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Cluster of GBA airports proposed to take effect by 2025 – Macau Daily Times

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Danzig

Major airports within the Greater Bay Area (GBA) would achieve consolidation into a single airport cluster by 2025 under a proposal issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.Officially, the GBA has nine cities and two Special Administrative Regions (SARs) by political categorization.The multi-jurisdiction area has three major airports in Guangzhou, capital of the Guangdong province, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. In 2019, the three airports handled nearly 198 million passengers combined.In addition, the Macau International Airport focuses on regional passenger flights, while its neighbor, the Zhuhai Jinwan Airport, focuses on mainland passenger destinations.The five airports have been competing for airspace, as they are so closely located.Authorities within the Greater Bay Area have called for a comprehensive plan to make better use of the positioning of each airport. This would help to remove competition between them, while fostering a degree of aviation specialization.The five airports are holding regular meetings to discuss various topics, with specialization and competition among them.The central proposal, which has now been released, has two goals, to be achieved in two phases.Phase 1 will see the realization of a Greater Bay Area airport conglomerate in 2025. Before which, in 2022, GBA airports should achieve greater interactions and dynamics between them.Phase 2 will see infrastructure implemented by the conglomerate by 2035. The airports should be able to operate on a world-class level with safe, green, smart, human and synergetic qualities, according to the proposal.During the years outlined in the proposal, the central administration will further clarify the functions of each airport, in order to achieve their diversified goals.For example, the Macau airport will focus on developing into a service-oriented airport. In addition, the mainland civil aviation authority has showed support for the opening of the civil aviation market in Macau.It also hinted that the Hong Kong airport will remain as the leader of global freight in the Greater Bay Area. AL

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Cluster of GBA airports proposed to take effect by 2025 - Macau Daily Times

India records highest daily spike of COVID-19 infections – Macau Business

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Danzig

Indias federal health ministry said Sunday that 543 new deaths due to COVID-19 and 38,902 more cases were reported during the past 24 hours across the country, taking the number of deaths to 26,816 and total cases to 1,077,618. This is the highest single-day spike in terms of new COVID-19 cases in the country so far. According to ministry officials, 677,423 people have been discharged from hospitals after showing improvement, and the number of active cases in the country right now is 373,379.

Presently the country has entered Unlock 2.0 phase, though restrictions remain in full force inside the COVID-19 Containment Zones. Commercial international flights to and from India are suspended until July 31. Even as the COVID-19 cases continue to rise, human trials of vaccine COVAXIN developed by Bharat Biotech has started at a government-run hospital PGI Rohtak in northern state of Haryana on Friday. Three subjects were enrolled today. All have tolerated the vaccine very well. There were no adverse efforts, tweeted the states Health Minister Anil Vij.

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India records highest daily spike of COVID-19 infections - Macau Business

First Italy trial over ‘migrant pushback’ to Libya – Macau Business

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Danzig

The captain of an Italian-flagged ship is to be tried for allegedly forcing migrants back to Libya, in the first such case in Italy, documents seen by AFP show.

The Asso 28 supply ship picked up 101 migrants near an oil and gas rig in international waters, before taking them to the port of Tripoli and handing them over to the Libyan coast guard, according to prosecutors in Naples.

The captain and a representative of the Augusta Offshore company that owns the ship are accused of violating international laws that forbid the forced return of people to countries where they or their rights are at risk.

Libya is not considered a port of safety under international law.

The rescue took place on July 30, 2018 near the Sabratha platform which isoperated byMellitah Oil & Gas, a consortium of Libyas National Oil Corporation and Italys ENI.

Among those pulled from the unseaworthy dinghy were five minors and five pregnant women.

Despite the rescue taking place on an Italian-flagged ship which was under Romes jurisdiction, no call was made to Italys Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), the documents show.

The Augusta Offshore company at the time said the rescue had been coordinated by the Marine department of Sabratha, in conjunction with a representative of the Libyan coast guard who had boarded the Asso 28.

Eni said it had been coordinated by the Libyan coast guard.

Investigative reporter Nello Scavo for the Avvenire newspaper, who first wrote about the case, said Italian prosecutors had found no trace of a Marine department of Sabratha, or evidence that the Libyan MRCC had been alerted.

The ships register also showed no mention of a Libyan official on board, he said.

Prosecutors in Naples have taken into evidence audio recordings of radio contact that day between the Asso 28 and the Open Arms charity rescue ship, which had requested details on the migrants position and condition.

Nicola Fratoianni, MP and the leader of the Italian Left party, who was on board at the time as an observer, told AFP Saturday that the Open Arms had warned the ASSO 28 that returning the migrants to Libya was illegal.

They (the Asso 28) first said they had had an order from their boss on the Sabratah platform, a platform ENI works on, and then they said the rescue had been coordinated by the Libyan authorities.

No attempt was made to identify the migrants, check their health, verify whether the minors were unaccompanied, or ask those rescued if they were seeking asylum, all of which violate international conventions, the prosecutors claim.

Fratoianni described it as an explicit collective pushback on the part of a ship flying the Italian flag.

The trial was key to getting to the truth behind too frequent episodes in the central Mediterranean, he said.

Not just the infinite tragedies, drownings, deaths, but also the illegal pushbacks, which go against all international laws.

A trial date has yet to be set but is expected to be after the judiciary August summer break.

by Ella Ide

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First Italy trial over 'migrant pushback' to Libya - Macau Business

G20 urged to play bigger role in COVID-19 response – Macau Business

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Danzig

The international community has urged the Group of Twenty (G20) to step up and play a bigger role as the global economy continues to suffer repercussions from the COVID-19 pandemic.

While there remains great uncertainty on the global economic outlook, the unprecedented actions taken by the G20 countries and others have helped to avert a much worse outcome, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva said Saturday at the conclusion of a virtual meeting of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors.

As we enter the next phase of the crisis, further policy action will be required, as well as increased international cooperation, she said.

Georgievas call for further actions from the G20 was seconded by World Bank Group President David Malpass, who, during the meeting, urged the G20 countries to extend the time frame of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) through the end of 2021.

Weve made a great deal of progress with DSSI in a short period of time, but more needs to be done, said the World Bank chief, calling the effort one of the key factors in strengthening global recovery.

In response, G20 officials have vowed on Saturday to take immediate and exceptional measures to address COVID-19.

We will consider a possible extension of the DSSI in the second half of 2020, taking into account the development of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, G20 officials said in a statement.

The statement highlighted that the G20 will continue to facilitate international trade and investment and to build the resilience of supply chains to support growth, productivity, innovation, job creation and development.

Meanwhile, public health response remains vital. IMF chief Georgieva called it the main priority to protect people, jobs, and economic activity.

Across the world, countries have implemented exceptional measures to support individuals and workers. These lifelines should be maintained as needed and, in some cases, expanded, she told the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors.

Jeffery Sachs, professor of sustainable development and professor of health policy and management at Columbia University, said in a recent article that all G20 countries need to cooperate on global-scale policies to overcome the health crisis.

Noting that an epidemic is a social phenomenon and needs a social response, the U.S. economist urged all people to be cautious until the pandemic is suppressed.

That means wearing face masks in public places, keeping a prudent distance from others, and monitoring ourselves and our close contacts for symptoms, he wrote.

As South Korea, Japan, and China have shown, the virus can be suppressed that is, new cases can be brought to near zero if this basic logic is followed, he said.

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G20 urged to play bigger role in COVID-19 response - Macau Business

Massive flood arrives at China’s Three Gorges reservoir – Macau Business

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Danzig

The Three Gorges reservoir in central Chinas Hubei Province has seen the second flood along the Yangtze River in 2020, the largest one arriving at the reservoir so far this year.

At 8 a.m. on Saturday, the inbound flow of water reached 61,000 cubic meters per second while the outbound flow was 33,000 cubic meters per second, with 45 percent of floodwater withheld in the reservoir, according to the China Three Gorges Corporation.

Three lower floodgates of the Three Gorges Dam opened to discharge the floodwater on Saturday morning, with various parameters of the dam at safety levels.

After withholding rounds of floodwaters, the water level of the reservoir has reached 160.17 meters, more than 15 meters higher than the flood limit level.

It is expected that this round of floods will recede after it peaked on Saturday, but a new round of floods is forecast to arrive around July 21, according to the corporation.

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Massive flood arrives at China's Three Gorges reservoir - Macau Business

2 Reasons to Buy MGM Resorts – The Motley Fool

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Danzig

MGM Resorts International (NYSE:MGM) is a favorite for investors who want exposure to the lucrative gambling industry. The company is known for its iconic properties like the MGM Grand, the Bellagio, and the MGM Grand Cotai, which are located in the world's biggest gaming districts: Las Vegas and Macau.

This geographic diversification can be a boon in good times, but it has become a challenge during the coronavirus pandemic due to recent travel restrictions in southern China and Macau.

Shares are down around 50% year to date, significantly underperforming the S&P 500. However, MGM is poised for a comeback.

China has eased its travel restrictions on Macau, marking the beginning of the return of visitors to the gambling hub. On the U.S. side of things, the company will be a major contender in the fast-growing sports betting industry thanks to its strong brand.

Image source: Getty Images.

China's Guangdong province has eased travel restrictions on visitors returning from Macau. This is an important development for the struggling gaming hub, thus boosting the fortunes of Macau-exposed casino operators like MGM Resorts as well.

Guangdong (the main point for mainland Chinese guests to Macau) previously required tourists returning from the city to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine upon reentry -- a restriction that sent Macau's gambling revenue down a staggering 97% to just $89.7 million in June.

As of July 15, authorities have lifted some of those restrictions for travelers who can provide a negative COVID-19 test within 24 hours before reentry into Guangdong.

Despite the good news, investors shouldn't expect Macau's gambling revenue to soar back to its previous levels anytime soon as China's tourism industry is still weak. But this latest move marks an inflection point -- the beginning of the recovery for Chinese gambling.

MGM CEO Bill Hornbuckle believes Macau will recover quickly once travel restrictions are loosened. And in the company's first-quarter earnings call, he highlighted plans to diversify revenue streams with non-gaming options such as hotel suites and room products in that region. MGM China had $800 million of liquidity at the end of April, providing a sizable cushion despite burning through $1.5 million of cash daily. MGM China CEO Grant Bowie was also optimistic, indicating MGM can do okay with lower traveler volume as the super-profitable premium market (high-rollers) should come back first. Bowie added, "The demand is there -- the opportunity for them to travel is the only thing they're looking for."

MGM earned around 23% of its fiscal 2019 revenue in China, so the region will be key to the company's performance going forward.

On the home front, MGM Resorts is pursuing a massive growth opportunity in legalized sports betting, an industry projected to expand at a compound annual rate of 8.8% through 2024. With many tourists still wary of visiting casinos during the pandemic, MGM has an opportunity to promote the adoption of its mobile gaming platforms as a safer way to gamble.

The company has partnered with U.K.-based gambling operator GVC Holdings to develop BetMGM, a mobile app that offers wagers on professional and collegiate sports as well as regular casino games. MGM has also partnered with Yahoo! Sports and Buffalo Wild Wings to help boost the popularity of its platform in states where such gambling is legal.

Most recently, BetMGM signed a multi-year deal with the Denver Broncos that will include the NFL's first in-stadium sports betting lounge. Partnerships like this will help introduce MGM's sports betting platform directly to dedicated sports fans.

However, MGM is not the only company looking to corner the lucrative sports betting industry. It will compete with fast-growing rivals like DraftKings, which is offering customers non-traditional betting options like esports and simulated leagues while major sports remain suspended due to the pandemic. With its first-quarter revenue jumping 30% to $89 million (and 60% pre-COVID), Draftkings demonstrates what's possible in the sports betting space.

As BetMGM expands into new states, the company is positioned to leverage its established brand and partnerships to claim market share in this $100 billion industry.

The company remains a world-class name in gambling and entertainment. With some patience, MGM stock is a good way for investors to bet on a recovery in the tourism industry while the cost of entry is still low.

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2 Reasons to Buy MGM Resorts - The Motley Fool

At least 23 bodies found in mass grave in Mexico – Macau Business

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Danzig

The bodies of at least 23 people have been found in a hidden grave close to a police base on the outskirts of the western Mexican city of Guadalajara, local authorities said Friday.

The people deployed to the site have found 23 bodies, as well as four bags with various items of evidence, and three of the bodies have been identified, said the Jalisco state prosecutors office in a statement.

The statement said the mass grave had been found on Monday.

The families of the three people so far identified have been informed, the office added.

The burial pit was found between two residential properties and only three blocks from the police station of El Salto, on the outskirts of Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco.

It is between two houses where people are living. You have to ask, why didnt they report something? said Guadalupe Aguilar, a coordinator for the FUNDEJ organization that looks for missing people in the country and which monitors digs carried out by the authorities.

The investigators found evidence that crimes were committed on the property related to the disappearance of people, the official statement said.

On July 2, investigators wound up work on another grave in the nearby municipality of Tlaquepaque, where they found 86 bags containing human remains.

And 10 days ago, the authorities resumed work on another burial site in the municipality of Tlajomulco, also on the edge of the city, where last January they found 500 bags containing human remains from an estimated 48 people. Those excavations had been suspended in March due to the coronavirus.

The large number of bodies being found in the state follows bloody turf wars between the powerful narco-trafficking group known as the Jalisco New Generation cartel and rival groups, as well as internal disputes within the gang itself.

The Mexican government said Monday that there are 73,201 people missing in the country, most of whom have vanished since the country launched a major offensive against the cartels in 2006.

Since then 6,625 bodies have been found in hidden burial pits.

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At least 23 bodies found in mass grave in Mexico - Macau Business

Task force approved to study Confederate flag on Williamson County seal – Tennessean

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Danzig

After a three-and-a-half hour debate with multiple amendments introduced, the Williamson County Board of Commissioners voted 18-5 to approve the formation of a nine-member task force to study the Williamson County seal, which has an image of a Confederate flag.

Commissioners voting against the move included Judy Herbert, 3rd District;Bert Chalfant, 7th District; GreggLawrence, 4th District; ErinNations, 6th District;and Barbara Sturgeon, 8th District.

Most commissioners said they received an enormous response from the community about the seal in emails, phone calls andpetitions some against the Confederate symbol on the seal and some in favor.

Adopted in 1968 during the civil right movement, the Williamson County seal has drawnmountingcriticism from constituents.

Franklin resident Dustin Koctar, who launched a petition to change the seal,first criticized the presence of a Confederate flag on it at a community vigil in memory of George Floyd in Franklin last month.

The entrance lobby in the Williamson County courthouse features the Williamson County seal on the floor, which includes a Confederate flag.(Photo: Shelley Mays/The Tennessean )

Theresolution, writtenby Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson's office, calls for the formation of a nine-member task force comprised of Blackcommunityand business leaders as well as representatives from various community organizations and the county historian.

The task forceis chargedwith discussingthe seal and submitting a recommendation to the county commission in September about whether to change it.

Williamson Inc., the county's chamber of commerce and economic department, will chair the task force, including organizing meetings and collecting data. A representative from Williamson Inc. will also serve on the task force.

According to the resolution, the nine-member committee would consist of the following:

'Do not be silent': Meet Nashville teens who launched a movement for social change

Several commissioners proposed amendments, including how to direct the task force, whileothers wanted to bypass the task force altogether.

Commissioner Sean Aiello, 11th District,proposed an amendment that would appoint the county historianRick Warwick as chairman of the task forceinstead of representative of Williamson Inc., with the authority to recruit additional members beyond the recommended nine members.

His proposalfailed.

Commissioner David Landrum, 10th District, then proposed anamendment for the task forcetoonly study the upper left hand quadrant of the seal containing the Confederate flag, and leave the rest of the seal untouched. His amendment gained the most traction, but still failed11-12.

At one point, Commissioner Gregg Lawrence, 4th District, suggested deferring the discussion.

"Let's wait until things calm down in America so maybe we can be more reasonable," he said, also stating that the seal needs to change."I think it's going to be hard to get a consensus during this time on the seal."

Commissioner Dwight Bubba Jones, 1st District, later made an amendment to eliminate the entire county seal altogether.

"Let's just do away with the seal and remove the controversy," he said.

However, he later withdrew his amendment when Commissioner Chad Story, 4th District, proposed a separate amendmentcalling for theremovalthe Confederate flag on the seal instead of forming atask force. The Tennessee Historical Commission holds the authority to remove the flag from the seal. The county commission would have to ask its permission by resolution to alter the seal.

Story argued that he "feared" that the task force might alter other parts of the seal and thus compromise its full historical integrity.

"Let's remove the Confederate flag and take our resolution directly to the Tennessee Historical Commission," Story said.

Commissioner Brian Beathard, 11th District, who initially sponsoredthe mayor's task force proposal, shifted his perspective tosupport instead Story's proposal.

"Some constituents have egregiously told me the commission doesn't have the gravitas to make this decision on our own," Beathard said. "Acommittee would have too much to tackle looking at whole seal, if the sensitive part isreally to remove the flag."

Commissioner Keith Hudson, 3rd District, the only Black member of the County Commission, initiallysupported thetask force resolution but latervoiced his support for Story's suggestion to removethe flagand bypass the task force.

Hudson also explained his view of the flag as a symbol.

He explained that for him and many other people of color, it is "asymbol of hate."

"It's the same astheswastika for me," he said. "I tell myson to stay away. If it's displayed in a business,they are sending a message they don't want you as a patron."

He said the flag symbolizes different things for different people.

"Is it hate or is it heritage?You don't know so, son, stay away," Hudson said."I remember coming out of Woolworth's, and the Klan marching, and I saw the battle flag and that is mymemory."

Ultimately, the momentum for Story's amendment fizzled and itfailed, 14-8.

Commissioners Robbie Beal, Beathard, Hudson, Dwight Jones, Landrum, Lawrence, Chas Morton, 9th District, and Story voted in favor of the amendment to bypassthe task force and ask the Tennessee Historical Commission to remove the flag.

The commission then voted on the initial resolutionpresented by the mayorandfive commission sponsors Hudson, Morton, Webb, Beathard and Commissioner Betsy Hester, 2nd District.

"I am proud to support this proposal, this is a much needed change,"Morton said.

"I very much want to hear what the community says about this,"Paul Webb, 6th District, said."Let's have the discussion."

"We need to discuss this (by a task force) to be an authentic county," said Beth Lothers, 5th District. "It would be moving the needle in peoples hearts and minds in talking about this with their neighbors."

The county commission will review the recommendations from the task force at its regular monthly commission meeting in September.

Kerri Bartlett covers issues affecting children, families, education and government in Williamson County. She can be contacted atkbartlett@gannett.com, 615-308-8324 or @keb1414 on Twitter.

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About 80% of ETH Supply Is Qualified for Staking, Says ConsenSys – Cointelegraph

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Danzig

As the crypto community is anticipating Ethereum 2.0, a large number of Ether (ETH) holders already have enough ETH for staking on the network.

Nearly 80% of total Ether (ETH) supply is being held by non-crypto exchange wallets exceeding the amount required for staking on Ethereum 2.0, according to the latest Ethereum 2.0 Economic Review report. Published on July 16, the report is by executives at the Ethereum blockchain infrastructure developer ConsenSys.

According to the report, 77.7% of the current ETH supply, or about 86.6 million ETH, lives in wallets holding more than 32 ETH the minimum amount required to earn staking rewards on ETH 2.0.

While the majority of staking-ready ETH is held on non-exchange wallets, an additional 18.7 million ETH is managed by exchanges subject to staking services, the report says. According to ConsenSys, these scales make up a compelling serviceable addressable market, while a key objective of staking rewards should be to convert these wallets into active validators.

ConsenSys experts further outlined that 13.8% ETH staked will match the security levels of ETH1 at historical prices. We calculate that the target ETH stake rate for adequate security under historical price fluctuations is 13.8%, the report notes.

Ethereum staking is a major part of the Ethereum blockchains highlyanticipated upgrade, the so-called Ethereum 2.0. This upgrade moves Ethereums implementation consensus from miners-oriented Proof-of-Work, or PoW, to validator-oriented Proof-of-Stake, or PoS.

Crypto holders that own more than 32 ETH are eligible for ETH staking a practice that allows users to earn rewards in exchange for validating the blocks instead of miners.

Earlier in May, ConsenSys published a report revealing that 66% of ETH holders were planning to stake their coins as soon as the first phase of ETH 2.0s roll-out is completed.

While the Ethereum 2.0 implementation is expected to come later in 2020, the network has been in 2.0 testnet known as Beacon since May 2020.

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About 80% of ETH Supply Is Qualified for Staking, Says ConsenSys - Cointelegraph

Focus on USDT and DeFi as 5-Year Anniversary of Ethereum Approaches – Cointelegraph

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Danzig

Industry experts say Tether and Decentralized Finance tokens will play large roles in the future of Ethereum as the blockchain approaches its five-year anniversary on July 30.

In a statement shared with Cointelegraph, Paolo Ardoino, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Bitfinex and Tether, said the Ethereum blockchain will play a central role in the digital asset ecosystem in the years ahead as Ethereum-based Tether can continue to support and empower growing ventures and innovation in the blockchain space.

We hope that the recent surge of DeFi can translate to more DeFi financing products and projects that will truly shape industry developments in a decentralized manner, Ardoino said. USDT is among the biggest and fastest-growing stablecoins in DeFi and we will ensure that Tether continues to play an important role in supporting this alternative financial system and remains the reserve currency of DeFi.

Tether (USDT) had a market share of 78% among Ethereum-based stablecoins, with most tokens being on the blockchain. USDT remains the biggest user of gas on Ethereum, a trend that may be exacerbated as other blockchains continue to migrate to the network, like the recent $300 million transfer of Tether from Tron.

The CTO cited the launch of the OMG Network Plasma sidechain as a measure to help relieve pressure and network load on the main Ethereum blockchain. Cointelegraph has reported the addition of the sidechain could lead to cheaper transactions as they reached two-year highs in June.

Despite the recent increase in transaction costs and reported network congestion, some industry officials are looking towards the next upgrade to the blockchain as a solution.

Kosala Hemachandra, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and founder of MyEtherWallet, said the ETH 2.0 update would change the definition of blockchain technology by creating a secure and sustainable system capable of competing with centralized scaling solutions.

According to a Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) on July 10, Ethereum researcher Justin Drake said ETH 2.0 could launch by January 2021. However, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin anticipates a November 2020 release date.

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Focus on USDT and DeFi as 5-Year Anniversary of Ethereum Approaches - Cointelegraph

EOS, Ethereum and Ripples XRP Daily Tech Analysis July 17th, 2020 – Yahoo Finance

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Danzig

EOS

EOS fell by 1.18% on Thursday. Following on from a 0.63% decline on Wednesday, EOS ended the day at $2.5045.

It was a mixed start to the day. EOS rose to an early morning intraday high $2.5573 before hitting reverse.

Coming up short of the first major resistance level at $2.5705, EOS slid to a late morning intraday low $2.4314.

EOS fell through the first major support level at $2.5125 and the second major support level at $2.4818.

Finding support late in the day, EOS moved back through the second major support level to limit the daily loss.

At the time of writing, EOS was down by 0.09% to $2.5022. A mixed start to the day saw EOS fall from an early morning high $2.5039 to a low $2.5006.

EOS left the major support and resistance levels untested early on.

EOS would need to avoid a fall through the $2.4977 pivot level to support a run at the first major resistance level at $2.5641.

Support from the broader market would be needed, however, for EOS to break out from Thursdays high $2.5573.

Barring an extended crypto rally, the first major resistance level would likely cap any upside.

Failure to avoid a fall through the $2.4977 pivot would bring the first major support level at $2.4382 into play.

Barring another extended sell-off, EOS should steer clear of sub-$2.40 levels. The second major support level sits at $2.3718.

Major Support Level: $2.4382

Pivot Level: $2.4977

Major Resistance Level: $2.5641

23.6% FIB Retracement Level: $6.62

38% FIB Retracement Level: $9.76

62% FIB Retracement Level: $14.82

Ethereum slid by 2.07% on Thursday. Following on from a 0.86% fall on Wednesday, Ethereum ended the day at $233.41.

It was a mixed start to the day. Ethereum rose to an early morning intraday high $239.16 before hitting reverse.

Falling short of the first major resistance level at $241.06, Ethereum slid to a late morning intraday low $229.77.

Ethereum fell through the first major support level at $235.98 and the second major support level at $233.63.

Finding support late in the day, Ethereum briefly revisited $234 levels before easing back.

At the time of writing, Ethereum was up by 0.03% to $233.48. A bullish start to the day saw Ethereum rise from an early morning low $233.46 to a high $233.87.

Ethereum left the major support and resistance levels untested early on.

Story continues

Ethereum would need to move the $234.11 pivot to support a run at the first major resistance level at $238.46.

Support from the broader market would be needed, however, for Ethereum to break back through to $235 levels.

Barring an extended crypto rally, the first major resistance level and Thursdays high $239.16 should cap any upside.

Failure to move through the $234.11 pivot would bring the first major support level at $229.07 into play.

Barring another extended sell-off, Ethereum should continue to steer clear of sub-$220 levels. The second major support level at $224.72 should limit any downside.

Major Support Level: $229.07

Pivot Level: $234.11

Major Resistance Level: $238.46

23.6% FIB Retracement Level: $257

38.2% FIB Retracement Level: $367

62% FIB Retracement Level: $543

Ripples XRP fell by 1.58% on Thursday. Following on from a 0.92% drop on Wednesday, Ripples XRP ended the day at $0.19436.

A mixed start to the day saw Ripples XRP rise to an early morning intraday high $0.19772 before hitting reverse.

Falling short of the first major resistance level at $0.1978, Ripples XRP slid to a late morning intraday low $0.18857.

Ripples XRP fell through the days major support levels before finding support late in the day. A recovery to $0.1930 levels saw Ripples XRP break back through the third major support level at $0.1908. The second major support level at $0.1944 pinned Ripples XRP back.

At the time of writing, Ripples XRP was up by 0.01% to $0.19437. A mixed start to the day saw Ripples XRP rise to an early morning high $0.19478 before falling to a low $0.19437.

Ripples XRP left the major support and resistance levels untested early on.

Ripples XRP will need to avoid a fall through the $0.1936 pivot to support a run at the first major resistance level at $0.1985.

Support from the broader market would be needed, however, for Ripples XRP to break out from Thursdays high $0.19772.

Barring a broad-based crypto rally, the first major resistance level and Thursdays high should cap any upside.

In the event of a breakout, Ripples XRP should test resistance at $0.20 before any pullback. The second major resistance level sits at $0.2027.

Failure to avoid a fall through the $0.1936 pivot would bring the first major support level at $0.1894 into play.

Barring another extended crypto sell-off, Ripples XRP should avoid sub-$0.18 levels. The second major support level at $0.1844 should limit any downside.

Major Support Level: $0.1894

Pivot Level: $0.1936

Major Resistance Level: $0.1985

23.6% FIB Retracement Level: $0.3638

38.2% FIB Retracement Level: $0.4800

62% FIB Retracement Level: $0.6678

Please let us know what you think in the comments below.

Thanks, Bob

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

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EOS, Ethereum and Ripples XRP Daily Tech Analysis July 17th, 2020 - Yahoo Finance

2020: The Year Ethereum Stayed Home – CoinDesk – CoinDesk

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Danzig

This is a weird year for everyone and everything, but its a particularly weird year for Ethereum.

Why? The second-largest blockchain by market cap and the largest by contributing developers has always been known for having lots of events. COVID-19 has put the kibosh on that.

These folks are in a state of constant BUIDLing Amanda Cassatt, a ConsenSys alum who launched its Ethereal event series, told CoinDesk in an email. Ethereum is also, by design, a uniquely collaborative community. These factors contribute to the prevalence of and enthusiasm for in-person events.

Ethereum turns five on July 30, 2020. CoinDesk is marking five years of Ethereum with a series of retrospective stories and live-streamed Twitter conversations. There are even some Easter eggs for eagle-eyed readers. Tune in to our CoinDesk Live sessions July 27-31 at 4 p.m. Eastern each day or call +1 (661) 4-UNICRN.

In normal times, theres roughly one fairly big Ethereum conference somewhere in the world every month, but that has all come to a halt in 2020. The communitys tentpole event, Octobers Devcon, announced its next gathering will be in 2021. Similarly, the Community Ethereum Development Conference, or EDCON, has taken 2020 off.

I guess normally the number of international events feels a little excessive, but EDCON and Devcon are mainstays and it does feel like a loss not to be able to have them, Jinglan Wang, leader of the Optimism scaling project, told CoinDesk.

Ethereum during coronavirus

This reticence to meet up makes sense due to safety concerns around COVID-19.

After all, one of the last big Ethereum events, EthCC, turned out to be the source of a COVID-19 cluster. Still, it makes for a very different time in the community, particularly if this dearth of gatherings drags on into next year.

Lane Rettig, an Ethereum core contributor and former Ethereum Foundation employee (now at SpaceMesh), told CoinDesk this time at home has made him realize how much he wasnt getting done.

I think I had convinced myself I was operating at 60%-70% productivity. I was probably more at 20% productivity, Rettig said.

While hes enjoying this greater sense of accomplishment, Rettig also believes theres more to Ethereums tendency to gather than just having the largest community of devs.

The enjoyment of being together is part of the stickiness of Ethereums underlying technology.

I do think the in-person events are part of the DNA of the community and part of what binds us all together. And some of the affinity we share could hypothetically begin to dissipate, Rettig said of the current situation. If this was to go on some indefinite period, I would really be worried.

Remote-first

But token investor William Mougayar was eager to downplay any risk. The Ethereum community has been used to working virtually anyway, Mougayar told CoinDesk.

Rettig, however, cited a comment from a friend to express what hes worried about if folks go too long without hanging out and having spontaneous encounters at events. The reason Im here and the reason were all here is because we want to work on cool shit with people we like and do it in a sustainable way, Rettig said, paraphrasing the comment from his Ethereum colleague.

Its that with people we like part that gets harder and harder to replicate virtually.

No one knows quite when to look for the next big Ethereum gatherings to take place.

Given our communitys interest in events, I could see larger in-person gatherings resuming in 2021, Cassatt predicted, but she also expects hybrid on- and off-line gatherings will be the norm from here on out. The virtual experience will vastly improve during COVID-19, she added, even for events that go back to an in-person focus.

What's missing

Theres been a lot of snarky discussion around people saying were glad in-person conferences arent happening because now we are building more, which I think is a little shortsighted, ConsenSys developer relations staffer Coogan Brennan told CoinDesk.

Optimisms Wang agreed on the value of in-person events: Theyre great opportunities to meet projects that youve been chatting online with, or random crypto people whose tweets you enjoy.

Rettig shared a particularly concrete example of how events can be helpful for distributed teams. When he was working for the Ethereum Foundations eWASM team (which is porting the popular WebAssembly framework, in part, over to Ethereum), he said they tended to gather a few times each year, anchored to some Ethereum event, be it Devcon, ETHDenver or some hackathon. Theyd rent a whole-house Airbnb and live together and work side-by-side for a week. A physical hangout that was otherwise unheard of.

It would be very intense. Professionally as well as socially, Rettig said.

Jared Wasinger, still of the eWASM team at the Ethereum Foundation, confirmed that these side gatherings have been key.

I would say that the in-person events are definitely important from a morale point of view, he said.

Similarly, ConsenSyss Brennan said events served as a kind of punctuation in the year that Ethereum teams could organize their work around. A lot of product launches and debuts where driven by reveals at events. That was a way of driving excitement.

Ethereum conferences are very very known for dogfooding, the Ethereum Foundations Hudson Jameson said. It inspires a lot of confidence in the community. People are using the things they are building and that brings people a lot of joy.

The online events themselves have been more beta tests than real products as of yet, though, as Cassatt noted.

I havent seen any event completely crack the code on virtual networking, virtual sponsorships, or ticket sales, she said. Virtual events may be a tougher sell to sponsors, but Im looking forward to seeing creative solutions emerge for virtual events to offer sponsors value in new ways.

What's gained

Maybe there were too many events. This kind of break, if anything, its positive. Its a benefit because theres been more productivity, Mougayar said.

Most events felt like a distraction to me, if Im being honest, Spencer Noon, of DTC Capital, told CoinDesk. Im actually pretty bullish on people in the community organizing some awesome virtual events, though.

Noon may have been the only person CoinDesk spoke with that had real excitement about the potential of virtual gatherings. In fact, Rettig in particular noted how virtual events do a bad job of replicating the hallway (or lobby) conference, which is what people really go for. Still, many are looking forward to saving money on travel now and seeing more conference content delivered electronically.

For Jameson, there is an advantage in making the discussion around Ethereum more accessible.

It is a privilege to be able to travel the world, Jameson said. That intrinsically creates this different class system.

Moving these things online has a leveling effect that brings more people into discussions in real time, which is when people want to participate in them.

Brennan took this a step further, saying that with online events you really have to engage people in a way about tangible technologies.

He said his team has found a need to actually give people a way to work on their code rather than just wowing folks with a charismatic on-stage presentation. One of the things we have been trying to do with our ConsenSys Live series is to actually have code on screen, he said.

Mougayar also spoke about having done a long workshop with on-screen code and feeling that by doing it from home he could really focus in on it more.

The Ethereum Foundations Jameson concurred. I think this creates a whole new paradigm of having to keep peoples attention rather than waiting for the next big event to hear the next big announcement, he said.

The leader in blockchain news, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups.

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Ethereum tokens are now more valuable than ETH itself – Decrypt

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Danzig

DeFi is having itself a moment. And while that may not be doing wonders for the price of Ethereum (ETH) itself, the tokens built atop the network are having a very big year.

Total market cap for all ERC20 tokens running on Ethereum has topped $33 billion, according to a data compiled and shared by The Defiants own Camila Russo. The source for the figures comes from EtherScan, Ethereums most popular block explorer.

And at $33 billion, the estimate exceeds the total market capitalization of ETH, the native token of the Ethereum blockchain, which today is worth roughly $27 billion.

What it all boils down to is that the total value of the economy built around Ethereum now exceeds that of ETH, the token that sustains the blockchain. And this doesnt even consider the value of the unique tokens based on the ERC721 standard (like those issued by CryptoKitties or Gods Unchained), which move several million dollars on their own. So the gap is likely even wider.

Of all the applications that are running on Ethereum, the most valuable ones are currently related to decentralized finance. As Decrypt previously reported, DeFi tokens are currently growing much faster than Bitcoin, or any other cryptocurrency in the market. At the moment, it appears that its DeFi, exchange tokens, and high-risk dapps that are attracting the most attention from investors.

Depending on how you look at it, this could be a sign of market maturity. Ethereum could be proving its value as a decentralized, global supercomputer upon which various applications are built.

In other words, the value of Ethereum as a technology likely cannot be simply measured in terms of ETHs market cap. ETH, after all, is but one part of a complex ecosystem that continues to evolve. (It may even be a sign that Ethereum cofounder Joe Lubin may yet win his bet against Bitcoin maximalist Jimmy Song, if the mass adoption of dapps actually becomes a thing.)

And with Ethereum 2.0 just around the corner (according to some ETH developers, at least), the great DeFi boom of 2020 may be a sign of things to come.

Then again, DeFi hype could also just as well fizzle out like the ICO craze of 2017. Market participants, in the end, will decide.

The views and opinions expressed by the author are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, investment, or other advice.

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Ethereum tokens are now more valuable than ETH itself - Decrypt

Ethereum Locked in DeFi Hits New All-Time High of 3.5M ETH – Ethereum World News

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Danzig

Quick take:

The amount of Ethereum locked up in DeFi platforms has hit a new milestone of 3.5 Million ETH. This marks a new all-time high in terms of the amount of ETH locked up in Decentralized Finance applications since DeFi hit the crypto scene. This fact was highlighted by the team at DeFi Pulse via the following Tweet.

Further checking the DeFi Pulse website, it can be concluded that the majority of the Ethereum is locked up in the two DeFi applications of Maker (MKR) and Compound Finance (COMP). Approximately 2 Million in ETH is locked up in Maker whereas 908,300 ETH is locked up in Compound Finance. Below is a list of the top 10 DeFi applications in terms of the amount of Ethereum locked up in them by investors.

To note is that the popularity of DeFi has exploded with the entry of Compound Finance less than a month ago. Furthermore, the COMP token experienced a meteoritic rise in the crypto markets upon listing. The digital asset rose in value from approximately $71 to its all-time high of $383 within a week of listing on Poloniex. COMP is currently valued at $171.

The Compound Finance project has ushered in a new era of Yield Farming with several DeFi projects following in its footsteps.Yield Farming is achieved when investors lock up their crypto on DeFi platforms and lend it out while earning interest on it.

Each of these DeFi platforms has several lending pools and the investor moves his funds in whichever pool is offering the best interest rates. In a sense, Yield Farming can be compared to crop rotation where the farmer picks to plant the most profitable crop. On top of the interest earned, investors are rewarded with tokens for providing liquidity on the platforms.

Disclaimer:This article is not meant to give financial advice. Any additional opinion herein is purely the authors and does not represent the opinion of EWN or any of its other writers. Please carry out your own research before investing in any of the numerous cryptocurrencies available. Thank you.

EOS, Ethereum and Ripple’s XRP Daily Tech Analysis July 13th, 2020 – FX Empire

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Danzig

For the day ahead

Ethereum would need to avoid a fall through the $241 pivot to support a run at the first major resistance level at $245.64.

Support from the broader market would be needed, however, for Ethereum to break out from Sundays high $243.9.

Barring another extended crypto rally, the first major resistance level and Sundays high $243.90 should cap any upside.

Failure to avoid a fall through the $241 pivot would bring the first major support level at $238.25 into play.

Barring another extended sell-off, Ethereum should continue to steer clear of sub-$230 levels. The second major support level at $233.68 should limit any downside.

Major Support Level: $238.25

Pivot Level: $241

Major Resistance Level: $245.64

23.6% FIB Retracement Level: $257

38.2% FIB Retracement Level: $367

62% FIB Retracement Level: $543

Ripples XRP rose by 0.18% on Sunday. Following on from a 0.86% gain from Saturday, Ripples XRP ended the week up by 13.79% to $0.20162.

A mixed start to the day saw Ripples XRP rise to an early morning high $0.20340 before falling to a mid-morning low $0.19987.

Steering clear of the major resistance and support levels, Ripples XRP rallied to an early afternoon intraday high $0.20447.

Falling short of the first major resistance level at $0.2048, Ripples XRP tumbled to an early afternoon low $0.19805.

Finding support at the first major support level at $0.1979, Ripples XRP moved back through to $0.199 levels.

Late in the day, however, Ripples XRP slipped back to an intraday low $0.19792. Finding support at the first major support level at $0.1979, Ripples XRP wrapped up the day at $0.20 levels.

At the time of writing, Ripples XRP was down by 0.12% to $0.20138. A mixed start to the day saw Ripples XRP rise to an early morning high $0.20210 before falling to a low $0.20103.

Ripples XRP left the major support and resistance levels untested early on.

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EOS, Ethereum and Ripple's XRP Daily Tech Analysis July 13th, 2020 - FX Empire

Grayscale large cap fund shifts focus to Bitcoin and Ethereum – Decrypt

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Danzig

In brief

Digital assets management firm Grayscale has increased the weighting of Bitcoin and Ethereum in its Digital Large-Cap (DLC) investment fundat the expense of other major altcoins.

Grayscale announced in a Twitter thread on July 12 that the composition of its DLC fund had shifted moving into Q2 of 2020. Between March and June, the percentage of Bitcoin in the fund increased from 81% to 81.5%, while Ethereums weighting in the fund increased from 9.6% to 11.7%.

The presence of three other major altcoins in the fund was reduced in the same time period. XRPs (XRP) weighting dropped from 5% to 3.6%; Bitcoin Cash fell from 2.8% to 2%; and Litecoins presence decreased from 1.6% to 1.2%.

Grayscales single-asset investment funds for Bitcoin and Ethereum are the largest under the firms management, totalling $3.5 billion and $410 million respectively. Comparatively, the single-asset funds for Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin and XRP total less than $12 million between them.

The worlds largest crypto-investment firm signaled a renewed thirst for Bitcoin throughout most of 2020. Prior to the Bitcoin halving event, Grayscale was estimated to be purchasing the equivalent of around half of all Bitcoin mined. In the two weeks after Bitcoins halving, Grayscales rate of Bitcoin acquisition increased to 153% of all BTC mined in that period.

By early April, the digital asset investment firm was also shown to be purchasing the equivalent of half of all ETH mined in 2020, eventually coming to own 1.1% of Ethereums circulating supply.

Its conceivable that Grayscales re-evaluation of its DLC fund is a reaction to market conditions. Since March 31, the global market dominance of Ethereum increased from 8.17%, to over 9.8% at time of writing. In the same time period, XRPs market dominance fell from 4.21% to 3.28%. Bitcoin Cashs dominance decreased from 2.27% to 1.6%. Likewise, Litecoins dominance dropped from 1.4% to 1.07%, according to CoinMarketCap.

The only exception to this trend is Bitcoin, the market dominance of which fell from 65.78% from March 31, to 62.46% at time of writing. This could be a result of the recent block reward halving, which resulted in half as many BTC being produced by Bitcoin miners.

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Our view: Amarillo’s Holly Ridings is the very definition of role model and local hero – Austin American-Statesman

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Danzig

AGN Media Editorial Board

We would be remiss if we didnt pause in the middle of all the seemingly urgent stuff going on to recognize something tremendously important that people could have missed.

It involves the recognition of a true hero, a person who has built an impressive record of achievement and someone who has never forgotten her Amarillo roots. Likewise, the city has not forgotten her, nor are they likely to in the near future as she is expected to direct the next moon landing.

During Tuesdays virtual City Council meeting, the group recognized Holly Ridings with a proclamation and a key. Now, we know what you might be thinking. A key to the city? Not quite. Ridings, who is the first woman to serve as chief flight director at NASA, was presented with a key to the "moon and beyond." The rest of the inscription on the key reads: "Taking us from Olsen Elementary to out of this world. Amarillo is proud of you!"

For those who may not know, Ridings grew up in Amarillo, attending Olsen and then Crockett Middle School before graduating from Tascosa High School, which inducted her into its hall of fame during ceremonies last year. Ridings, who still has family in Amarillo, has been a steadfast goodwill ambassador for the city.

Her career path began to come into view in 1986, when as a sixth-grader, she watched with the rest of the nation as the Challenger space shuttle tragedy unfolded in real time on television. In an interview with Air and Space magazine in its June edition, she epiphany represented by that moment would inform her life for years to come. She loved space and problem-solving and knew what she wanted to do with her life.

"Who would have imagined that a tragedy in 1986 (the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger) would cause a sixth-grade student to set a course for her lifes work?" said Amarillo City Council member Howard Smith, a long-time friend of the family. "But having known Holly for years, it is easy to believe that she would become a problem solver. Her ability to aim high has been a pattern all of her life."

Of course, Ridings wasnt through in Amarillo. She was part of Tascosas state championship basketball team in the early 1990s and was named to the all-tournament team as a forward for the Lady Rebels.

After earning a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M, she joined NASA in 1998. Her career there began as a flight controller in the thermal operations group, according to the NASA news release announcing her most recent appointment. Now, she will lead the group directing human spaceflight missions from Mission Control Center at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Named to her new role in September 2018, she will lead a group of 32 active flight directors and flight directors-in-training, including integrating American-made commercial crew spacecraft into the fleet of vehicles servicing the orbiting laboratory, and Orion spacecraft missions to the moon and beyond. For context, think about the Tom Hanks movie "Apollo 13" and the role of NASA legend Gene Kranz as played by Ed Harris.

In other words, this is a big deal.

Her selection was announced by NASA Director of Flight Operations Brian Kelley. "Holly has proven herself a leader among a group of highly talented flight directors," he said. "I know she will excel in this unique and critical leadership position providing direction for the safety and success of human spaceflight missions. She will lead the team during exciting times as they adapt to support future missions with commercial partners and beyond low-Earth orbit."

Her career path at NASA has seen a steady upward trajectory since being named a flight director in 2005. Highlights include serving as the lead flight director for missions including International Space Station Expedition 16 in 2007-08, the space shuttle program mission STS-127 in 2009 and the first SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft mission to the space station in 2012.

"From classroom to Camp Fire programs to athletics, she just sets her goals and the rest is history," Smith said. "Some of that history at NASA is yet to be written. I have no doubt that Holly will help write it."

The official proclamation includes recognition of her "outstanding qualities of leadership and dedication. We acknowledge her exceptional service to this nation and NASAs space program. The City of Amarillo, Texas, recognizes your accomplishments and celebrates our Hometown Hero for making a difference in being a role model for so many. We are Amarillo proud!"

So are we. We salute Holly Ridings and congratulate her on all of her achievements. She is not only a great role model for young women (although she certainly is that). She is a great role model, period.

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Our view: Amarillo's Holly Ridings is the very definition of role model and local hero - Austin American-Statesman

New Voices Say Psychedelic Drugs Could Make the World a Better Place – Study Breaks

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Danzig

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Unlike the problems found in an early morning SAT booklet, you dont need to eat a good breakfast to comprehend the ones currently facing this country. Ignited by a global pandemic; a mental health crisis; and severe political, economic and social divisions not to mention everything else America has never been seen quite like this before. Scientists can scramble to concoct a vaccine that will combat the deadly new coronavirus, but it wont fix some of the other massive problems America faces, problems that, to be solved, will likely require people to actively change the way they think about the world and others living in it. Humans havent created a pill to cease violence or diminish economic inequality and probably never will. However, there is something that could help: psychedelic drugs.

Psychedelic drugs have a mechanism that could potentially change the way people fundamentally perceive their role in society in as few as six hoursand with the same effort it takes to dissolve a cough drop on your tongue.

Common psychedelic drugs used for recreational use, called classic hallucinogens, include LSD (acid), psilocybin (magical mushrooms), mescaline (peyote) and DMT (ayahuasca). Depending on the type of drug, psychedelics can either be smoked, eaten, brewed into teas or dissolved in the mouth. The effects these drugs have depend on a variety of factors, including the person using them as well as their setting and intentions.

Psychedelic drugs create bizarre sensations referred to as trips that users wouldnt experience in a normal state of consciousness or on any other drug. Reality becomes completely altered as time slows down, colors appear more vivid, nature and objects personify and poor judgement kicks in. To someone not on a trip, the state of the world would seem nonsensical.

As someone who has never done any form of recreational drug, let alone a hallucinogen that makes trees talk and turns reality into a kaleidoscope, Ive never quite understood the appeal of psychedelics. The closest thing Ive ever had to an LSD trip happened at age eleven, when my family and I went toYellowstone National Park and saw a few colorful hot springs and a family of bison crossing the road.

Ive always found it difficult to fully conceptualize what a trip on acid looks or feels like, or why people would choose to travel to a world resembling that of The Wiggles.

However, Netflixs new documentary, Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics, does just this, explaining the intangible psychedelic trip experience to non-users. Released in May, the documentary interviews celebrities about their experimentation with psychedelic drugs, shining a light on people who you know, love and wont believe took acid, like Ben Stiller.

Not only does Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics allow viewers to hear about wacky psychedelic trips through the narration of beloved actors and artists, it also brings their stories to life via mystical animation and campy reenactments.

One animation depicts comedian Sarah Silverman in the form of a colorful cartoon as she takes LSD for the first time, an experience that includes staring at breathing hot chocolate and hugging homeless men in a park.

Psychedelic drugs create sensations unlike anything humans have the capability of experiencing during a normal state of mind. However, the most profound thing about them is their ability to numb the ego, allowing users to feel connected to the earth and the people living on it in a way they never have before.

In the documentary Neurons to Nirvana, scientists discuss how psychedelic drugs create a deep understanding of oneself and the surrounding world, as a result of linking the lower part of the brain responsible for regulating information with its middle region. This creates an emotional interpretation based on the gathered information. The process mimics the chemical serotonin, except it overflows the brain, creating intense hallucinations, deep personal insights and the feeling of merging with the outside world.

This idea is also touched upon in The Mind, Explained, a Netflix series that unravels the complex features and abilities of the brain, which devotes a whole episode to exploring psychedelics and the impact they have on the mind. Researchers, like Dr. Roland Griffiths, say psychedelic drugs cause users to reflect inwardly, creating an effect similar to that of meditation.

Meditation is the tried and true course to investigation of nature of the mind and psychedelics is the crash course, Dr. Griffiths said. Most people will rate this experience a year afterwards as being among the most personally meaningful or spiritually significant experiences of their entire lifetime.

Spiritual awakenings resulting from psychedelic drugs have the capacity to fundamentally change the way people not only view their own life, but their contribution to the surrounding world. In Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics, esteemed chef Anthony Bourdain credits psychedelic drugs for expanding his mindset.

I think it enabled me early on to imagine another point of view, another perspective, Bourdain said about taking psychedelic drugs. It made me a better person, both creatively and every other way.

Not only can psychedelic drugs lead to spiritual growth and understanding, but researchers have started looking into how they could be used as medical treatments for mental illness and addiction. Psychedelics like LSD have the ability to create new neural pathways, a process that could shake up a snow globe and help break cycles of depression and addiction.

A study conducted at Johns Hopkins University administered magic mushrooms to 15 people looking to quit smoking. Six months later, the experiment had a success rate of 80%, an astronomical statistic when compared to other smoking cessation drugs that are only 35% effective.

Despite the positive outlook psychedelic drugs give to the future of medical treatment, and their ability to encourage humans to live more symbiotically with the environment, one roadblock stands in the way: the law. Classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, psychedelics consist of some of the most highly regulated substances in the United States.

Due to government control, not much research on psychedelic drugs exists. Stigmatized for decades, people have claimed psychedelics fall into the realm of extremely dangerous and addictive drugs. While they can certainly be abused, no substantial evidence links psychedelics with addiction or severe long-term health effects.

Users can experience bad trips, which often include disturbing hallucinations as well as panic attacks, although these will only last for about 12 hours or until the drug wears off, and can be mitigated if in the right environment. Some cases of flashbacks or prolonged psychosis due to the use of psychedelics have been reported, but these instances are rare.

My introduction to psychedelic drugs took place in the 11th grade, when a friend asked me if I would try LSD with her. As a proud graduate of the D.A.R.E. program in elementary school, my prompt answer rolled incredulously off my tongue with a hint of judgment: No.

With the exception of Mike Pence, Im just about as strait-laced as they come, the type of person who wears pants year round even in the sweltering heat. In high school, I wrote articles about how kids should swap their vape pens for less addictive highs, like studying for biology.

In Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics, comedian David Cross toys with the idea of widespread psychedelic use.

The first couple times I tripped, I really did believe the planet would be a better planet if everybody took acid once, Cross said.

The thought of legalizing psychedelics and allowing people to freely roam about public parks high off their minds on acid is, to me, about as heartwarming as the thought of zombies terrorizing my childhood home. Crosss idea is radical, uncomfortable and, much like the information surrounding psychedelic drugs, uncertain.

But even an avid rule follower like myself cant overlook the potential benefits these drugs could have, not just on individuals, but on society as a whole. Dont we all know someone who could benefit by having their ego knocked down a few pegs?

Recognizing the potential benefits of highly stigmatized drugs like psychedelics requires the suspension of judgment, the ability to hear a different opinion and a willingness to question a believed narrative and learn something new something that, ironically, could be catalyzed with a trip on acid.

Though, even if psychedelic drug use did become widespread, it would be ridiculous to say it could mend all of Americas problems. At least, in Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics, famed musician Sting seems to think so.

I dont think psychedelics are the answers to the worlds problems, but they could be a start, said Sting.

A cure to violence doesnt exist because, to put it frankly, its just not that simple. In a country divided by Republicans and Democrats, those who wear masks and those who dont, I often find myself looking for the correct answer, usually out of only two possible options. But as a country, perhaps we need to start offering choices that embrace complexity and favor the in-between.

Maybe Stings assertion holds true. Maybe psychedelic drugs could be the start to finding lasting change in our country and our world. Maybe for some, this means taking psychedelics, and for others, just changing the way they think about them.

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New Voices Say Psychedelic Drugs Could Make the World a Better Place - Study Breaks

Op-Ed: USC’s reckoning with its past needs to include how anti-Semitism was allowed to flourish there – Los Angeles Times

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Danzig

Last month, USC President Carol Folt announced that the school would remove former university President Rufus von KleinSmids name from a campus building, citing his leadership role in the racist eugenics movement and his refusal to admit Japanese American students to the university after World War II. In explaining the decision, Folt cited Von KleinSmids actions as being at direct odds with USCs multicultural community and our mission of diversity and inclusion. What Folt did not mention was Von KleinSmids ties to Nazism and anti-Semites.

Von KleinSmid led the university from 1921 until 1947, but it was during the 1930s and early 1940s that his tolerance of anti-Semitism was most evident. We know this in part through reports sent to Leon Lewis between 1933 and 1941 from a network of spies he recruited. Beginning in August 1933, Lewis, founding executive secretary of the Anti-Defamation League, coordinated a group of men and women who went undercover and joined every Nazi and fascist group in Los Angeles. Often rising to positions of leadership, they detailed the activities of local Nazis and their supporters, including faculty and students at USC.

According to their reports, Von KleinSmid tolerated and supported pro-Nazi faculty such as Erwin Mohme, the chairman of USCs German department. Mohme, was a frequent speaker at Nazi rallies in Hindenburg Park in La Crescenta, north of Los Angeles, according to Lewis spies. He worked closely with the Friends of New Germany (predecessor of the German American Bund) and was awarded the Order of the Eagle from Los Angeles German Consul Georg Gyssling in 1938, the only Southern Californian to receive such an honor. Yet Von KleinSmid kept him in his position as head of a department.

In the summer of 1933, Von KleinSmid was part of a delegation of American university presidents who visited Germany. According to documents I obtained from Germany while researching my book Hitler in Los Angeles, the German Foreign Office was ordered to extend a warm welcome to USCs head, who had requested a personal meeting with Joseph Goebbels. The Germans believed Von KleinSmid was sympathetic to their cause even if he could not say so in public. Upon his return to the U.S. in September 1933, Von KleinSmid denounced German anti-Semitism; but he took no steps to stamp it out at USC.

The USC president also appeared on podiums with his fellow eugenics enthusiast Baron Ernst Ulrich von Buelow, who was, as I documented in my book, head of Nazi spy operations in Southern California. Von KleinSmid also, according to Lewis spies, lent a hand to Von Buelows protege, Kurt Bernhard, Prince Zur Lippe, a German undergraduate who enrolled at USC in 1933 claiming he wanted to learn more about the United States. In fact, Bernhard was a secret German agent who recruited Nazi supporters at USC. According to Lewis spies, Bernhard bragged about his good relationship with Von KleinSmid, and while on campus founded a Nazi-sympathizing fraternity and wrote for an anti-Semitic student newspaper, the Owl. He also boasted of his ability to pass out Nazi propaganda with no blowback from university administrators. In 1938, Bernhard was finally forced to register with the U.S. government as a German foreign agent.

USCs Nomenclature Task Force is currently looking at Cromwell Field, which bears the name of former USC coach and assistant Olympic track coach Dean Cromwell. During the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Cromwell prevented two Jewish runners, Marty Glickman and Sam Stoller, from competing, something Glickman and many others believed was done in order not to embarrass Hitler by having Jews on the winners podium. After the Olympics, Cromwell spoke at a Nazi-organized German Day celebration at La Crescentas Hindenburg Park, which was filled with swastika flags and storm troopers, according to a report in the American Jewish World. Anti-Nazi groups were outraged by his speech, in which he talked about how few U.S.-born people lived in New York and quipped, Oh boy, if I could only be that handsome boy Adolf [Hitler] in New York for an hour.

Cromwell also marveled that while in Berlin he did not see a single colored man, woman or children. They have all chosen to leave for some reason or other, and I for one certainly dont object to that. Following the speech, the audience gave three shouted Heil Hitlers, the Nazi salute, and a singing of the Horst Wessel song.

When newspaper reporters queried Von KleinSmid about the incident, noting how much it had disturbed the citys Jewish community, USCs leader dismissed reports of Cromwells anti-Semitism and racism as a tempest in a teapot. Cromwells remarks, he insisted, were only facetious. An unrepentant Cromwell responded that the criticism comes from a group of people [New York Jews] that raised a big slush fund to keep our team out of the Olympics.

The USC faculty were silent, but not the Los Angeles community. On September 15, 1936, 1,500 people met at the Knickerbocker Hotel to demand that USC fire Cromwell for his anti-Semitic and anti-Negro remarks. More than 100 telegrams were sent to Von KleinSmid. No action was taken.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Von KleinSmid strongly supported the American war effort to defeat Germany. He built barracks for U.S. troops on campus, and in his 1942 commencement address he asked students to dedicate themselves toward all that we are and must be after victory to the end that righteousness may again reign in the world. But it was too little and too late to undo the anti-Semitic damage he had allowed to happen at USC.

I first began hearing about Von KleinSmid when I left New York to take a job at USC in January 1979. I was told by older Angelenos that Jews didnt go to USC, they went to UCLA. I asked why, and was told about the legacy of Von KleinSmid and a belief that USC was not friendly to Jews. Things have changed dramatically since then, and now President Folt has taken steps to renounce the mistakes of the past. This moment is our Call to Action, Folt wrote, a call to confront anti-Blackness and systemic racism, and unite as a diverse, equal, and inclusive university. You have asked for actions, not rhetoric, and actions, now.

A name change is a step in the right direction, but what happens after those names are changed? What happens to that ugly history? This is a rare moment of reckoning at USC and across the nation to fully air all kinds of past prejudice, including anti-Semitism, and to excise the demons of our collective past. As we have learned from history, silence is never the answer.

Steven J. Ross is a professor of history at USC and author of Hitler in Los Angeles: How Jews Foiled Nazi Plots Against Hollywood and America.

Original post:

Op-Ed: USC's reckoning with its past needs to include how anti-Semitism was allowed to flourish there - Los Angeles Times

Seattle, Huntsville, Conroe and the rest of the story – Huntsville Item

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Danzig

The city of Seattle, Washington is lecturing its white employees on the evils inherent in their paying obeisance to objectivity, individualism and the seeking of perfection in their work. The stated reason is to atone for the racism such practices have allegedly wrought through underpinning a white dominant society characterized by individual creativity and upward mobility at the expense of blacks. Lets address this policy in light of two motives behind it, the one expressed, the other a more subtle probability.

The express motive lies in the belief gone viral through the actions of Black Lives Matter that blacks are yet being exploited and relegated to a lower standard of living in the US. Implied here is the view that left to their own devices, blacks cannot rise above their station. The deficiencies in this view may be addressed with a review of two remarkable African American Educators who incorporated the three traits of objectivity, individualism and perfection to ignite success in the early twentieth century amidst a white gentry bent not only on segregation but also on eugenics and the sterilization of the African-American. These educators were Samuel W. Houston of Huntsville and David Abner Jr of Conroe.

Both Houston and Abner were leaders of African American Christian colleges in their respective domains. Each of them realized the link of objectivity, individualism and the seeking of perfection to igniting a sense of creativity and enterprise. Theirs was the path marked by Thomas Jefferson himself as he opined that intelligence linked to Christian-backed virtue was the key to securing the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness enshrined in his authorship of the Declaration of Independence.

Houston and Abner each rejected the eugenics refrain of their time which was accommodated to an extent even by the prominent black leaders of the day, W.E. B. Dubois, Kelly Miller, and in his own way, Booker T. Washington. Houston even attended colleges associated with each of these black leaders: Hampton Institute with Booker T. Washington, Atlanta University with Dubois and Howard University with Kelly Miller; Houston also had personal friendships with all of them. Houston later gained both state and national fame stemming from the high caliber of students produced in his Sam Houston Institute in the environs of Huntsville. Samuel W. Houston, however, gave most credit not to the views of his African American mentors, but to Christianity for igniting a mode of upward mobility in his students.

Like Samuel W. Houston, David Abner Jr. took the reigns of Conroe Normal and Industrial College in Conroe and maneuvered it to heights in its golden years, setting the stage for eventually employing six extensions extending all the way to San Francisco. Like Houston, David Abner Jr. instilled the twin pillars of intelligence and virtue in his students giving them the skills and fortitude for successful lives.

David Abner Jr and Samuel W. Houston, then, demonstrated that blacks could rise on their own, without the thinly veiled racism inherent in Seattles drive to shame the whites into lowering themselves to accommodate them.

Which brings us to the more subtle motive probably endemic to the Seattle project, an embrace of the Malthusian policy of the worlds global elite as indicated recently at the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland. This is the view that man, like the animals, is limited in his creative abilities. Given this premise, many globalists seek to reduce the expectations of world progress to a realistic level via de- legitimizing objectivity, individualism and perfection. This is the Rest of the Story.

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Seattle, Huntsville, Conroe and the rest of the story - Huntsville Item

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