:

Whats on TV Sunday: Connected and the SpaceX Landing - The New York Times

Scientific Literacy, Technology and COVID-19 – Coronavirus Coverage – State of the Planet

Posted on by

A few years ago, I was walking alone in a part of Paris I didnt know and suddenly my iPhone and GPS stopped working. I had been on a sight-seeing break in between meetings and realized that I might be completely lost. But fortunately, since I was being an observant tourist, I started to recall my old pre-GPS method of navigation. I recreated a mental image of where Id been and remembered that in the middle of my stroll, I had walked on a bridge that crossed the Seine. From there I regained my bearings and found my hotel. I thought, how fortunate that my life experiences predate carrying a portable computer in my pocket. But what if I hadnt? Like anyone else, I would have asked directions from people on the street, but what struck me was how dependent I had become on technology for simple tasks that I used to be able to do on my own.

Civilization once replaced human labor with animal labor and then replaced animals with mechanical labor and now we are in a world of computer-controlled electronic automation. Everything around us from our refrigerators to our autos are controlled by technologies we use but do not understand. We live in a global and interdependent world, reliant on technology and scientific experts for our survival. Corporate decision-making and public policymaking require a growing degree of input from scientific and technical experts. While expertise comes from engineers and physical and biological science, decisions are largely made by people trained in law or business. Although the lawyers are sometimes experts in some element of law and the business folks often have some understanding of finance and its math, most senior leaders are a long way from their days of focused, analytic inquiry. They depend on but do not always know how to communicate with experts.

At the start of my professional career in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, I was struck by the relative lack of scientific expertise among decision-makers. I had been hired in part to staff a reorganizational analysis and develop policy guidance for citizen participation in superfund toxic waste clean-ups. I had focused my doctoral studies in political science and public policy on organization theory and I had written my dissertation on public participation in environmental decision-making. Much of my work at the EPA was within my areas of expertise. But then at times, I was asked to participate in policy analyses that required an understanding of toxicology, hydrology, soil science and engineering. Needless to say, I learned the difference between something I was an expert in and something I was not. That experience taught me to stay within my lane and focus my work on something I truly understood. It also taught me the importance of learning to work across disciplines. We could not address environmental problems without drawing on many forms of expertise. Environmental policy and management require people who understand organizations, law, finance and business but we also need engineers, environmental scientists, experts in public health and many other types of experts.

But decision-makers do not have the luxury that consultants, policy analysts and academics enjoy: They often dont have time to search for expertise and slowly learn from experts. They need experts and expertise, but they often need them and their knowledge in a hurry. Sometimes they have to fly the jet plane and repair it at the same time. A recession hits, and lawyers must learn finance. A pandemic hits, and all of us must learn about the science of virus transmission. It is important that we have enough scientific background to know what we dont know. For those who are experts in one area, it is critical to recognize that you need to consult with someone who is an expert in another area. For those who are not experts in a subject matter, but professionals trained in the methods of management, quantitative analysis, financial analysis, law or some other field, it is essential that they learn the critical importance of scientific expertise. They must not only know what they dont know but must learn how to learn what they need to know to make decisions. They need to learn how to elicit competing experts and identify areas of scientific consensus that justify action. This requires setting aside personal biases and during a crisis, personal interest.

There is little question that the White House is now conducting a master class in the cost of scientific illiteracy. Our elected leaders are well versed in the mantra of Bill Clintons first presidential campaign: its the economy stupid. Anything that interferes with economic growth is politically toxic. Shutting down the economy this past spring was something to get through quickly to minimize damage to the economy and the presidents reelection campaign. Medical and public health expertise was briefly heard in the White House briefing room but soon, it was overwhelmed by the political rhetoric of the president. Eventually, health experts were sent into exile after the president proposed the Clorox cure. A president with Donald Trumps degree of scientific illiteracy could simply not share a platform with world-class medical experts. Unlike many other problems faced by political leaders, the facts of COVID-19 could not be denied. Politicos in and out of the White House worked hard to spin and attempted to minimize the danger, politicize masks and label prudent public health measures as attacks on liberty.

Nevertheless, as the disease spread, more and more people knew someone who had suffered from it. Elected leaders from President Trump to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio pushed hard and continue to push to reopen schools in September. The damage of closed schools to child development and to the return to normal economic life has been clearly articulated by experts in the physical and mental health of children and economists. On the other side of the debate are medical and public health experts seeking to understand this new disease and reduce its impact on human health. The stakes are high, and it is very difficult to balance the claims of experts from these diverse disciplines. Moreover, the decisions on school openings will not only be made by government but by parents who may decide to keep their children at home.

The pandemic is an example of months of public decisions that needed to be made in the face of scientific uncertainty, by decision-makers who did not know what they didnt know and didnt fully understand the range of options opened to them. The opportunities to contain the virus in China, Europe and the United States were missed by decision-makers in each place. The methods used to reduce virus transmission have worked, but the economic cost of those methods resulted in re-openings that have caused the virus to come back to places that have driven it out.

I believe that we will eventually reduce this pandemic and return to normal life. But to maintain that normal life, we will need to do a better job of utilizing scientific expertise to address the negative impacts of our technologies. Climate denial and pandemic denial are examples of willful scientific ignorance. In a world as dependent on technology as the one we live, we should expect that technologies from air travel to food production will carry dangers we must learn to identify and mitigate. We listen to experts when they invent something new we think we will like, but we ignore them when they deliver bad news. We need a more mature and sophisticated approach to utilizing scientific expertise in decision-making. COVID-19 highlights the seriousness of the impact of our choices: over 150,000 Americans have died and millions of people are out of work. There is widespread hunger in America. This is no place and not the time for posturing and political bombast. The folks in Washington are clearly unable to deliver leadership, and so we will need to rely on our families, corporations, institutions, localities and states to continue to fill the void.

Read the original:

Scientific Literacy, Technology and COVID-19 - Coronavirus Coverage - State of the Planet

Mass Technology Leadership Council calls on its members to double states Black, Latinx tech employees as par – MassLive.com

Posted on by

Massachusetts largest group of tech companies is calling on its members to double the percentage of Black and Latinx employees in the state by the end of the decade.

Introduced on Monday, the 2030 Challenge by the Mass Technology Leadership Council aims to push the percentage of Black employees at tech companies in Massachusetts to 10% and Latinx workers to 14%.

While MassTCL specifically mentioned Black and Latinx workers, the organization will continue to strive for gender equity within the tech work-sphere asa well.

According to the MassTLC, the Massachusetts tech sector does not adequately reflect the diverse population of the state.

More than calling for change, the MassTLC is asking its more than 450 members to commit to The Tech Compact for Social Justice, which outlines 12 steps to accomplish its 2030 Challenge.

So far more than 60 companies have agreed to the commitment.

This is a time when people are speaking out and we, as leaders, need to listen to them, CEO of MassTLC Tom Hopcroft said in a statement. This is how change happens, and it is why we launched The Tech Compact for Social Justice. We recognize that Boston and the tech industry have more to do to support and encourage the inclusion of black, Latinx and Indigenous people and we accept our responsibility to do more to make change at the company and community level.

By agreeing to the Tech Compact for Social Justice, companies commit to introducing or expanding educational programs and opportunities that promote diversity. The compact states companies should invest in students of color to create more diversity in developmental programs too.

They also commit to creating more diversity within leadership and board composition.

The CEO of companies will be evaluated on racially diverse hiring, leadership development, and promotion, the compact says.

By June 2022, companies that join the compact agree to self report demographic data of employees and hiring practices including at the leadership level and promotions. Reporting data will also include self reporting on racial diversity initiatives in purchasing and procurement as well as aggregate pay parity.

Outside of the day-to-day operations, the compact calls for companies to leverage products and communications to support communities of color. Companies will also advocate for public policies that support opportunities for people of color.

More than 60 companies have already signed on including Akamai, iRobot, TripAdvisor, Verizon and Wayfair.

At Akamai, diversity is a mission-critical goal, executive vice president and chief human resources officer of Akamai Technologies Anthony Williams said in a statement. As long-time active members of MassTLC we are proud to join forces with them to create long-term change in the Massachusetts technology community. By pooling resources with other companies, we harness our collective influence for greater impact.

Related Content:

Read more from the original source:

Mass Technology Leadership Council calls on its members to double states Black, Latinx tech employees as par - MassLive.com