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Elon Musk adds $2.3 billion to his fortune in 60 minutes – msnNOW

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Danzig

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Elon Musks fortune swelled by $2.3 billion in the span of an hour Wednesday after shares of Tesla Inc. soared in extended trading on stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings and ramped up production of its Model Y crossover SUV.

The electric-vehicle makers stock, which closed at $580.99, surged 12% to $649 at 5:16 p.m. in New York, boosting the chief executive officers net worth to about $36 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Musk, 48, owns about a fifth of Teslas outstanding stock, which comprises the bulk of his fortune, while his closely held Space Exploration Technologies Corp. accounts for about $14.6 billion.

Teslas shares have been on a roll since October, when the company posted a surprise third-quarter profit. The firms market value is now above $100 billion, and if it stays above that threshold for an extended period, Musk will be eligible to unlock the first chunk of a long-term compensation award that could net him more than $50 billion if all performance targets are met. He receives no salary or bonuses.

See also: Musks moonshot pay package doesnt seem that crazy anymore

--With assistance from Anders Melin and Dana Hull.

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Elon Musk adds $2.3 billion to his fortune in 60 minutes - msnNOW

China Releases New Pictures From the Surface of the Moon – Universe Today

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Danzig

Ever since it made its historic landing on Jan. 3rd, 2019, the Change-4 mission and its Yutu 2 rover have been busy exploring the lunar surface. Just recently, the mission passed its first year of operations and earned the distinction of being the first rover to travel a record 357.695 meters (1,173.5 ft) on the far side of the Moon. And in between all that, the mission has also provided some truly fascinating images of the lunar surface.

Thanks to a data release issued on Monday (Jan. 20th), the public can now peruse through all of the high-resolution images taken by the Change-4 mission. The data, which was released by the Ground Research and Application System (GRAS) of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Project, includes images of the far side of the Moon that were taken with the landers terrain camera and the panoramic camera on the Yutu-2 rover.

Included in the release are many images of the Von Krmn Crater (located in the South Pole-Aitken Basin) where the lander and rover made their soft landing last year. These images feature close-up and long-distance shots of everything surrounding the lander and rover. The data was transmitted back to Earth via the Queqiao orbiter, which is acting as a communications relay for the missions surface elements.

These images are something of a retrospective, providing a visual timeline for key points in the mission while also calling attention to the rover and landers surroundings. To make all these images accessible to the public, the GRAS team has uploaded the full archive of mission data to a dedicated website used by the China Lunar Exploration Programs (aka. Change Program) information services.

The release of all of this data is already causing quite the stir in the astronomical community. As Space.com reports, Doug Ellison the engineering camera team lead for the Curiosity rover mission at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) downloaded a range of the data, processed many of the images, and made them available in a gallery (which you can see here).

These processes images show close-up views of small craters and lunar soil (aka. regolith) on the floor of the Von Krmn Crater. Also featured are shots of the distant skyline, multiple shots of the lander and rover, and Yutu-2s tracks in the soil. A few of the images also show the rover looking back towards the lander as it ventures farther away from it.

In addition to coloring and sharpening the raw images, Ellison also combined single images together to create larger images and panoramas some of which he shared via Twitter. As you can see, some of the panoramas provide a wide view of the landscape, others give a cylindrical view of the terrain in the immediate vicinity of the rover.

Another brave soul to take a crack at the data is Philip Stooke of the Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration (CPSX) at Western University in London, Ontario. As a lunar cartographer, Stooke used the new data to refine maps that chart the progress of the Yutu 2 rover as it traveled over 357 meters (1,170 ft). Many more galleries have sprung up since the release, all of which detail the missions progress during its first 13 lunar days.

Because it is tidally-locked with our planet, each lunar day is equivalent to about 14 Earth days; during which time, the Sun is constantly in the sky. These are followed by lunar nights (also 14 Earth days), which are characterized by extremely cold conditions. Because the lander and rover are solar-powered, they go into hibernation mode during a lunar night and awaken again 24 to 48 hours after the next lunar day commences.

The rover began its 14th lunar day of operations last weekend (Saturday, Jan. 18th) while the lander followed on Jan. 19th. As of the writing of this article, the lander and rover have been operating on the lunar surface for a total of 389 days. Originally, the rover was intended to remain operational for three months while the lander was to remain in operation for a full year.

Looking ahead, the China National Space Agency (CNSA) plans to send several more missions to the Moon, which includes the Change-5 mission that will land on the Moon by the end of 2020. This will be Chinas first sample-return mission and will consist of collecting 2 kg (4.4 lbs) of lunar regolith from the Mons Rmkerregion and returning it to Earth.

This will be followed by Change-6 and Change-7, which will launch in 2024 and 2023 (respectively) and also land in the South Pole-Aitken Basin. The former, the second sample-return mission of the program, will bring lunar soil back from the south pole. The latter, meanwhile, will carry on where Change-4 leaves off by conducting a comprehensive survey to determine if a lunar outpost can be built in the region.

The final mission, Change-8 (which is scheduled to launch in 2027) will test technologies and lay the groundwork for Chinas first crewed lunar mission at this point, that mission is scheduled to take place by the 2030s. These are exciting times for space exploration, and even more exciting times lay ahead! If and when humanity sets up a permanent outpost on the Moon, we can expect that several nations will have had a hand in building it.

Further Reading: Space.com, moon.bao.ac.cn

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There’s a 1 in 20 Chance That Two Dead Satellites Might Crash Tonight – Universe Today

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Danzig

Update. It looks like we didnt roll a 1 on the d20, and the satellites passed each other without an impact. But this will probably become a more common occurrence as the skies get more crowded.

Over sixty years of space exploration have left their mark in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), where thousands of objects create the risk of collisions. These objects include the spent first stages of rockets, fragments of broken-up spacecraft, and satellites that are no longer operational. As Donald Kessler predicted, the growing presence of space junk could result in regular collisions, leading to a cascading effect (aka. Kessler Syndrome).

This evening on Wednesday, Jan. 29th such a collision might take place. These satellites are the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS), an old space telescope launched by NASA, the Netherlands, and the UK; and the GGSE-4 gravitational experiment launched by the US Air Force. These two satellites run the risk of colliding when their orbits cross paths at 06:40 p.m. EST (03:40 p.m. PST) about 900 km (560 mi) above Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The task of tracking these satellites and keeping the public up to date on the likelihood of their collision is being carried out by LEOLabs, a that uses a worldwide network of orbital tracking arrays to provide mapping data and services. This data is made available to the public and private sector and allows for rapid orbit determination, early operational support, and assessment of collision risks.

As they indicated on Monday, Jan. 27th, on Twitter, LeoLabs calculated that the two objects will come within 15 to 30 meters (50 to 100 ft) of one another. As they wrote:

On Jan 29 at 23:39:35 UTC, these two objects will pass close by one another at a relative velocity of 14.7 km/s (900km directly above Pittsburgh, PA). Our latest metrics on the event show a predicted miss distance of between 15-30 meters These numbers are especially alarming considering the size of IRAS at 3.6m x 3.24m x 2.05m. The combined size of both objects increases the computed probability of a collision, which remains near 1 in 100.

However, since then, LeoLabs has updated those odds to factor in some previously unforeseen factors. This includes the 18 m (59 ft) boom that was deployed by the GGSE-4 and the fact that they do not know which direction it is facing relative to IRAS. This altered their computations about a possible collision and yields an updated collision probability closer to 1 in 20.

To make matters worse, there is nothing that can be done to reduce the likelihood of a collision. Whereas the International Space Station (ISS) and operative spacecraft are able to adjust their orbits to avoid collisions, both the IRAS and the GGSE-4 have been inoperable for decades and cant perform any corrective maneuvers.

Of the two satellites, the IRAS is the larger, measuring 3.6 x 3.24 x 2.05 meters (11.8 x 10.6 x 6.7feet) and weighing 1,083kg (2,388lb) when it was launched. This was NASAs first infrared space telescope and was responsible for a number of discoveries, which included six new comets, the core of the Milky Way, and protoplanetary disks around Vega and Fomalhaut.

Since both satellites are orbiting Earth at a velocity of 14.7 km/s (9.1 mps), this makes a collision a major risk for generating orbital debris that will spread into other orbits. According to calculations performed by The Aerospace Corporation, which also monitors and tracks orbital debris, a collision would generate 90,000 chunks of debris that are at least 1 cm (0.4 inches) in diameter.

This would place them on the cusp between the 900,000 objects tracked by the European Space Agencys that measure between 1 cm and 10 cm and the 128 million objects that measure between 1 mm and 1 cm. While small, objects of this size pose a severe risk to the ISS, spacecraft, operational satellites, and space telescopes.

If there is a takeaway from this, it is just how important it is to track defunct satellites and assorted pieces of debris in orbit. As LeoLabs was sure to add:

Events like this highlight the need for responsible, timely deorbiting of satellites for space sustainability moving forward. We will continue to monitor this event through the coming days and provide updates as available.

As the orbital lanes become increasingly crowded due to the deployment of thousands of more telecom satellites, internet satellites, and CubeSats, mitigation strategies will also be needed. Many concepts are on the drawing board and several have already been validated in orbit. In the meantime, regular monitoring and vigilance are the best defense against collisions.

North American Helium Raises $17.8 Million and Announces Appointment of New CFO – Business Wire

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Danzig

CALGARY, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--North American Helium Inc. (NAH or the Company) today announced the Company has closed a non-brokered common share equity financing of approximately $17.8 million. Proceeds from the financing will be used primarily to advance the Companys exploration and development activity at its Battle Creek, Cypress and Claydon fields in Saskatchewan and for general corporate purposes. NAH also announces that Mr. Neil Burrows has been appointed Chief Financial Officer, and will be responsible for overseeing all operational accounting, corporate development and administration activities of the Company.

The key near-term priority for the Company will be the installation of a single-well mobile helium processing unit that will expedite revenue generation at NAHs Cypress field through sales of helium on a long-term contract basis. This project is the first significant step toward moving NAH from an exploration-only focus into cash flow from helium production.

The financing was led by Portal Capital and negotiated on an arms length basis as a follow-on to their existing investment in North American Helium. As a part of the financing Mr. Robert Mitchell, Managing Director of Portal Capital, has joined the board of NAH.

This financing included participation from a number of our existing shareholders and Independent Directors and demonstrates their continued strong support of our plans to advance the company into production and cash flow, said Mr. Nicholas Snyder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NAH. Based on the strong initial response to this equity offering, the company is considering raising additional capital in a follow-on tranche on the same terms, with a goal to raising sufficient funds for the completion of its first large-scale helium production facility at Battle Creek in Saskatchewan. I am excited and confident about moving into the next phase of NAHs growth after prudently building the largest helium-focused land position in North America.

I would also like to congratulate Neil on his appointment to the senior leadership team, added Snyder. Neil has been with the Company as Controller for over two years and proven himself to be a valued contributor as we continue to grow and expand our capabilities. Neil brings 30 years of progressively senior accounting and administrative experience with publicly traded resource companies to NAH.

Mr. Marlon McDougall, President and Chief Operating Officer added, This financing allows us to take the next step from resource capture to asset development and ultimately commercialization. Over the next several months we plan to place the equipment order for our first multi-well production plant in the Battle Creek field. This is a longer-lead project, but one that allows us to start negotiating long-term helium supply agreements with our end-users. We will accelerate the generation of cash flow in the near-term by equipping a single well in our Cypress field with a modular production unit, allowing us to load and ship helium via high-pressure gas tube trailers into the North American market.

ABOUT HELIUM

Helium is an inert gas produced by the decay of uranium and thorium that can be trapped in underground reservoirs proximal to the source. Its unique physical properties make it vital for a number of high technology applications where there is often no substitute. Liquid helium is used in cryogenics, particularly in the cooling of superconducting magnets, with the main commercial application being in MRI scanners. Helium's low boiling point and non-reactive nature also make it vital for the pressurization and purging of liquid fuels in rockets for space exploration and satellite infrastructure. Helium is also required for semiconductor manufacturing and certain welding applications due to its high heat capacity. A well-known but minor use is as a lifting gas in balloons and airships.

ABOUT NORTH AMERICAN HELIUM INC.

Founded in 2013, North American Helium is a Calgary-based, private helium exploration and production company. NAH is the only company in the past 40 years to successfully explore for and discover new economic fields of high helium gas in North America. Over the past three years, NAH has made four new discoveries and acquired rights to explore for and produce helium on a land base of over 3.6 million contiguous acres, primarily in Saskatchewan, Canada and Utah, USA. The Company expects to start producing and marketing helium in 2020 with the goal of providing reliable, long-term North American supply of this scarce resource to meet growing demand. For more information please visit: https://nahelium.com.

Note: All financial figures are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdictions in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Any offering made will be pursuant to available prospectus exemptions and restricted to persons to whom the securities may be sold in accordance with the laws of such jurisdictions, and by persons permitted to sell the securities in accordance with the laws of such jurisdictions.

Legal Notice Regarding Forward Looking Statements: This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are indicated expectations or intentions. Growth depends on several factors including market conditions. Investors are cautioned against placing undue reliance on forward-looking statements. It is not our policy to update forward looking statements.

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North American Helium Raises $17.8 Million and Announces Appointment of New CFO - Business Wire

NASA Ropes In Axiom Space To Develop Habitable Space Station – Gizbot

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Danzig

|Published: Tuesday, January 28, 2020, 17:49 [IST]

NASA is working on a variety of projects for space exploration and recently began working on the 'robot hotel' at ISS. Now, NASA and Axiom Space, a startup in Houston, have partnered to build the first commercial habitat module for ISS. The habitable module will be used for commercial missions and also housing experiments.

Space travel is soon going to be an exciting thing to look forward to. A lot of companies are already working on this and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk plans to populate Mars by 2050. The new collaboration between NASA and Axiom Space could be the first step to making space travel a commercial possibility.

According to the new plan, NASA plans to develop new technology for commercial space travelers riding to ISS via human-rated spacecraft like the SpaceX Crew Dragon and the Boeing Starliner. Axiom Space was founded in 2016 and is led by co-founder and CEO Michael T. Suffredini. The CEO was previously a program manager for ISS at the NASA Johnson Space Center.

Axiom Space boasts about a lot of ex-NASA personnel on its team, which could be a good thing for the upcoming project. For now, NASA has extended the planned service life of the International Space Station. From the looks of it, NASA is keen to explore its plans for private orbital labs.

The current leadership at NASA is encouraging private and commercial facilities to space. Soon, ISS will wear a different facade. Although the ISS module isn't a full-fledged private space station, it's currently the stepping stone for NASA's goal of commercializing the space station completely. This will also lead to more commercial private space activity in the low Earth orbit.

The Axiom Space mandate with NASA includes "at least one habitable commercial module" and comes with the implication that it might get more extensions in the future. With this, NASA and the startup will negotiate terms and the funds for the contract for the module. Of course, it'll come with a timeline for delivery.

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Latest on bid to bring U.S. Space Command to Rocket City – WZDX

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Danzig

Home to The Rocket City Madison County has a strong connection to the history of space travel in America. At Tuesdays county address, leaders talked about continuing this legacy into the next era of space travel.

Chairman of the Madison County Commission, Dale Strong, gave the Madison County State of the County address to a packed house of legislators, locals and leaders. Chairman Strong looked back at the progress of the last year and announced big hopes for Madison County.

A major hope that could soon be reality: the chance to have Huntsville be home to the headquarters of the new U.S. Space Command.Attendees showed their full support with the loudest applause of the address.

Chairman Dale Strong tells our reporter, Whether it deals with NASA. Whether it deals with missile defense It all began right here. This is something not new to us.

In August of 2019, President Trump launched Space Command a division drawing soldiers from the multiple military branches, Space Command is responsible for defending military satellites and other space systems from adversaries.

Now, the U.S. Space Force, a separate service under the Air Force, is set to become the 6th branch of the U.S. Military.

Huntsvilles Redstone Arsenal is being considered to house the new Space Command.

Dale Strong says, Alot of competition between here and Colorado. But, I havent given up on this. I believe this is the perfect location. Space command should come.

Commissioner Strong says the Rocket Citys rich history and contributions to the American space exploration successes of the past make it the perfect candidate. Chairman Strong says, I believe were already space command, but wedont have the title. He adds, I believe its the true choice and I hope this election is made immediately.

The startup headquarters will be in Colorado. But, Colorado (at an advantage with 3 potential locations), California and Alabama are the 3 states being considered to house the Headquarters permanently.

Latest on bid to bring U.S. Space Command to Rocket City - WZDX

Relics washed up on beaches reveal lost world beneath the North Sea – Science Magazine

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Danzig

A sharp-eyed collector spotted this translucent flint bladecrafted by hunter-gatherers about 8000 years agoon a Dutch beach.

By Andrew CurryJan. 30, 2020 , 2:00 PM

MONSTER, THE NETHERLANDSOn a clear, windy autumn afternoon last October, Willy van Wingerden spent a few free hours before work walking by the sea not far from the Dutch town of Monster. Here, in 2013, the cheerful nurse found her first woolly mammoth tooth. She has since plucked more than 500 ancient artifacts from the broad, windswept beach known as the Zandmotor, or sand engine. She has found Neanderthal tools made of river cobbles, bone fishhooks, and human remains thousands of years old. Once, she plucked a tar-covered Neanderthal tool from the waters edge, earning a co-author credit in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) a few months ago.

Sun, wind, rain, snowIm here 5 or 6 days a week, she says. I find something every day, almost.

Van Wingerdens favorite beachcombing spot is no ordinary stretch of sand. Nearly half a kilometer wide, the beach is made of material dredged from the sea bottom 13 kilometers offshore and dumped on the existing beach in 2012. Its a 70 million experimental coastal protection measure, its sands designed to spread over time to shield the Dutch coast from sea-level rise. And the endeavor has made 21 million cubic meters of Stone Age soil accessible to archaeologists.

That soil preserves traces of a lost world. During the last ice age, sea levels were 70 meters lower, and what is now the North Sea between Great Britain and the Netherlands was a rich lowland, home to modern humans, Neanderthals, and even earlier hominins. It all disappeared when glaciers melted and sea level rose about 8500 years ago.

That vast continental shelf has been a blank spot on the map of prehistoric Europe because archaeologists cant mount traditional excavations underwater. Now, thanks to the Zandmotor and construction work on a harbor extension in nearby Rotterdam, van Wingerden and a dedicated cadre of amateur beachcombers are amassing an impressive collection of artifacts from that vanished landscape. Scientists on both sides of the North Sea are applying precise new methods to date the artifacts and sequence any genetic traces, as well as mapping the sea floor and analyzing sediment cores. The effort is bringing to light the landscape and prehistory of a lost homeland of ancient Europeans.

Willy van Wingerden has found hundreds of ancient artifacts on beaches near her home in the Netherlands.

The finds show that the region was an inviting place in the few thousand years before it vanished, with forests and river valleys rich in game. Its not a blank area, its not a land bridge, its probably one of the best areas for hunter-gatherers in Europe, says Vincent Gaffney, an archaeologist at the University of Bradford.

The dark, cold waters that now hide the region add to its allure because they preserve organic material for DNA analysis and radiocarbon dating better than on land. And the techniques now being tested to explore the area could aid research on submerged landscapes elsewhere, such as Beringia, the vanished land between Asia and North America inhabited by the first Americans. It really is a pioneer field and will make a huge difference to our understanding of prehistory, retired University of York archaeologist Geoff Bailey says.

Clad in a bright yellowwindbreaker and blue rubber boots, van Wingerden kept her eyes on the sand as she crunched across razor clamshells and bits of driftwood. To the south, the cranes of Rotterdam harborEuropes largest portwere just visible on the horizon. To the north, oversize kites bobbed in the sky, pulling kitesurfers along far below. Sometimes things are on dry sand; sometimes theyre near the water, van Wingerden said of her finds. Theres really no logic to it.

Fifty thousand years ago, the landscape looked different. Doggerlandwhich University of Exeter archaeologist Bryony Coles named in the 1990s after the Dogger Banks, a productive North Sea fishing spotextended from Amsterdam up to Scotland and southern Norway. The region once encompassed at least 180,000 square kilometers of dry land, four times the size of the Netherlands today (see map, below). But until the Zandmotor was built in 2011, archaeologists had glimpsed only the outlines of Doggerland. Fishermen had dragged up isolated bones, tusks, and stone tools.

In calmer seas, archaeologists might have dived to the sea floor for follow-up searches. But the rough, cold, murky waters of the North Sea, crisscrossed with busy shipping lanes, ruled that out.

The technology [to explore the sea floor] wasnt available, nobody knew what might have survived sea-level rise, and it all seemed hopelessly expensive and useless, Bailey says. Archaeologists were also reluctant to be seen chasing after lost continents, he adds, lest they be associated with fringe theories such as Atlantis.

Thats changing fast, thanks in part to beachcombers like van Wingerden. In his office at the National Museum of Antiquities, archaeologist Luc Amkreutz opens his email and scrolls through messages, some just hours old. This morning a fisherman sent in photos of an elk antler with a shaft hole, he says, opening an attachment. It just goes on and on.

Over the millennia, Doggerland has been an icy wasteland, verdant valleys and forests, and now the bottom of the cold North Sea. Various kinds of humans have adapted to all these changes, with Homo antecessor, Neanderthals, and H. sapiens likely making use of the lands bounty at different times.

(GRAPHIC) A. CUADRA/SCIENCE; (DATA) EUROPES LOST FRONTIERS PROJECT/EUROPEAN RESEARCH COUNCIL; (PHOTOS, LEFT TO RIGHT) NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES (ROM) LEIDEN (1); MANON BRUININGA

Using email and a WhatsApp group with the straightforward name Stone Age Finds, Amkreutz and Marcel Niekus, an independent archaeologist, keep in constant contact with amateurs scouring beaches all along the Dutch coast. The archaeologists help identify prehistoric artifacts from photos and get access to dozens of specimens in exchange. Were easy to approach, and people can bring us finds, Amkreutz says.

Other researchers are reaping similar bonanzas. In late 2018, Leiden University Medical Center archaeogeneticist Eveline Altena was part of a research group that invited van Wingerden and other amateurs to an open house, asking them to bring human bones for identification. The response was overwhelming: In a single day, beachcombers brought more than 50 human skeletal fragments, many suitable for dating and DNA analysis. Now, were getting new fragments on a weekly basis, she says. I cant keep up anymore.

In 2015, van Wingerden found a flint flake with a gob of tar stuck to one end to form a simple handle. Niekus and Amkreutz recognized it as a Neanderthal hand tool at least 50,000 years old. Chemical analysis helped show how Neanderthals used complex methods to process birch bark into tar, as a team including Niekus, Amkreutz, and van Wingerden reported inPNAS.

Archaeologists cant know exactly where on the sea floor an artifact found on the beach originated, so the context they prize is missing. But because coastal reclamation efforts such as the Zandmotor dredge from specific locations, archaeologists know the artifacts sources to within a few kilometers. There are complete cemeteries being sucked up and sprayed on beaches, Amkreutz says. Even though these finds arent in their original find spot, they can say something about a huge area.

Those findings suggest several phases of occupation. Tools and other relics 800,000 years old or more harken back to when this part of Europe was likely occupied byHomo antecessor, an early human thought by many researchers to be an evolutionary dead end. One set of footprints, found in a layer of compressed sand on a beach in the United Kingdom and dated by its geological context, recorded children and adults apparently migrating across a mudflat.

Archaeologist Luc Amkreutz cultivates contacts with local beachcombers, who bring him finds like this Neanderthal tool with a birch tar grip (left).

Long cold spells then covered parts of the region in ice. About 100,000 years ago, small, hardy bands of Neanderthals arrived on the trail of megafauna such as mammoths and woolly rhinoceros. Hundreds of tools and a lone skull fragment offer evidence of a population living on the fringes of habitable Europe, resourceful enough to eke out a living in small groups under what Amkreutz calls extreme conditions on the edge of glaciers.

Neanderthals died out about 45,000 years agoabout when anatomically modern humans entered Europe. A few flint tools, found among stones dredged from the sea floor to create artificial sea walls for the Rotterdam harbor, suggestH. sapiensmay have been active in Doggerland even as early as 40,000 years ago, when it was still an icy steppe. (More conclusive tools have turned up in the United Kingdom and Belgium, on each side of Doggerland.) About 20,000 years ago, a severe cold spell made the entire region too cold to be habitable.

But the end of the last ice age, about 15,000 years ago, brought a brief idyll: Pollen samples, DNA evidence, and fossilized wood fragments recovered from the sea floor suggest a fertile landscape of forests and rivers, with plentiful birds, fish, and mammals. Human remains and finely worked stone, bone, and antler tools suggest modern humans made the most of the area, occupying it even as rising waves transformed large parts into a coastal wetland.

The seafloor bones are filling in the picture of Europes genetic past. Studies of ancient and modern DNA indicate that certain groups of hunter-gatherers entered northern Europe from the south and east perhaps about 14,000 years ago, after much of the ice had melted; modern European populations still carry their genetic legacy.

The trove of human bones that amateurs turned over to Altena for sampling promises to add to the picture. Of the bones amassed in June 2019, 90 were well-preserved enough for radiocarbon dating and DNA analysis. Altena and researchers from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History (SHH) in Jena, Germany, identified teeth and bones between 8000 and 10,000 years old, when modern human hunter-gatherers occupied Doggerland. They have started to extract DNA, and so far have recovered it from more than five individuals. In some ways the context is limited, but we can still do so much more than anyone ever expected, Altena says.

Drawn from the outer limits of hunter-gatherer expansion in the fringes of Europe at that time, those samples are fascinating, says Cosimo Posth, an SHH geneticist. He notes that the DNA could illuminate how these early populations mixed with others in Europe.

Most Doggerland findshave been accidental. A long-term goal is to learn enough about the past landscape so researchers can go to sea and look for sites instead of waiting for evidence to wash ashore. Until you have reliable maps, you cant do much, Gaffney says. Were dealing with a completely unexplored country we cant visit.

More than 10 years ago, Gaffney set out to do the next-best thing, persuading oil, gas, and wind power companies to pass on data gathered in seismic surveys done to plan offshore oil and gas wells. Initial maps were coarse, but over the past several years, Gaffney and colleagues used 2.5 million in funding from the European Research Council to deploy side-scan sonar and other undersea imaging technologies to make their own maps, in what they call the Europes Lost Frontiers project. Maps in hand, the researchers looked for ancient areas suited to human habitation.

This jaw belonged to an ancient teenager whose home is now submerged beneath the North Sea.

More than a decade of work paid off last year when Gaffney and Belgian researchers headed to the Brown Banks, about 50 kilometers off the U.K. coast. Mapping had suggested that between 7000 and 13,000 years ago, the spot was an elevated area 30 kilometers long, overlooking a river.

Researchers aboard the Belgian research vesselBelgicatook core samples, scooped up sediment, and made grabs with a metal claw. Among the finds were traces of a fossilized forest 32 meters beneath the waves, including tree roots, terrestrial snail shells, and peatplus a small flint flake and part of a broken flint hammerstone shaped by hunter-gatherers. We went to the place where we thought [human artifacts] would be and recovered them, Gaffney says. Thats a first.

Putting those maps together with the sheer number of samples emerging from the North Sea, researchers are beginning to answer a question particularly relevant to humanitys future: What do people do when sea levels rise?

About 8500 years ago, a massive freshwater lake in North America called Lake Agassiz, formed by melting glaciers, drained suddenly into the sea. What had been gradual sea-level rise accelerated, and seas rose a few meters within decades. Doggerland transformed from a temperate, forested plain into an estuarial wetland dotted by drier highlands. Core samples collected along river valleys by the Lost Frontiers team traced the flooding, amounting to a transect through time, Gaffney says.

To explore the impact on people, Amkreutz analyzed dozens of human bones dragged up by fishing boats as well as finds plucked off the Zandmotor and other Dutch beaches. He traced the bones to 18 offshore sites around the prehistoric Rhine River estuary and dated them with radiocarbon to a precision of about 100 years; all were about 8500 years old.

He and Niekus then used chemical signatures from collagen preserved in dozens of the bones to analyze what people in Mesolithic Doggerland were eating before and during that transition. As the landscape changed, the diet of its residents did, too, shifting from land animals to freshwater fish. It shows their flexibility in the face of climate change, Amkreutz says. They didnt leave as sea levels rose; they changed their diet.

Eventually, that, too, came to an end. On the basis of sediments and computer models, researchers think a tsunami originating off modern-day Norway around 6150 B.C.E. devastated Doggerland with waves at least 10 meters high. Soon the landscape vanished as global sea levels continued to rise.

This 13,000-year-old skull fragment of a modern human was fished up off Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

At his lab at the University of Warwick, Robin Allaby is tracing the changes by searching 60 of the core samples collected by Gaffney and his team for whats called environmental DNA, shed into water and soil by ancient species. The team scoops up and analyzes all the DNA in a sample, using next-generation sequencing methods that capture millions of DNA fragments, and compares it with libraries of known genomes. The surprising thing is just how much DNA is still down there, Allaby says. The results chronicle changes in Doggerlands ecosystems as seas rose.

In the older, earlier layers, We can see quite a broad range of DNA thats clearly terrestrial, he says. Allaby has picked out terrestrial species, including bears, boars, birds, spiders, and mosquitoes. He has identified plant species, too, including hazel and linden trees and meadow grasses. Its obviously a lowland, very fertile and probably more attractive than the British uplands and adjacent Europe, he says.

Higher up, in the younger core samples, the DNA tells a tale of inexorable transformation. We can see the rise of an estuarine environment and a slow switch to marine taxa, Allaby says, as bears and boars give way to sea grasses and fish.

Researchers say the techniques being pioneered or perfected in the North Sea could be applied to far-flung hot spots of human migration, including Beringia and the waters that surround the archipelagos of Oceania. There are big questions about human dispersal and development which can only be answered by looking at submerged landscapes, Bailey says. These same landscapes were probably good places to provide stepping stones into new territory.

At the end of van Wingerdens afternoon walk, all she had to show for 2 hours of searching were a few pieces of animal bone and a wide smile. But the next day, her luck turned. Tucked in among a pile of seashells, she found a carefully worked tool with characteristic Neanderthal handiwork, dating back at least 45,000 years: one more piece of a lost landscape, rediscovered.

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Relics washed up on beaches reveal lost world beneath the North Sea - Science Magazine

Beach chairs, blankets and trash. Massive mess left after Trump’s Wildwood rally. – NJ.com

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Danzig

If you were in the market for a new beach chair, Tuesday night in Wildwood was the time to pick one up.

The thousands of people who descended upon the Jersey Shore town for President Donald Trump's 'Keep America Great' rally at the Wildwoods Convention Center left behind a sea of trash in the parking lot including their abandoned beach chairs and blankets after the rally wrapped up.

Rally-goers were allowed to bring chairs as they waited in line some for up to 48 hours before the event but they weren't allowed to bring them inside the venue.

Factor in the blankets they used to stay warm, and all their drinks and food they were snacking on during the long wait in the parking lot and the convention center ends up with a parking lot full of trash to deal with Wednesday morning.

Fox Park, however, where the line ended Tuesday and where crowds remained to watch Trump on the jumbotron when they couldn't get inside, was spotless Wednesday morning.

City officials said the park cleanup was the responsibility of Wildwood, while the parking lot mess was the responsibility of the convention center, which Wildwood city does not manage.

Mayor Pete Byron on Tuesday said he wasn't invited to the rally after he told NJ Advance Media he would be seeking reimbursement from the local Republican party. He had instructed all city workers to keep detailed logs of hours and expenses related to the rally. Byron did not return a request for comment early Wednesday morning.

By midday, the city announced the parking lot was cleaned up.

Some of the blankets and chairs that were retrieved are being donated to homeless shelters, according to North Wildwood Recreation and Tourism department.

Clean up begins after President Donald Trump's "Keep America Great Rally" in Wildwood, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Workers were seen throughout the day on Tuesday, picking up trash and emptying cans.

In the frigid January air, a group of men was moving about the night on Tuesday, not long after the streets and lots emptied out.

Lugging shovels and dressed in their orange and neon green vests and worn gloves, they walked about the parking lot, their eyes scanning the dark concrete beneath them, intensely focused as if a hawk had been tracking a field mouse.

The group of workers said they had been on the clock since 8 a.m. emptying the trash cans. Now, at 8:22 p.m., more than 12 hours into their shift, their efforts had accelerated. Nearby, was a small mountain of chairs along with an industrial-sized container of full trash bags.

But by daylight, most of the trash remained in the convention center parking lot.

Garbage cans that were scattered throughout the parking lot were overflowing. The fencing and big screens for viewing the rally were removed before 9:30 a.m.

There were discarded cans, food, signs, blankets and even an air mattress.

See below for more photos from the mess left behind Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

Clean up begins after President Donald Trump's "Keep America Great Rally" in Wildwood, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

The parking lot outside the convention center on Wednesday morning was full of garbage. A trailer was being used to pick up abandoned chairs. Chris Franklin | For NJ.com

Helicopter Crash Victim Alyssa Altobelli to Be Honored at Newport Beach Vigil – NBC Southern California

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Danzig

An eighth-grader who played basketball with Kobe Bryant's 13-year-old daughter Gianna and shared her family's passion for sports will be remembered Thursday night at a vigil in her hometown of Newport Beach.

Alyssa Altobelli, 13, was with her mother and father, a veteran baseball coach at Orange Coast College, and six others -- including Bryant and Gianna -- in a helicopter when it crashed Sunday in foggy conditions in the hills above Calabasas. They were on the way from Santa Ana to a girls basketball tournament at the Mamba Sports Academy.

"She was going to be the next superstar, basketball player for sure," said Tony Altobelli, John's brother, earlier this week. "She loved her teammates. She loved being apart of that Mamba group. So its hard for many reasons."

The community will gather Thursday at 5 p.m. in Mariners Park to remember the aspiring young athlete.

Alyssa and her family had a passion for sports, something they shared with everyone on Sunday's flight that ended in tragedy. Her father, John, coached baseball at OCC for nearly 30 years.

OCC acting baseball coach Nate Johnson told the OC Register that Alyssa and 16-year-old sister Alexis were batgirls for their father's team their dads team, Johnson said. He said the Altobellis have been described as the First Family of OCC.

Alyssa was in eighth-grade at Ensign Intermediate School. Those attending Thursday's vigil are encouraged to wear green and yellow.

Bryant was scheduled to coach the girls' basketball game on the afternoon of the crash that killed nine. In addition to Bryant, Gianna and Alyssa, John and Keri Altobelli, and Zobayan, the crash killed Sarah Chester, Payton Chester and Christina Mauser.

The National Transportation Safety Board said authorities have ended the investigation at the scene of the crash on a rugged hillside outside Los Angeles. The probe will continue in Phoenix, where the wreckage was transported.

The crumpled pieces of the aircraft are sitting on a flatbed truck west of downtown.

The NTSB revealed Tuesday that the helicopter did not have a BlackBox voice recorder. It also did not have a Terrain Alert Warning System, something that could've called pilot Ara Zobayan's attention to the steep terrain his aircraft eventually crashed into.

The FAA does not require TAWS on private helicopters.

Read this article:

Helicopter Crash Victim Alyssa Altobelli to Be Honored at Newport Beach Vigil - NBC Southern California

Miami Beach Hires Hunting Service to Kill City’s Invasive Iguanas – Miami New Times

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Danzig

Iguanas immobilized during last week's cold snap are in for a rude awakening. The City of Miami Beach has officially contracted a private removal service to hunt the reptiles in public parks across the island.

City Manager Jimmy Morales announced the decision in a recent letter to the mayor and members of the commission. The city has hired the Hollywood-based Redline Iguana Removal to try to stymie the rapidly growing iguana population in Miami Beach.The $75,000 contract, which began January 13, will expire at the end of September, according to city spokesperson Melissa Berthier.

Iguana populations have surged in South Florida since they were introduced to the area as exotic pets in the 1960s. Warm weather and a lack of natural predators have allowed the reptiles to proliferate, causing homeowners serious headaches. Iguanas can grow up to five feet long, and their droppings can spread diseases such as salmonella. The reptiles have been known to chomp on landscaping plants and damage sidewalks and seawalls by burrowing under them.

Miami Beach first experimented with using a termination service following some serious iguana drama in July 2019. That month, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) declared open season on green iguanas, which are considered an invasive species, but then tempered its approach after complaints from animal advocates and an incident in which an iguana hunter in Boca Raton accidentally shot a pool boy in the leg.The agency has continued to encourage homeowners to kill iguanas on their own property or on public land without a permit, but only if they are capable of doing so safely "this is not the Wild West," the FWC said.

Miami Beach decided to take on a more regulated approach. It launched a pilot program last summer with Redline to trap or snare iguanas in five locations: Muss Park, Pinetree Park, Brittany Bay Park, Scott Rakow Youth Center, and Flamingo Park. The pilot was successful more than 200 iguanas were removed during the trial period and the city decided to continue working with the company. According to Morales' letter, Redline has already captured more than 200 adult iguanas this year.

Animal advocates view the use of professional removal firms as an improvement over the wanton killing of iguanas by the general public, but they still worry some of those firms might not have the training and guidance needed to ensure the reptiles are euthanized appropriately. Iguanas are protected by Florida anti-cruelty laws and must be killed humanely, but FWC has yet to offer explicit directions on which methods of killing are humane and instead deferred to guidelines on euthanasia published by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

"Our concern is that FWC's guidelines are written for veterinarians, not the general public or unregulated iguana hunters. They require personnel to be highly trained and skilled," says Lori Kettler, vice president and deputy general counsel of regulatory affairs for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). "Iguanas have the ability to suffer a great deal if they're not killed humanely."

Redline cofounder Perry Colato maintains that his company humanely kills every iguana it captures, but he would not reveal which methods are used to euthanize the reptiles.

"We follow all rules and regulations set by FWC. We keep in close contact with them throughout the process," Colato tells New Times.

Last year, PETA sent a letter to FWC condemning the agency's decision to allow the public to hunt iguanas and demanding the agency provide more details on humane methods of killing the reptiles. An FWC spokesperson told New Timesthere was an"ethical obligation to ensure iguanas and other nonnative species are killed in a humane manner that results in immediate loss of consciousness and destruction of the brain" but did not offer any approved methods.

As a public service, FWC keeps a list of wildlife trappers and hunters such as Redline Iguana Removal but lacks a certification process for any of the iguana hunters listed anddoes not exercise oversight of iguana removals.

Manuel Madrid is a staff writer for Miami New Times. The child of Venezuelan immigrants, he grew up in Pompano Beach. He studied finance at Virginia Commonwealth University and worked as a writing fellow for the magazine The American Prospect in Washington, D.C., before moving back to South Florida.

Excerpt from:

Miami Beach Hires Hunting Service to Kill City's Invasive Iguanas - Miami New Times

This Weekend’s Long Beach Island Area Entertainment Lineup for January 30 through February 2, Presented by the Tide Table Group – TAPinto.net

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Danzig

LONG BEACH ISLAND There are many opportunities for food, fellowship, drinks and entertainment. Check them all out here in this weekend's entertainment lineup in Stafford and Long Beach Island presented by the Tide Table Group of Restaurants.

Old Causeway Steak and Oyster House: 1201 E. Bay Avenue in ManahawkinFriday 10 p.m: 40 NorthSaturday 10 p.m: Tommy Allen BandMonday 7:30p.m. Monday Night Tailgate Party: Ted Hammock and the Pickles, Food and drink specialsTuesday 7 p.m. Chris Fritz Acoustic Open Mic

Black Whale, Beach Haven

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The Arlington: Ship BottomSunday 6 p.m. Greg Warren

Buckalews, Beach HavenFriday 4 p.m. Earl SuttonFriday 9 p.m. Gary PhillipsSaturday 4 p.m. Kevin on PianoSaturday 8:30 p.m. Docherty Duo

Daddy O, 44th and Long Beach Blvd, Brant BeachThursday 6 p.m. The PicklesFriday 6 p.m. Sam MarieSaturday 6 p.m. Shannon Harrington

Daymark:Barnegat LightFriday 6 p.m. Allison StellaSaturday 6 p.m. Greg Warren

Gateway:Ship BottomNo information provided

Hotel LBIMonday 4 p.m. Wing NightTuesday 4 p.m. Artisan Pizza Night Wednesday 4 p.m. Locals NightThursday 4 p.m. Buck a Shuck NightFriday 4 p.m. Weekly Wine DownFriday 7 p.m. Live Music with Vince BasileSaturday 7 p.m. Live Music with Sean Cox

Sunday 4 p.m. Burger Night

Daily Happy Hour Specials

Drink Specials$3 Select draft beer$5 Well drinks$5 House wines by the glass

Food Specials$1 Wings (served in orders of 10)$1 oysters & clams (ordered by half dozen)$8 all pizzas

Half off small plates:

Kubel's Barnegat Light:

Kubel's Too, Brant BeachSaturday 6 p.m. The Pickles

Mainland at the Holiday Inn: Route 72, ManahawkinThursday 6 p.m. Ted HammockFriday 4 p.m. Rob SilversFriday7:30 p.m. Chris FritzSaturday 4 to 7 p.m. Ted HammockSaturday 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Vince Basile

Nardi's Tavern and GrillFriday 5 p.m. Brian WeissSaturday 5 p.m. Todd Meredith

Tucker's Tavern,Beach HavenThursdays 6 p.m. Chris Fritz (January)Friday 7 p.m. Jacob SmithSaturday 7 p.m. Ty Mares

TAPinto Stafford-LBI thanksthe Tide Table Group of Restaurants serving as ourPresenting Sponsor, so we can get this great list of entertainment out for our readers.

See more here:

This Weekend's Long Beach Island Area Entertainment Lineup for January 30 through February 2, Presented by the Tide Table Group - TAPinto.net

The Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach Celebrates 40 Years – Palm Beach

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Danzig

Past Preservation Foundation dinner dance chairs from left: Hillie Mahoney, Kit Pannill, Talbott Maxey, Darlene Jordan, Karin Luter Photography by Navid

On a sparkling afternoon in Palm Beach, a group of elegantly dressed women gathers in Bradley Park. Theyve come to the recently renovated space to have their photos taken and reminisce about the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beachs four decades of success in protecting and promoting the culture and architecture of the small town with a big history.

The 4.5-acre park at the base of the Flagler Memorial Bridge anchors the historic main street and was once the location of Colonel E.R. Bradleys Beach Club and residence. The $2.7 million beautification project, completed in 2017, will be the site of the foundations annual dinner dance in March to mark its fortieth anniversary.

The park abounds in local significance. A limestone fountaindonated by Mrs. Frederick E. Guest from her Palm Beach estate, Villa Artemis, in 1938centers the space. A Gilded Ageera tea house partially frames the noted water feature, while a sweep of lawn invites wanderers with gravel paths that curve toward the Lake Trail. I walk the Lake Trail every day, says Karin Luter, who joined the foundation about five years ago because she was impressed by what the members of the nonprofit had accomplished. Their vision tugged at my heartstrings.

Bradley Park is such a gift, says Darlene Jordan, another of the relatively new members recruited by John Mashek, the organizations late former chairman who served in the role for 27 years. Both Jordan and Luter agree that the park was in desperate need of renovation. Weve been in Palm Beach 20 years, continues Jordan, and I used to push my daughter in a stroller on the trail and never even thought of stopping here because it was just a little sad-looking and unkempt. These days, she and her family often pause at the park when riding bikes or walking.

Given its location at the towns entrance, the park is a prominent feature, says Jordan, adding that she was especially touched by the masses of American flags covering the park grounds to commemorate Veterans Day last fall. My father was in the Army and my husband was in the Navy, and I cant tell you how moved I was to see those flags.

Today the island boasts a unique architectural amalgam, but the creation of Palm Beach as a perfect paradise more than a century ago was the mission of a single man, Florida developer and Standard Oil partner Henry Flagler. Over the years, as the town grew from a lush, semitropical seasonal resort centered on grand hotels for Americas aristocracy to a thriving year-round enclave, the architectural baton passed from one visionary to the next. The result is a distinctive legacy of design, including Beaux Arts symmetry, Mediterranean and Georgian Revival, Moorish flights of fancy, and American bungalow.

Fast-forward to the decades following the Roaring 20s, when many of the towns historic homes and buildings had been razed or languished in a state of neglect, including such prize properties as Flaglers private residence, now the Flagler Museum, and Mar-a-Lago, home to cereal heiress and businesswoman Marjorie Merriweather Post, now a private club and residence of President Donald Trump. Beginning in the 1950s, some of the vast homes that were built in the 1920s were considered white elephants because they were designed for formal entertaining, and families were more interested in smaller homes to accommodate the new technologies developed in the mid-century, explains Pauline Pitt, chairman of the Preservation Foundations board of trustees. The organization was formed in 1980 with the mission of saving Palm Beachs architectural legacy.

Bradley Park is just the latest of the Preservation Foundations accomplishments. Past projects include the restoration of the circa-1886 Sea Gull Cottage, the oldest existing residence on the island, as well as the creation of Pans Garden adjacent to its headquarters on Peruvian Avenue. A recent acquisition of 45,000 plans and 4,000 photos from the estate of architect John Volk, valued at more than $1 million, has greatly enhanced the foundations extensive archives, which are currently being digitized. From the 1920s to the 1980s, he was one of the most prolific architects, says executive director Amanda Skier.

Pitt, who became friends with the legendary Volk and is a longtime member of the foundation, was approached about taking the helm after Mashek passed away in 2016. A philanthropist and treasure trove of knowledge regarding the history of gracious living in Palm Beach, Pitt remembers when people dressed in black tie every night, even if they were dining at home. Her grandfather, Charles Munn, known as Mr. Palm Beach, owned a 1920s home he named Amado (Spanish for beloved) on North County Road, designed by the architect perhaps most synonymous with the island: Addison Mizner. I used to tear up a little when it was time to go home, Pitt says of childhood visits to the estate.

She adds that she views the foundation as both a guardian and an educator. Newcomers to Palm Beach get a sense of the importance of preservation with the highly publicized winners of the Polly Earl and Ballinger awards recognizing historic renovations and through the foundations archives, which will be more readily available once digitized. But a quick tour around the historic main street, Royal Poinciana Way, reveals the domino effect of preservation efforts surrounding Bradley Park. To the south, the Volk-designed Royal Poinciana Plaza has undergone a renaissance with new shops and restaurants. To the east, the Frisbie Group and The Breakers Palm Beach have completed the new Via Flagler by The Breakers, a mixed-use development that includes Mizner-inspired vias and fountains. The former Bradley Park Hotel is scheduled to reopen this year as the White Elephant.

The idea of maintaining history as a crucial part of a towns identity is not lost on longtime residents like Kit Pannill, a foundation member of more than 30 years. Theyre tearing down history all over the country, and I think its important to preserve it for future generations, she says. Children need to learn that they have a part in conserving the world.

As a member of The Garden Club of Palm Beach as well as the foundation, Pannill has played a dual role in the beautification of Bradley Park and notes that every year the garden club brings a group of schoolchildren to the park to plant a tree and learn about the importance of cultivating nature. Similarly, Hillie Mahoney, who says shes been a member of the foundation since forever, has traveled around the world and noticed the decline in places that dont value preservation. The Palm Beach resident says she wants to maintain the islands culture because everybody realizes its paradise.

In addition to preserving historic properties, the foundation is continuing to expand its focus to include land, with the half-acre Pans Garden presenting a microcosm of Floridas native, unspoiled beauty for more than 25 years. Open to the public, the garden showcases hundreds of thriving native species, some endangered, and none touched by pesticides or herbicides, says Skier. On a tour of the garden, she strolls along the pathways connecting areas representing Floridas upland terrain and wetlands. Small signs identify the flora, ranging from the prosaically named red oak and cabbage palm to the more exotic alligator flag, Southern frogfruit, and elephants foot.

The garden provides a habitat for pollinators, Skier says as she indicates a small red caterpillar hidden among the leaves that will transform into the native Atala butterfly. They have black wings with blue spots and red bellies. Theyre just beautiful.The garden is a somewhat hidden gem that nevertheless attracts a fair amount of attention ranging from Audubon Society groups to local residents looking for ideas on easy-to-maintain native landscaping. A charming statue of Pan, the Greek god of wild nature, guards the main entrance. Behind him is a colorful mosaic wall with tiles from Addison Mizner Industries that originally graced the Casa Apava estate. Its a popular backdrop for small weddings and other events.

As the foundation widens and adapts its reach and influence, Talbott Maxey, who joined the foundation nearly 20 years ago, envisions an even stronger role in preservation. Im most proud of the voice we have, she says. We have evolved over the years, but we have a voice.

The respect the foundation has earned ensures a place at the table on discussions about any potential threats to the towns property, including weighing in on global issues such as the rising sea levels encroaching on oceanfront establishments up and down the coast. Pitt lives on the Lake Trail and has noticed a marked difference in the number of higher-than-usual tides, called king tides. Skier says the foundation is also working with the town on a new historic site survey to replace the last one from 2010.

Combining preservation and progress is no easy task, but Skier believes Palm Beach can rise to the challenge. We want to accommodate change, while at the same time not lose Palm Beachs sense of charm, she says. Preservation is about the management of change and seeing progress as another chapter of development within the context of the history of the town. Through public-private partnerships, the foundation is able to fulfill its mission of preserving the incredible beauty of Palm Beach.

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The Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach Celebrates 40 Years - Palm Beach

Where to retire on the beach for $95,000 a year – msnNOW

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Danzig

Dear Catey:

My wife and I are 58. She will retire at 62 and I at 67. Our annual retirement income at 67 will be approximately $95,000 from Social Security, pensions and investments. We would like to find an affordable, friendly place to rent during the winter months, that is warm and as close as possible to the ocean in the good ole United States of America.

We plan to pay off our home in the Midwest in about six years. Grateful for no other debt. Ideally, the location would also be near stores, in restaurants and walkable. It cannot be on the West Coast. In the coming years, wed like to visit locations to test the waters. Can you help with some recommendations for the future snowbirds?

Thank you,

G.A.

Dear G.A.:

I get a number of letters from aspiring snowbirds, and frankly, escaping the cold months sounds like a plan to me (I write this as Im bundled up in a sweater in chilly New York City and dreaming of a palm tree and umbrella drink).

Of course, there are things to consider like taxes (heres a piece from Money on how snowbirds can avoid a blizzard of taxes), home security, winterizing your home and more (this guide is a good start).

That said, snowbirding is a compelling option. Here are three spots in walkable, pretty affordable beach towns.

St. Augustine, Florida

This city of about 15,000 residents is nestled along the countys 42 miles of pristine beaches and boasts tons of history. You cant walk very far in St. Augustine without being reminded that it is the oldest European-established city in the U.S.one that houses more than 60 historic sites and attractions, including a town square that dates to 1573. The city is still very much alive, however. Pedestrian-only St. George Street, lined with bistros, boutiques and bars, bustles all day and well into the night, with live music coming from practically every other open door, writes Kiplingers of the town, which it calls a smart place to retire.

And Travel & Leisure, which named it one of the seven best places to visit in Florida, notes that: Its a walkable town, imbued with intrigue; whispers of the past swirl through every cobblestoned alley. Kiplingers adds that St. Augustine has everything from golf to belly dancing for retirees as well as plenty of cultural activities, affordable luxury living, and first-class health care.

To be sure, there are cheaper cities to live in Florida the cost of living in St. Augustine is slightly above average for the U.S. but this city has so many perks to recommend it, and with your income you can likely make this work: The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $800 and the median two-bedroom is under $1,000, according to Sperlings (though you may pay more in the heart of things) not to mention that Florida is one of the most tax-friendly states in the country for retirees, Kiplingers notes. (Heres a piece on how snowbirds can be taxed as Florida residents.)

Related video: How to retire with $1 million, $2 million or $3 million (provided by CNBC)

UP NEXT

Galveston, Texas

Texas, like Florida, has no income tax and is tax-friendly to retirees and Galveston itself has a cost of living thats significantly below average. Its also, at least in parts, reasonably walkable and offers quiet beaches as well as a lively cultural scene, writes Kiplingers, which calls it a great place to retire.

You wont be bored there: Because Galveston attracts a lot of weekend visitors, theres always something going on, writes Kiplingers including annual celebrations like Mardi Gras, the Food and Wine Festival, the Brewmasters Craft Beer Festival, as well as an amusement park, and summertime concerts. Plus, Houston which has excellent health care and plenty more to do is under an hours drive away. Crime is slightly elevated in Galveston, but there are safer neighborhoods.

Its not just a resort town either, writes the New York Times: Galveston (population, 49,000) has more character than most flip-flop playgrounds. Its history, as rich as that of Charleston, S.C., or New Orleans, is evident in the majestic downtown structures and in palm-lined neighborhoods of Victorian homes painted in jelly bean shadesMore recently, an enormous rebuilding effort in the 1980s started a new round of changes. Artists and entrepreneurs are filling downtown lofts and restaurants; these days many visitors come for the manufactured wonders as well as natural ones along the shore.

Tampa, Florida

Tampa landed on Kiplingers list of the best places for early retirement thanks in part to its particularly affordable living costs as well as all the things youd look for in a Florida retirement: white sand beaches, warm blue waters, plenty of golf and generous tax breaks.

You can also find certain neighborhoods that are walkable and plenty of other perks too like a growing food and live music scene, killer lineup of breweries and almost eternally beach and boat-friendly weather, writes Thrillist, which calls the quality of life here appealing.

Tampa (population of about 370,000) and the surrounding area also offer both a laid-back beach lifestyle and the amenities of a large metropolitan area, including professional sports teams, interesting museums and an array of entertainment and dining options, writes U.S. News. However, some complain of the citys growth and sprawl.

Excerpt from:

Where to retire on the beach for $95,000 a year - msnNOW

7 victims of Kobe Bryant crash lived in Newport Beach – Los Angeles Times

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Danzig

Kobe Bryant was a Los Angeles superstar.

But he called Newport Beach his home. It was here he raised his daughters, was involved in its schools and youth sports and made friends at the neighborhood grocery store and Starbucks.

And it was this community that saw so much loss Sunday, as the helicopter carrying Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others slammed into a hillside above Calabasas, killing all on board.

Also on the copter were Newport Beach residents John Altobelli; his wife, Keri; and their daughter, Alyssa, who played on the same club team as Gianna Bryant. Newport Beach mother and daughter Sarah and Payton Chester were identified by friends and family as also being on board.

The tightknit community was also grieving the death of Christina Mauser, the top assistant coach of the Mamba girls basketball team, whose players included Gianna Bryant and Alyssa Altobelli. Mauser had worked at Harbor Day School in nearby Corona del Mar from 2007 to 2018, where she and her husband coached the eighth-grade girls basketball team to its first championship.

The day after the crash, two young girls dressed in Lakers purple and gold dropped flowers off at a bench outside the school, adding to a makeshift memorial that has sprouted over the last day. The Bryant family was active at the private school, where two of Bryants daughters attended.

Two bouquets propped up under the schools entrance sign were left with letters, one addressed to Gigi, Mr. Bryant and Mrs. Mauser, Forever in our Hearts and the other To Mr. Bryant, Gigi and Mrs. Mauser, Our 3 Angels.

Harbor Day School officials described Gianna, who started attending the school in kindergarten, as a strong leader whose work ethic was unmatched. She had a level of maturity beyond her 13 years, officials wrote in a statement.

This loss is indescribable; as is the loss of her father who was a respected and active member of the school community, said Noelle Becker, director of communications at Harbor Day School. Our students took great pride in seeing Mr. Bryant on campus regularly.

The school on Monday issued a statement about the collective loss:

To support our grieving community, last night ... Harbor Day opened its doors to the eighth grade class to come together at school to support each other and receive support from their advisors, teachers, and mental health professionals, including our school psychologist. We are grateful to our neighboring schools who sent their counselors to our school last night and whose counselors will remain on campus today and this week to support our students.

A vigil participant relights a candle for Kobe Bryant at Newport Ridge Community Park in Newport Beach on Sunday.

(Hillary Davis)

Maria Paun, 81, used her walker to deliver an assortment of pink flowers to the front of the school, depositing them on a bench. It was years ago, she said, that she sat with Bryant on a bench at the school when he was waiting to pick up one of his daughters and she was waiting for her granddaughter.

He gave me a hug and he said, I like your accent, Grandma, she said. He was tall, and he was somebody and Im nobody, but he bent down to give me a hug. And I never forget this hug.

Paun said it was no accident that she wore a purple sweater Monday morning. She did so because he liked the color.

Its hard for me, and its hard for everyone, she said, her voice cracking with emotion.

During a vigil Sunday night, Bryants fellow Newport Beach residents spoke of the athletes life outside of his storied NBA career. He was, first and foremost, a dedicated father whose love for his family was apparent to anyone who came across him, friends say. He was also the type of man whose fame never got in the way of his sharing a warm greeting at Starbucks or the grocery store.

Mario Nunes, 50, hung his Kobe Bryant jersey from one of the tables in front of the Pavilions grocery store on Newport Coast Drive, which Bryant was known to frequent, on Monday. Nunes, a job trainer with the Rehabilitation Institute of Southern California, said he used to see Bryant at the store every few weeks. Nunes was quick to whip out his phone to show some of the pictures hed taken with Bryant over the years, including one he said was from shortly after the Lakers last championship in 2010.

He was always cool with me, he said. He was always friendly. He signed a couple basketballs here and there.

Michael Young, 40, said he also saw Bryant periodically during the three years hes worked as a courtesy clerk at the grocery store. When he heard the news about Bryants death, Young said his first reaction was tears.

He brought a lot of good energy a lot of positive energy, a lot of good stuff for the community, Nunes said.

Both Young and Nunes said the shock of seeing the superstar in the flesh never completely wore off, no matter how many times he came to the grocery store or made a run to the Starbucks in the same shopping complex.

Its like hes still here, Young said. His spirit is all around us.

Kim Shipman placed a votive candle in a delicate filigreed holder on the pavers not far from the parks basketball court and recalled how friendly and gracious Bryant was.

Every time that we would run into him at Starbucks, he always had the biggest smile on his face. He was always so kind and always so loving to the children more than anything, she said, her 10-year-old-daughter, Angeline, at her side. He was such a great encourager to everybody around, always with a big smile on his face.

Crystal Alford said everyone should follow Bryants lead and say hello to people they dont know.

Thats what he did, she said. He said hi to everyone.

Originally posted here:

7 victims of Kobe Bryant crash lived in Newport Beach - Los Angeles Times

One Paycheck Away: Families struggle to survive in Palm Beach County – WPTV.com

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Danzig

WPTV is committed to raising awareness about affordable housing issues in South Florida. "One Paycheck Away: American Dream In Crisis" is a series of special reports looking into the reality of living one paycheck away from losing it all.

Nearly half of all families in Palm Beach County cant afford to live here, according to a 2016 report funded by the United Way.

The report shows 47 percent of families in Palm Beach County live below the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) threshold for cost of living, and 17 percent of people live in outright poverty.

READ THE REPORT HERE

To afford a two bedroom, two bathroom apartment, a person making minimum wage at $8.46 an hour would have to work two and a half jobs, the report says.

Carmen Fusco and Racheal Miralda are two moms with different backgrounds, sharing the impact of a crisis. Fusco is a single mother of two, and Miralda is married with two kids and another on the way.

"When both dads and I separated it was like, okay, youre on your own, you got the kids. Boom!" Fusco said.

However, both mothers said the cost of living in Palm Beach County eventually led to them living in guilt on the streets.

"I'm trying to find somewhere for us to sleep," said Fusco. "Im trying to find somewhere for us to go, and theyre Iike, but its raining. Im like, we have nowhere to go, baby."

"Yes, we stayed in the car at that rest stop," Miralda recalled. "I said, I was so sorry. I apologized to my son for not being careful enough."

According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, in 2019 the West Palm Beach metro area was the fourth most expensive area for housing in the state, requiring a $27.58 per hour income.

"Everywhere you go, you have to pay something," Fusco said.

"Like that paycheck to paycheck, and a lot of families, that's how we do live," Miralda said.

The median monthly income in Palm Beach County is $1,100, while the median rent for a two bedroom apartment is $1,400.

Fusco knows the stress of not enough money at the end of the month. She said she made $12 an hour and worked 50 hours a week and still couldnt afford a place for her family.

"My lowest point was when I was sleeping in the park with Kyla and Jacob," Fusco recalled.

According to the School District of Palm Beach County School, there are 4,000 homeless children in the school system. Fuscos children, Kyla and Jacob, are two of them.

"How do you come up out of this?" Fusco asked. "How do you break the cycle? How do you change what you are in?"

Adopt-A-Family of the Palm Beaches is trying to help. On a construction site in Lake Worth Beach near the organization's office on 1712 2nd Avenue, 14 new apartments and a community center are being built.

Matt Constantine, the President of Adopt-A-Family, said they raised the money through aggressive fundraising.

"I can tell you, last week our agency received over 400 phone calls," said Constantine. "So it's not physically possible for us to serve all these folks."

"Out of the 110 units, how many are available?" WPTV journalist Sabirah Rayford asked Constantine.

"They are all occupied or spoken for," Constantine answered. "Unfortunately, there is a waiting list for every program that we operate."

When asked if he would call this a crisis, Constantine was quick to respond.

"I would call the housing issue a crisis in Palm Beach County," said Constantine.

After living in a park for two months, Fusco is happy to be in one of Adopt-A-Familys temporary shelters with her two kids. While she waited for a spot to open up, Adopt-A-Family assigned a case worker to help her in the meantime.

Miralda got one of four spots with the Family Promise Agency. Their program takes in homeless families and helps them find jobs or budget and save to afford an apartment.

For the Miralda family, it took three months of extreme budgeting to be able to afford a one bedroom apartment in West Palm Beach.

"Its a miracle apartment," Miralda said.

County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay has a proposal she hopes will prevent people from living in the parks.

"I'm a single parent and trying to find a place where I still have enough leftover for car payment, car insurance, gas, food, what the kids needed, utility bills, health care costs, it's a struggle," McKinlay said.

McKinlay pushed for three years to get funding for the countys first family cottage community. The proposal calls for at least 17 small homes on two plots of land in Lake Worth Beach, located at 3551 S. Military Trail and 4521 Clements Street.

"People don't need that much," McKinlay said. "They just need a small, safe place to live."

Its a small step toward solving a growing crisis, but one Miralda and Fusco believe could save other families.

"When you work so hard, you never really think it could get so bad," Miralda said.

"Coming from being homeless and seeing people and sleeping next to other homeless people, I realized if no one sits down and talks with them, some are, like, stuck," Fusco said. "They dont really have the mindset or havent thought of how to get out, or know how to get out."

See the article here:

One Paycheck Away: Families struggle to survive in Palm Beach County - WPTV.com

Wrightsville Beach and the Dread God of Fire – StarNewsOnline.com

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Danzig

Cape Fear Unearthed looks at the devastating 1934 fire that claimed nearly every structure on the beachs north end

NEW HANOVER COUNTY In 1934, Wrightsville Beach was on a high from nearly three decades of immense growth.

Massive hotels like The Oceanic brought in tourists, and venues like the famed Lumina Pavilion entertained them, as well as local residents, when they werent on the beach. Even the Great Depression hadnt completely dampened the spirit.

It all seemed indestructible, until a fire on Jan. 28, 1934, wiped out the entire north end of the island and threatened the beachs livelihood in a matter of hours.

The devastating fire is the subject of this weeks new episode of Cape Fear Unearthed, the StarNews local history podcast.

The fire thrust the beach into a new era of change in the months and years after it scorched the pride and progress of the island. Madeline Flagler, the executive director of the Wrightsville Beach Museum of History, joins the show to talk about the islands growth, the fiery impact of the blaze and how it ultimately left a lasting mark on the beachs 20th century development.

In 2020, Cape Fear Unearthed will debut new episodes every two weeks, each of which will explore a new chapter from Southeastern North Carolinas history books. The first two episodes of the year have recounted the monumental history of Fort Fisher and the legacy of the Cape Fear Indians.

Since 2018, the podcast has produced more than 40 episodes on topics ranging from Prohibition in the Cape Fear, to the Battleship North Carolina, to the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1862. Each episode pulls from a different chapter in the regions more than 300-year history with the help of a local historian or expert on the subject.

The entire catalog of episodes is available to stream for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Stitcher and TuneIn.

You also can listen to every episode of the podcast at CapeFearUnearthed.com, which features other local history content and historic photo galleries compiled by the StarNews.

Listeners can also join the Cape Fear Unearthed Facebook group to stay up to date on extra content for each episode and upcoming events across the region. You can find that group by searching Cape Fear Unearthed on Facebook.

Cape Fear Unearthed is sponsored by Northchase Family Dentistry and Tidewater Heating & Air Conditioning.

Reporter Hunter Ingram can be reached at 910-343-2327 or Hunter.Ingram@StarNewsOnline.com.

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Wrightsville Beach and the Dread God of Fire - StarNewsOnline.com

Sandy Point Beach House restaurant coming to Grand Rapids – mlive.com

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Danzig

GRAND RAPIDS, MI Sandy Point Beach House, a restaurant in West Olive, is opening a second location in Grand Rapids.

Geoff Gaskin, president of CDKI Holdings, said he plans on Feb. 1 to close his restaurant, Zoko822, located at 822 Ottawa Ave. NW, and reopen the space by the second week of February as Sandy Point Beach House GR.

He said he plans, at some point this year, to reopen Zoko822 at 2130 Plainfield Ave. NE. Zoko822 is a Spanish tapas and gin bar that opened in December 2017.

Sandy Point Beach House GRs menu will feature items such as burgers, halibut, steak and frites, roasted chicken and mussels. The restaurant has seating for 99 people and an outdoor patio with space for 100 people, Gaskin said.

Bringing Sandy Point Beach Houses standard of Live Jazz Thursdays, Easy Listening Music Fridays, and our renowned Reggae Saturdays to the new Grand Rapids location this summer should make for a great time, Gaskin said.

Gaskin said he thinks Sandy Point Beach House Grand Rapids will be a better fit for the 822 Ottawa Ave. NW location than Zoko 822. Thats in part because Sandy Points menu and atmosphere will better complement Street Eats GR, a food truck court with a full-service bar located at a parking lot adjacent to 822 Ottawa Ave., he said.

In addition to Zoko822 and Sandy Point Beach House, Gaskins company, CDKI Dining, also owns MeXo, a Mexican restaurant at 118 Fulton St. E in Grand Rapids.

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Sandy Point Beach House restaurant coming to Grand Rapids - mlive.com

Remember the Clipper chip? NSA’s botched backdoor-for-Feds from 1993 still influences today’s encryption debates – The Register

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Danzig

Enigma More than a quarter century after its introduction, the failed rollout of hardware deliberately backdoored by the NSA is still having an impact on the modern encryption debate.

Known as Clipper, the encryption chipset developed and championed by the US government only lasted a few years, from 1993 to 1996. However, the project remains a cautionary tale for security professionals and some policy-makers. In the latter case, however, the lessons appear to have been forgotten, Matt Blaze, McDevitt Professor of Computer Science and Law at Georgetown University in the US, told the USENIX Enigma security conference today in San Francisco.

In short, Clipper was an effort by the NSA to create a secure encryption system, aimed at telephones and other gear, that could be cracked by investigators if needed. It boiled down to a microchip that contained an 80-bit key burned in during fabrication, with a copy of the key held in escrow for g-men to use with proper clearance. Thus, any data encrypted by the chip could be decrypted as needed by the government. The Diffie-Hellman key exchange algorithm was used to exchange data securely between devices.

Any key escrow mechanism is going to be designed from the same position of ignorance that Clipper was designed with in the 1990s

Not surprisingly, the project met stiff resistance from security and privacy advocates who, even in the early days of the worldwide web, saw the massive risk posed by the chipset: for one thing, if someone outside the US government was able to get hold of the keys or deduce them, Clipper-secured devices would be vulnerable to eavesdropping. The implementation was also buggy and lacking. Some of the people on the Clipper team were so alarmed they secretly briefed opponents of the project, alerting them to insecurities in the design, The Register understands.

Blaze, meanwhile, recounted how Clipper was doomed from the start, in part because of a hardware-based approach that was expensive and inconvenient to implement, and because technical vulnerabilities in the encryption and escrow method would be difficult to fix. Each chip cost about $30 when programmed, we note, and the relatively short keys could be broken by future computers.

In the years following Clipper's unveiling, a period dubbed the "first crypto wars," Blaze said, the chipset was snubbed and faded into obscurity while software-based encryption rose and led to the loosening of government restrictions on its sale and use. It helped that Blaze revealed in 1994 a major vulnerability [PDF] in the design of Clipper's escrow design, sealing its fate.

It is important to note, said Blaze, that the pace of innovation and unpredictability of how technologies will develop makes it incredibly difficult to legislate an approach to encryption and backdoors. In other words, security mechanisms made mandatory today, such as another escrow system, could be broken within a few years, by force or by exploiting flaws, leading to disaster.

This unpredictability in technological development, said Blaze, thus undercuts the entire concept of backdoors and key escrow. The FBI and Trump administration (and the Obama one before that) pushed hard for such a system but need to learn the lessons of history, Blaze opined.

"The FBI is the only organization on Earth complaining that computer security is too good," the Georgetown prof quipped.

"Any key escrow mechanism is going to be designed from the same position of ignorance that Clipper was designed with in the 1990s. We are going to be looking back at those engineering decisions ten years from now as being equally laughably wrong."

Daniel Weitzner, founding director of the MIT Internet Policy Research Initiative, said this problem is not lost on all governments trying to work out new encryption laws and policies in the 21st century. He sees a number of administrations trying to address the issue by bringing developers and telcos in on the process.

"What the legislators hear is a complicated problem that they don't know how to resolve," Weitzner noted. "Moving the debate to experts on one hand gets you down to details, but it is not necessarily easy."

Sponsored: Detecting cyber attacks as a small to medium business

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Remember the Clipper chip? NSA's botched backdoor-for-Feds from 1993 still influences today's encryption debates - The Register

Unclear NSA CIO Role Puts the Agency’s IT at Risk, IG Says – Nextgov

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Danzig

The National Security Agencys chief information officer may be unsure of what theyre supposed to be doing with attention being pulled disproportionately toward cybersecurity issues, according to the agencys inspector general.

The Agencys CIO role is ambiguous, without clearly defined authorities and responsibilities, the OIG wrote in the semi-annual report released Thursday, which otherwise gives NSA a pat on the back for implementing its recommendations.

The IG audited the agency for compliance with Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 and an Office of Management and Budget memorandum, documents that describe the CIO role and responsibilities for budget, program and workforce management as well as overseeing information security.

Examining the implementation of an enterprise IT architecture program and the CIOs placement within the NSAs management structure, the IG said the agency and the CIO made substantial progress, but there were a few attention-grabbing reasons they noted as contributing to shortfalls.

These were dual hatting the functions of the CIO with those of an NSA Directorate, a lack of documentation for the delegation of authorities, failure to include the CIO role in agencyorganization charts, and agency communications that reinforced the CIOs authorities primarily for the information security component.

The CIO has the requisite oversight of and decision rights for all Agency IT, the IG explains, noting, The issues identified in this audit increase the risk that the agency ...may not be maximizing its effectiveness and efficiency in designing, investing in, acquiring, managing, and maintaining the full range of its IT.

The report said the IG made four recommendations to address the issue, and that the NSA has sufficiently addressed one of those, with actions planned to implement the other three.

In general, though, the IG reports the NSAs overdue recommendations for the period of April through September represented 59% of the total number of open recommendations, which was the lowest percentage of open recommendations that were overdue over the past four semi-annual reports.

This reflects significant progress, but there is still substantial work to be done, according to the latest report.

The OIG is now evaluating NSAs implementation of the Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014. That audit will focus specifically on assessing the agencys information security practices.

What we discussed with Buhari at security meeting NSA – The News

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Danzig

President Muhammadu and Nigerias security chiefs at the meeting

The National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno, has dismissed speculation in some quarters that Thursdays meeting of the National Security Council discussed the fate of the countrys service chiefs.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Thursday presided over the 2020 maiden meeting of the National Security Council with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and the security chiefs in attendance.

The meeting came amidst calls in some quarters for the removal of the service chiefs due to the ongoing security challenges in some parts of the country.

The House of Representatives had on Wednesday called on the service chiefs to either resign or be sacked in view of their inability to proffer solutions to the nation security challenges.

Monguno, however, told State House correspondents at the end of the security meeting that the council which is the highest security body in the country chaired by the President, did not discuss the issue of the service chiefs.

The issue of the National Assembly resolution did not come up at the meeting, he said.

The NSA said the quarterly meeting focused on appraisal of the security situation across the country with a view to finding lasting solutions to the problem.

He said: The meeting basically made an appraisal of the current security situation in the country and took a look at the possibilities, the opportunities available to government in addressing most of the recent challenges.

There were discussions and at the end of the day, the most important thing that we came up with is the need for collaboration, both between governmental agencies and the larger Nigerian society because of the type of the insurgencies we are faced with, the complexities, the multiplicity of all kinds of issues.

There is a need for both parties, governmental agencies on one hand and the larger society to collaborate more vigorously. There is a need for us to deal with these problems in a comprehensive manner.

Therefore, council has decided to take a closer look at issues that will help us not just at the federal level or at the state level, but right down to the local government level.

But this is going to be done after due consultations with the relevant stakeholders, the NSA said.

What we discussed with Buhari at security meeting NSA - The News

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