Astro-Physics AP900 QMD Mount with Controller and Pier …

This gorgeous mount and pier is in really good condition for having been pre-owned! There are only two issues of which are cosmetic and not mechanical, therefor this AP900 mount with pier is fully operational. The images below show the discolorization of the pier, which could be painted making this issue very minor. The second issue is that there is some very small chipping of the paint that without taking a close look it cannot easily be seen. The spots of chipping paint are located on sharp edges and this mount has more obtuse angles than acute ones. Overall, This beast of a mount is in really good condition.The AP900 Quartz Micro Drive (QMD) predates the SMD version and current AP900GTO version mounts out today. This is a rock solid, high precision mount. The hand controller has the N,S,E,W buttons as well as PEC memory, backlash control, Sol, Lunar, King tracking rates and a brightness knob. Guide rates are 8x and 16x. The QMD mounts deliver great performance at a lower cost than other mounts like it. They are hard to find and sell quickly when found. Dovetail & rings are not included.

View original post here:

Astro-Physics AP900 QMD Mount with Controller and Pier ...

Apollo | space program | Britannica.com

Apollo, Moon-landing project conducted by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the 1960s and 70s. The Apollo program was announced in May 1961, but the choice among competing techniques for achieving a Moon landing and return was not resolved until considerable further study. In the method ultimately employed, a powerful launch vehicle (Saturn V rocket) placed a 50-ton spacecraft in a lunar trajectory. Several Saturn launch vehicles and accompanying spacecraft were built. The Apollo spacecraft were supplied with rocket power of their own, which allowed them to brake on approach to the Moon and go into a lunar orbit. They also were able to release a component of the spacecraft, the Lunar Module (LM), carrying its own rocket power, to land two astronauts on the Moon and bring them back to the lunar orbiting Apollo craft.

The first manned Apollo flight was delayed by a tragic accident, a fire that broke out in the Apollo 1 spacecraft during a ground rehearsal on January 27, 1967, killing all three astronauts. On October 11, 1968, following several unmanned Earth-orbit flights, Apollo 7 made a 163-orbit flight carrying a full crew of three astronauts. Apollo 8 carried out the first step of manned lunar exploration; from Earth orbit it was injected into a lunar trajectory, completed lunar orbit, and returned safely to Earth. Apollo 9 carried out a prolonged mission in Earth orbit to check out the LM. Apollo 10 journeyed to lunar orbit and tested the LM to within 15.2 km (50,000 feet) of the Moons surface. Apollo 11, in July 1969, climaxed the step-by-step procedure with a lunar landing; on July 20 astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the Moons surface.

Apollo 13, launched in April 1970, suffered an accident caused by an explosion in an oxygen tank but returned safely to Earth. Remaining Apollo missions carried out extensive exploration of the lunar surface, collecting 382 kg (842 pounds) of Moon rocks and installing many instruments for scientific research, such as the solar wind experiment, and the seismographic measurements of the lunar surface. Apollo 17, the final flight of the program, took place in December 1972. In total, 12 American astronauts walked on the Moon during the six successful lunar landing missions of the Apollo program.

A chronology of spaceflights in the Apollo program is shown in the table.

Read this article:

Apollo | space program | Britannica.com

Indicators Of Sight Loss | MeMetics

Most people experience some form of sight loss as they age. For many, the magic age is 40. However, many people find they need glasses much earlier due to genetics, excessive computer use, and more. Since sight loss can occur so gradually, many people may not even realize that they have issues with their eyes. If you note any of the following problems in your everyday life, you may need to schedule an eye exam to see if you need glasses.

If you frequently have eye fatigue, it may not be due to lack of sleep. Straining your eyes can cause them to feel tired and uncomfortable. Other signs that can accompany eye fatigue are itchy and watery eyes, and a tight feeling behind the eyes.

Blurry vision is one of the first signs that many people notice for vision loss. Signs that you could once read easily are now difficult to make out. You may have to adjust the distance of a book you are holding to focus properly on the text. If your eyes frequently blur when looking at objects near or far away, then it is likely your eyes are starting to fail and you could benefit from prescription glasses.

Another sign of vision problems are frequent headaches. You may note the headaches more after extended sessions of reading, looking at a computer screen, or watching TV. While headaches can be caused by many different things, if you notice them in conjunction with other signs of vision loss, then it is time to schedule an eye exam.

If you squint and strain your eyes to read, this can be a sign of vision problems. Take note of the position of your face while you look at maps, road signs, books, computer screens, and anything else that you look at on a routine basis. If you constantly have to scrunch up your face in some way to focus on the letters, it is likely that your vision is not what it once was.

One less-common sign of failing vision is spots in vision or halos around bright objects. This is often a sign of astigmatism or cataracts in the eyes, and should be checked by an optometrist right away.

If you have to blink repeatedly to focus on objects, this can be a sign of failing vision. Blinking often occurs when switching between two vision points, such as when switching to look at something far away after focusing on a computer screen. Healthy eyes should adjust with minimal blinking, while unhealthy eyes will have to blink longer to change focus.

Generally, it is easy to tell if you should have a new eye exam. If you already have poor vision, most optometrists recommend that you have your eyes checked every year in case of further deterioration. However, if you have never had an eye exam, and suffer from several of the above eye issues, it is likely that you will need to wear glasses.

Guest post by contributing author Richard O., written on behalf of Lenses Online, a huge online contact lens store.

Visit link:

Indicators Of Sight Loss | MeMetics

High Seas Airspace What is it? International Ops 2018

Austria might have the worlds most perfect little piece of airspace. Wien (Vienna) FIR matches the countries political boundaries perfectly. There is no ocean, no disputed boundaries, and no delegation of ATC.

For most others, its not as straightforward. For some, its beyond complex.

So how do countries determine what their airspace looks like? Airspace overhead the actual landmass belongs without question to the country, so thats easy.

Then, from the shoreline out to 12nm are the Territorial Waters, as agreed by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in 1982 giving us Territorial Waters Airspace.

The next chunk is the 12nm-200nm area the Exclusive Economic Zone. In aviation, this sometimes has an effect on whether prior permission in the form of an Overflight Permit is required Peru and Ecuador have in the past claimed this requirement. Beyond this, International Waters exist.

In aviation, the term of reference has become High Seas Airspace, and is taken to refer to anything outside the 12nm buffer where no country has sovereign jurisdiction over airspace. By international agreement, chunks of airspace are assigned to individual countries to provide an ATC service, because we prefer to have ATC watching us and providing separation, in comparison to trying to do it ourselves using 126.9 and TCAS.

As has been recently the case over the Black Sea, that agreement isnt always unanimous, and ICAO sometimes has to tread a difficult political line in assigning their preferred responsibility last month Ukraine opened up routes in High Seas Airspace that Russia also wanted to have a crack at managing.

The Baltic Sea has long been a generator of news stories of close encounters with the Bear (Tu-95), this is because of the multitude of small chunks of High Seas Airspace that allow flights out of Russia towards the UK and Europe. ICAO is concerned at the rising incidences of conflictbetween civil traffic (thats us) and military flights over the Baltic.

These military flights operate under Due Regard but often dont file flight plans and ATC know nothing about them until they are pretty close to you. Youre unlikely to see them on TCAS either. So, that regard is not so high.

Well continue the next time with a look at No FIR Airspace those chunks of High Seas airspace where nobody is in control, mysteriously marked XXX on our charts.

Like Loading...

Original post:

High Seas Airspace What is it? International Ops 2018

Nothing Is Solid & Everything Is Energy Scientists …

We're creating viewer supported news. Become a member!

It has been written about before, over and over again, but cannot be emphasized enough. The world of quantum physics is an eerie one, one that sheds light on the truth about our world in ways that challenge the existing framework of accepted knowledge.

What we perceive as our physical material world, is really not physical or material at all, in fact, it is far from it. This has been proven time and time again by multiple Nobel Prize (among many other scientists around the world) winning physicists, one of them beingNiels Bohr, a Danish Physicist who made significant contributions to understanding atomic structure and quantum theory.

If quantum mechanics hasnt profoundly shocked you, you havent understood it yet.Everything we call real is made of things that cannot be regarded as real. Niels Bohr

At the turn of the nineteenth century, physicists started to explore the relationship between energy and the structure of matter. In doing so, the belief that a physical, Newtonian material universe that was at the very heart of scientific knowing was dropped, and the realization that matter is nothing but an illusion replaced it. Scientists began to recognize that everything in the Universe is made out of energy.

Despite the unrivaled empirical success of quantum theory, the very suggestion that it may be literally true as a description of nature is still greeted with cynicism, incomprehension and even anger. (T. Folger, Quantum Shmantum; Discover 22:37-43, 2001)

Quantum physicists discovered that physical atoms are made up of vortices of energy that are constantly spinning and vibrating, each one radiating its own unique energy signature. Therefore, if we really want to observe ourselves and find out what we are, we are really beings of energy and vibration, radiating our own unique energy signature -this is fact and is what quantum physics has shown us time and time again. We are much more than what we perceive ourselves to be, and its time we begin to see ourselves in that light. If you observed the composition of an atom with a microscope you would see a small, invisible tornado-like vortex, with a number of infinitely small energy vortices called quarks and photons. These are what make up the structure of the atom. As you focused in closer and closer on the structure of the atom, you would see nothing, you would observe a physical void. The atom has no physical structure, we have no physical structure, physical things really dont have any physical structure! Atoms are made out of invisible energy, not tangible matter.

Get over it, and accept the inarguable conclusion. The universe is immaterial-mental and spiritual (1) Richard Conn Henry, Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Johns Hopkins University (quote taken from the mental universe)

Its quite the conundrum, isnt it? Our experience tells us that our reality is made up of physical material things, and that our world is an independently existing objective one. The revelation that the universe is not an assembly of physical parts, suggested by Newtonian physics, and instead comes from a holistic entanglement of immaterial energy waves stems from the work of Albert Einstein, Max Planck and Werner Heisenberg, among others. (0)

What does it mean that our physical material reality isnt really physical at all? It could mean a number of things, and concepts such as this cannot be explored if scientists remain within the boundaries of the only perceived world existing, the world we see. As Nikola Tesla supposedly said:

The day science begins to study non-physical phenomena, it will make more progress in one decade than in all the previous centuries of its existence.

Fortunately, many scientists have already taken the leap, and have already questioned the meaning and implications of what weve discovered with quantum physics. One of these potential revelations is that the observer creates the reality.

A fundamental conclusion of the new physics also acknowledges that the observer creates the reality. As observers, we are personally involved with the creation of our own reality. Physicists are being forced to admit that the universe is a mental construction. Pioneering physicist Sir James Jeans wrote: The stream of knowledge is heading toward a non-mechanical reality; the universe begins to look more like a great thought than like a great machine. Mind no longer appears to be an accidental intruder into the realm of matter, we ought rather hail it as the creator and governor of the realm of matter. (R. C. Henry, The Mental Universe; Nature 436:29, 2005)

One great example that illustrates the role of consciousness within the physical material world (which we know not to be so physical) is the double slit experiment. This experiment has been used multiple times to explore the role of consciousness in shaping the nature of physical reality.(2)

A double-slit optical system was used to test the possible role of consciousness in the collapse of the quantum wave-function. The ratio of the interference patterns double-slit spectral power to its single-slit spectral power was predicted to decrease when attention was focused toward the double-slit as compared to away from it. The study found that factors associated with consciousness, such as meditation, experience, electrocortical markers of focused attention and psychological factors such as openness and absorption, significantly correlated in predicted ways with perturbations in the double-slit interference pattern.(2)

This is just the beginning. I wrote another article earlier this year that has much more, sourced information with regards to the role of consciousness and our physical material world:

10 Scientific Studies That Prove Consciousness Can Alter Our Physical Material World.

The significance of this information is for us to wake up, and realize that we are all energy, radiating our own unique energy signature. Feelings, thoughts and emotions play a vital role, quantum physics helps us see the significance of how we all feel. If all of us are in a peaceful loving state inside, it will no doubt impact the external world around us, and influence how others feel as well.

If you want to know the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration. Nikola Tesla.

Studies have shown that positive emotions and operating from a place of peace within oneself can lead to a very different experience for the person emitting those emotions and for those around them. At our subatomic level, does the vibrational frequency change the manifestation of physical reality? If so, in what way? We know that when an atom changes its state, it absorbs or emits electromagnetic frequencies, which are responsible for changing its state. Do different states of emotion, perception and feelings result in different electromagnetic frequencies? Yes! This has been proven. (3)

HERE is a great video that touches on what I am trying to get across here. We are all connected.

Space is just a construct that gives the illusion that there areseparate objects Dr. Quantum (source)

Sources:

(1)http://henry.pha.jhu.edu/The.mental.Universe.pdf

(2)http://media.noetic.org/uploads/files/PhysicsEssays-Radin-DoubleSlit-2012.pdf

(3)http://www.heartmath.org/research/research-publications/energetic-heart-bioelectromagnetic-communication-within-and-between-people.html

communities.washinghttp://media.noetic.org/uploads/files/PhysicsEssays-Radin-DoubleSlit-2012.pdftontimes.com/neighborhood/energy-harnassed/2012/sep/30/secrets-universe-unlocked/

Your life path number can tell you A LOT about you.

With the ancient science of Numerology you can find out accurate and revealing information just from your name and birth date.

Get your free numerology reading and learn more about how you can use numerology in your life to find out more about your path and journey. Get Your free reading.

See more here:

Nothing Is Solid & Everything Is Energy Scientists ...

Kevin Warwick | "I feel that we are all philosophers, and …

Kevin Warwick is Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at Coventry University. Prior that he was Professor of Cybernetics at The University of Reading, England. His research areas are artificial intelligence, control, robotics and biomedical engineering. He is a Chartered Engineer (CEng.) and is a Fellow of The Institution of Engineering & Technology (FIET). He is the youngest person ever to become a Fellow of the City & Guilds of London Institute (FCGI). He is the author or co-author of more than 600 research papers and has written or edited 27 books (three for general readership), as well as numerous magazine and newspaper articles on scientific and general subjects. He has broadcast and lectured widely and holds various visiting professorships.

Kevin was born in Coventry and left school to join British Telecom, at the age of 16. At 22 he took his first degree at Aston University, followed by a PhD and a research post at Imperial College, London. He subsequently held positions at Oxford, Newcastle, Warwick and Reading universities before being offered the DVC post at Coventry.

He has been awarded higher doctorates (DScs) by Imperial College and the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague on different scientific areas. He was presented with The Future of Health Technology Award at MIT (USA), was made an Honorary Member of the Academy of Sciences, St.Petersburg, was awarded the IEE Senior Achievement Medal in 2004, the Mountbatten Medal in 2008, the Ellison-Cliffe Medal in 2011 from the Royal Society of Medicine and in 2014 was elected as a member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts. In 2000 Kevin presented the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, entitled The Rise of The Robots. He has also been awarded Honorary DSc Degrees by the Universities of Aston, Coventry, Bradford, Bedfordshire, Portsmouth and Kingston and an Honorary DTech Degree by Robert Gordon University.

Kevin instigated a series of pioneering experiments involving the neuro-surgical implantation of a device (Utah Array/BrainGate) into the median nerves of his left arm in order to link his nervous system directly to a computer to assess the latest technology for use with the disabled. The development of the implant technology was carried out by a team of researchers headed by Dr Mark Gasson who, along with Kevin, used it to perform the ground-breaking research. Kevin was successful with the first extra-sensory (ultrasonic) input for a human and with the first purely electronic communication experiment between the nervous systems of two humans. His research has been discussed by the US White House Presidential Council on BioEthics, The European Commission and led to him being widely referenced and featured in academic circles as well as appearing as cover stories in several magazines e.g. Wired (USA), The Week (India).

The Institute of Physics selected Kevin as one of only 7 eminent scientists to illustrate the ethical impact their scientific work can have: the others being Galileo, Einstein, Curie, Nobel, Oppenheimer and Rotblat.

His work is used as material in several advanced Level Physics courses in the UK and in many University courses including Harvard, Stanford, MIT & Tokyo. His implants are on display in the Science Museums in London and Naples. As a result, Kevin regularly gives invited Keynote presentations.

Kevins research has involved robotics and he was responsible (with Dr Jim Wyatt) for Cybot, a robot exported around the world as part of a magazine Real Robots this resulted in royalties totalling over 1M for Reading University. Robots designed and constructed by Kevins group (Dr Ian Kelly, Dr Ben Hutt) were on permanent interactive display in the Science Museums in London, Birmingham and Linz.

Some of Kevins recent research involves a collaborative project with the Oxford neurosurgeon, Prof. Tipu Aziz, using intelligent computer methods to predict the onset of Parkinsonian tremors such that they can be stopped by means of a deep brain implant. This work was hailed in the Mail on Sunday as the most significant recent advance in biomedical engineering.

He also led an EPSRC sponsored project in which a cultured neural network (using biological neurons) was trained to control a mobile robot platform. This work, which was reported on in a New Scientist feature article, is now being used as an exercise for high school science studies in the UK. A Youtube video of this research has been downloaded/viewed 1.9 million times.

His presentations include The 1998 Robert Boyle Memorial Lecture at Oxford University, The 2000 Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, The 2001 Higginson Lecture at Durham University, The 2003 Royal Academy of Engineering/Royal Society of Edinburgh Joint lecture in Edinburgh, The 2004 Woolmer Lecture at York University, the 2005 Einstein Lecture in Potsdam, Germany and the 2006 IMechE Mechatronics Prestige Lecture in London.The Annual Science Faculty lecture at University of Leicester in 2007. In 2008 the Leslie Oliver Oration at Queens Hospital and the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, guest lecture Four weddings and a Funeral for the Microsoft Research Chair. In 2009, Cardiff University, 125th Anniversary Lecture. In 2010 he launched the new Research Institute for Innovation Design and Sustainability at Robert Gordon University and gave the Ellison-Cliffe Lecture at the Royal Society of Medicine in 2011. In 2012 he presented the IET Pinkerton Lecture in Bangalore.

Kevin was a member of the 2001 HEFCE (unit 29) panel on Electrical & Electronic Engineering, was Deputy Chairman for the same panel in the 2007/8 exercise and is a member of the EPSRC Peer College. He also received the EPSRC Millenium Award (2000) for his schools robot league project. Kevins research has featured in many TV and film documentaries, e.g. Inventions that changed the world (BBC2), Late Night with Conan OBrien (NBC), Future Scope (RAI 1) and The Making of I Robot (Twentieth Century Fox/Channel 5). He has appeared 5 times in Time magazine and was selected by Channel 4 as one of the Top 6 UK Scientists for their 2001 series Living Science. In 2002 he was chosen by the IEE as one of the top 10 UK Electrical Engineers.

Kevins research is frequently referred to by other authors recent examples being in books by Robert Winston, Peter Cochrane, Jeremy Clarkson and Susan Greenfield. Kevins implant research was selected by National Geographic International for a 1 hour documentary, entitled I,Human screened in 2007 this was broadcast in 143 countries and translated into 23 different languages. Some of his TV appearances are logged on the imdb website.

See the original post:

Kevin Warwick | "I feel that we are all philosophers, and ...

Cryptocurrency Price Forecast: What You Need to Know This Week

Cryptocurrency Rally Holds Strong
Rallies are important, but holding a rally is even more important.

Thankfully, that’s what cryptocurrencies have done over the last two weeks. Our favorites either stuck close to their previous levels or they exploded to the upside.

Siacoin (SC), for example, rose more than 24% in a single trading session, leading to a cumulative gain of 108% since we first recommended it last month.

Not bad, right? There aren’t too many investments that can boast of triple-digit gains in one month.

Speaking of triple-digit winners, Ethereum (ETH) rose above 100% for the first time in six weeks. It almost erased its gains in early April, but the.

The post Cryptocurrency Price Forecast: What You Need to Know This Week appeared first on Profit Confidential.

View original post here:
Cryptocurrency Price Forecast: What You Need to Know This Week

Company Seven | Astro-Physics Tripods, Portable Piers

ASTRO-PHYSICS ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT WOOD FIELD TRIPOD, AND PORTABLE PIERS FOR MODEL400, 600, 800, 900, AND 1200 SERIES GERMAN EQUATORIAL MOUNTS

Astro-Physics German equatorial mounts employ either a portable tripod, or a portable or a fixed pier as a support stand. Theassembled portable piers are under stress to provide excellent rigidity. The portable piers are also a good choice for travelby air or cargo as they are very resistant to impact damage. Neither of these choices of stand requires any tools for assemblyin the field, although to install a Model 900 or 1200 head requires an Allen wrench that is provided with the mount head.

It is possible to have a metal pier fabricated locally, and then install it (into a foundation below the regional frost line)at a convenient observing location. Utilities for power and signal can be installed below ground and up through the pier.Those persons interested in such an effort should contact us for specific advice.

The selection of a field tripod or a portable pier will to some degree be a matter of personal preference. For those personswho intend to do astrophotography (film or CCD), or for those where economy and durability are a concern then we do suggest aportable or permanent pier. For those where the convenience of height adjustment, quicker set up and disassembly, oraesthetics are a concern then the wood or aluminum tripods may be a good choice.

Portable Piers:

These piersfeature a unique tension design that combines rugged construction with light weight, while also eliminating flexure andannoying vibrations. Legs and tension rods attach without the need for any tools thereby permitting assembly in a matter of afew minutes. The stainless steel tension rods do not interfere when the telescope is pointed at zenith as the rods are locateda reasonable distance below the mount head. Turnbuckles are used to adjust tension on the rods; these also allow limitedultra-fine adjustments when polar aligning. The tension system is the simple technology that results in the firm base ofsupport provided by the portable pier. The center post is constructed of aluminum tubing, the base and legs are of steel. Theconstruction materials and finish provide great resistance to the environmental elements.

Piers have no provisions for leveling nor is it necessary; the mount heads have adjustments to make polar alignment even onuneven terrain. For reasons of stability it is desirable to locate a pier (or a tripod) on as firm and level ground as ispossible. Sand bags may be installed within and or inside the piers to add rigidity and dampening in wind prone environments.

Astro-Physics Adjustable Height Wood Field Tripod (AWT000):

This tripod can easily be set up level with out the use of any tools. While this not necessary since the mount heads haveadjustment devices to polar align even on uneven terrain, leveling the tripod can minimize adjustment in elevation of themount head. For reasons of stability it is desirable to locate a tripod (or a pier) on as firm and level ground as ispossible. Sand bags may be installed at the feet of the tripod to add rigidity and dampening in wind prone environments.

Support Bar and Accessory Tray for Astro-Physics Piers:

For those who wish a convenient location for the placement of small accessories, Astro-Physics has produced a support bar andaccessory tray. In addition to serving as a storage shelf, when used as a pair the top tray will keep dew from forming onaccessories placed onto a lower accessory tray.

A Support Bar (TRAYSB) is attached to one of the holes at the top of a pier post. Each support bar can accept up to twoaccessory trays. Each accessory tray spans 120 degrees (1/3) of the pier so that you can construct a complete 360 degreecircular tray around the pier post with just three support bars and three trays. These trays slip into the support bars. Theavailable trays are:

It is possible to buy Astro-Physics support bar and accessory tray systems for installation onto any portable or permanentpier that complies with the Astro-Physics specifications for pier diameter and hole pattern.

Read the original:

Company Seven | Astro-Physics Tripods, Portable Piers

Company Seven | Astro-Physics 10 Inch f14.6 Maksutov High …

Astro-Physics 10 Inch (25.4cm) f14.6 Maksutov-Cassegrain High Resolution Telescope

Astro-Physics Co. who are known for making the world's most advanced, versatile, and desired lines of Apochromatic refractor telescopes began the year 2000 with the announcement of their first production Catadioptric telescope!

After more than a decade of research and development to "get it right" Astro-Physics has sold out the first of a limited number of Maksutov"Mak" telescopes. Designated the Astro-Physics 10 inch f14.6 Maksutov Apochromat telescope, this is a compact 33 lb. (15 kg) high resolution instrument designed to provide refractor like views (and images) of the brighter, small objects including the planets, moon, double stars, and the like.Astro-Physics has been working to make a telescope that would be more compact, perform well in temperature extremes around the world, and meet their exacting requirements for optical and mechanical excellence: they have continued their tradition of innovative excellence.

A further goal in this development effort was to equal or to approach the performance of their highly prized triplet apochromatic refractors in at least certain applications. One thought in producing these Catadioptric telescopes is that if a number of customers who do not require the versatility of the Apo refractors (which perform superbly well at extremely high magnifications, and down to very low magnifications) will order the Mak telescopes instead of the triplet Apos then this may take some of the burden from the Triplet production line, and thereby helpAstro-Physics to satisfy a far greater number of the more demanding amateur and professional clientele.

Deliveries from the first production run will commence in limited numbers in April of year 2000. It is likely that production will accelerate, and the 10 inch model is likely to be followed by other variants of the design in terms of designed function and aperture.

The primary mirror is a truncated cone designed to eliminate as much thermal mass as possible. The rear surface of the mirror is fine ground and then polished, a process which also helps internal trapped heat to radiate out the open back. By grinding the edge and back of this mirror, any tiny stresses are relieved which could otherwise introduce unwanted distortions in the highly accurate front surface at varying ambient temperatures. In side-by-side tests against closed back scopes with conventional molded mirrors, theAstro-Physics design was faster, by far, in achieving a stable and accurate image.

Any optical imperfections such as a degree of surface roughness and zonal errors on the optical surface will compound the problem.Astro-Physics tested a commercial telescope where the central obstruction, optical errors and surface roughness were large enough to cause the first diffraction ring and central Airy disc to have almost equal brightness (with a 35% obstruction, theoretically there should be at least a4 to 1 difference). Even so, this sample telescope "tested" very well on the star test - it had quite similar inside and outside Fresnel patterns and might be judged to be textbook perfect by the star test. Yet it was a very poor performer on all but the most steady of nights, when the seeing was essentially perfect. The slightest motion in the atmosphere would result in a display of "cotton ball" stars. This is one reason whyAstro-Physics and Company Seven have not been a major fans of the "star test" to evaluate the actual performance of a telescope. The only unbiased way to measure an optic is withinterferometry, or by an MTF (modulation transfer function) test, or with a PSF (point spread function) test, which measures the relative strength of the Airy disc versus the diffraction rings with the image in focus.

Astro-Physics has endeavored to achieve the highest absorption of stray light possible by employing state of the art baffling and anti-reflection techniques; this will help to provide the user with maximum contrast. The exterior of the telescope is finished in a durable textured off white finish, with black anodized focuser and cells; these will retain their beauty for many years. You will appreciate the unique design and fine craftsmanship of this telescope.

Knife edge baffles are machined into the walls of the telescope optical tube and of the focuser draw tube, these and painted flat black in order to maximize contrast by essentially eliminating any internal reflections. The inside diameter (I.D.) of the draw tube permits the avid astrophotographer to employ up to a 35mm format film or CCD camera to capture images. You can use standard 2 inch diameter accessories, and with the furnished 1.25 inch adapter (threaded for 48mm filters) use common oculars and accessories too. Recessed brass locking rings are installed at each thumbscrew location; as you tighten a thumbscrew a brass locking ring clamps onto the part that has been inserted; consequently the focuser draw tube and any accessories are held securely in place and will not mar the surface of your accessories. This is particularly important considering the heavy and expensive accessories that you may use.

* Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Your local seeing conditions will greatly affect whether or not you may operate the telescope at its highest magnifications. Please call to discuss this if you have any questions.

Right: Company Seven ATA Case custom fitted for a Astro-Physics 13cm EDT Apochromat Telescope with 2.7 inch Focuser (65,974 bytes).Click on image to see enlarged view (215,942 bytes).

Features include:

Left: Astro-Physics Model 900 Mount in optional Company Seven ATA case.Case 1 of 2 shown here, with Declination housing (left side shown) with GTO Keypad Controllerand Counterweight Shaft (94,326 bytes).

See more here:

Company Seven | Astro-Physics 10 Inch f14.6 Maksutov High ...

ASTRO PHYSICS AP400 GTO WITH WOODEN TRIPOD – CN …

https://optcorp.com/...w-wooden-tripod

USED ASTRO PHYSICS AP400 GO TO MOUNT W/WOODEN TRIPODThe two most important considerations in mount design and construction are maximum strength/rigidity for a given size and accuracy of the drive system. Without this basic foundation, all other features of a mount are just superfluous frills. The Astro-Physics 400GTO was engineered to be a compact, firm platform for your high-resolution instrument. Whether your interests are purely visual or include astro-photography, a steady image in the eyepiece or camera viewfinder is extremely important.The 400GTO is constructed of the highest quality components to provide you with years of observing pleasure. All parts are precisely machined on our computerized CNC lathe and machining center using solid or thick-wall aluminum and stainless steel. Machining tolerances are very high to achieve a tight, solid fit of all components. These are not thin-wall, weak, porous die castings as in most other mounts of comparable size. We avoid the use of any carbon steel shafts or plated steel fasteners because they will deteriorate with time. This mount will not rust or bind up and will retain its appearance and function throughout the years.Both axes respond to fingertip pressure with unparalleled smoothness. Built-in clutches can be disengaged for smooth sweeping or locked for astrophotography. The worm gears, motors and drive components are enclosed to protect them from dirt and dust. With the 105 Traveler, the 400 mount damps out in one second when mounted on the lightweight aluminum tripod.Your 400GTO mount can grow with your skills and interests in astronomy. You can enjoy the visual pursuits using the go-to Keypad controller and/or DigitalSky Voice software to help you find many fascinating objects. If you plan to take astro-photos, you will be pleased with the solid stability and inherent accurate tracking capability of the drive system. The GTO Control Box contains a plug-in for the CCD auto-guiding and imaging systems. These units will allow you to auto-guide astronomical photos and explore CCD imaging.FeaturesPrecision machined aluminum with radiused edgesGears and motors are fully enclosedGear in declination axis allows full 360 degree continuous rotation; scope can move through the zenith for photography2.5" (6.4cm) hollow right-ascension and declination shafts maximize strength at minimum weightLarge thrust bearings form highly-stable thrust surfaces for tremendous rigidity in a small packageRemovable stainless steel counterweight shaft for compact storageEngraved setting circles with Porter Slip Ring designFine altitude and azimuth adjustments for quickly and accurately zeroing in on the pole in the fieldBlack anodized finish will retain its lustrous beauty for yearsBase fits into 6" diameter pier with 0.083" wall thicknessSpecifications of the Equatorial Head

Originally posted here:

ASTRO PHYSICS AP400 GTO WITH WOODEN TRIPOD - CN ...

TurnRVA Classes

TRX BARRELike Barre? Like TRX?TRX Barre is based onThe Volee Methodand is the Reese's Peanut Butter cup of Barre and suspension workouts!

It takes the best properties of both workouts and combines them to give you the most effective workout you can do in bare feet.

Enhance balance, core strength, flexibility and fluid functional movement.

Class size is limited to 10.

Bring on swimsuit season!

This interval class uses suspension training and timed intervals. Yeah - that means using straps anchored to ceiling mounts to get your workout in.

Since we're talking about your body weight and gravity acting as your resistance, you have to work your core... a lot, in order to stay stationary.

Quick bursts of cardio add fat burning of this workout. Makes all your muscles, including your heart, stronger!

Wecarry out this class in a couple of different options: TRX with Bootcamp, TRX HIIT and TRX Cardio.Class size is limited to 10.

Get your butt into Turn Table!

We promise you will have a good time and you won't have to memorize any choreography, just come in and get moving'! And did we mention - it's FREE in April?

Depending on the class size, participants will rotate through timed exercises that use weights, TRX straps, ladder drills and your own body weight to focus on your upper and lower body and abs.

Appropriate for all fitness levels.

Ready to learn a dance routine?Whether it's new material or something we've been dancing to for a while, we're going to spend our class time teaching you this routine and helping you get it down before you walk out.Bring your thinking caps to BREAKDOWN and get ready to dance the hour away.*Note - material may be seen again in Dance Trance

See the original post:

TurnRVA Classes

Modafy Brain Stack | Accelerated Nootropics Formula

Procrastination and lack of productivity are some of the biggest issues of the modern individuals. In some cases, they can even make or break ones success. It is quite common for very intelligent persons to feel like failures due to these issues.

Have you ever felt that you just cant do anything right and in a timely manner? You are not alone in this. Many people struggle to be productive and they usually make little progress. But it is essential to know that there are ways to hack your brain and to stimulate yourself to be more productive than you imagined.

HERE ARE 50 WAYS TO TRAINYOUR BRAIN FOR UNLIMITED PRODUCTIVITY:

1. STOP SABOTAGING YOURSELF.

Instead of wasting time complaining, just start working and get things moving. Whining about the chores of the day will never solve anything and it will only delay you more.

2. STOP STRESSING OUT.

Stress can trigger lots of health-related issues. Not to mention that it will give you inconvenient body reactions such as headaches, nausea and all of these will make you less efficient.

3. DRESS NICE.

Clothing has more to do with productivity than you think. Get comfortable clothes that fit you nicely and look flattering. The right clothes will make you feel more confident.

4. CLEAN YOUR ROOM AND YOUR DESK.

You cant be productive when there is clutter all over the place and you waste time anytime you need something as you have no idea where it could be.

5. AVOID DISTRACTIONS.

Dont try to pamper yourself with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or your favourite sites. You will end up forgetting how fast time goes by.

6. SET RULES FOR THE ONES AROUND YOU AS WELL.

Be very clear when you cant be disturbed unless it is something extremely important going on.

7. CREATE TO DO LISTS.

It only takes a few minutes to create To Do lists for a day, a week or for a whole month. In this way, you wont forget about the key matters that you have to solve in the future.

8. SET TIMETABLES.

Allot a certain amount of time for the tasks of the day and stick to the plan as much as possible. Make sure you include reasonably-timed necessary breaks too.

9. IDENTIFY THE TIME WASTERS.

Everyone has a few time wasting activities. Whether thats social media, taking way too much time for meals or gossiping, this has to stop.

10. BREATHE IN, BREATHE OUT.

When you feel overwhelmed, take a few minutes to focus on your breathing. Breathe in and out deeply several times until you feel less pressure.

11. PLACE PAPER POST-ITS.

Dont rely on apps as the information might remain there way after your deadlines. Use the good old paper post-its as reminders.

12. USE YOUR IMAGINATION.

If you get bored easily, get creative to make things more interesting.

13. ORGANISE YOUR BIG TASKS INTO SMALL ONES EASIER TO ACHIEVE.

When you accomplish small tasks, you will feel fulfilled and more motivated.

14. CLOSE YOUR EYES AND GET YOURSELF TOGETHER.

To regain your focus, forget about other tasks.

15. USE NOOTROPICS.

Special compounds can boost your brain health and cognitive abilities better than you think. Just make sure you choose top notch ones such as Modafy.

16. IDENTIFY WHETHER YOU ARE GOOD AT MULTITASKING.

Some do a great job as they feel stimulated, while others just cant manage several tasks in the same time. Find out whether multitasking works for you or not.

17. MAKE USE OF WISE QUOTES.

There are tons of motivational and inspiring quotes out there. Browse a bit and find those that appeal to you. Then apply that wisdom in your daily life.

18. FIND A GOOD STIMULANT.

Coffee might make you shaky and energy drinks might give you gastrointestinal distress. Dont try to hack your brain by consuming beverages that make you feel uncomfortable or downright sick. Its better to stick to nootropics as stimulants.

19. INVEST SOME EFFORT.

Force yourself to move faster and to be productive. When you have much time, you might tend to get a bit lazy.

Renowned author Cyril Northcote Parkinson formulated Parkinsons law, which states that work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion. It is known to be applicable in each and every life domain.

20. DONT OVERLOAD YOUR TO DO LIST.

If its not very important at the moment, dont let it waste your time. You can create separate To Do lists: mandatory and optional that you will complete when time allows you to.

21. EAT BREAKFAST.

It is the first opportunity to feed your body the nutrients it needs to function properly throughout the day. Dont skip it as you will tend to make poor nutrition choices that will only slow down your brain.

22. TAKE BREAKS WHEN YOU FEEL DRAINED OF ENERGY AND UNPRODUCTIVE.

Every now and then you really need a break. Stretch a bit, look out the window or get yourself a snack and a glass of water. But dont abuse breaks by turning them into hour-long gaps in your schedule.

23. EXERCISE.

Whether that is running, swimming, going to the gym or just having a walk, you need to wake up your body too. Physical exercise has positive effects over your whole body, so forget about getting lazy in front of the TV every time you have some time off.

24. LISTEN TO YOUR FAVOURITE SONGS BEFORE ENGAGING IN A TASK.

Go for highly energetic songs with a positive message that make you feel alive. Dont even think about songs that might trigger any kind of negative emotions.

25. HAVE REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS.

There might be a big difference between what you can do and what you want to do in a certain time frame. Remember that you are not a robot and stick to a realistic plan that will allow you to get proper rest too.

26. DONT GO OVERBOARD.

Exhausting yourself will only make you completely unproductive. Dont try to compensate inactivity with periods of time of highly intense long hours of work.

27. LEARN TIME MANAGEMENT.

The day has 24 hours for each and every person on this planet. Irrespective of your lifestyle, you can make time for nearly anything as long as you manage your time wisely.

28. TRY NAPPING.

A nap has the power to restart your system. But careful, some people might feel groggy after a nap. If u are one of them

29. DONT TAKE ON MORE RESPONSIBILITIES THAN YOU CAN HANDLE.

Saying yes to everyone every time might make your heart feel good but it will exhaust your brain.

30. FORGET ABOUT PERFECTION.

It is time to accept the fact that no matter how hard you will try, it is quite impossible to achieve perfection. Do your best to get the best result possible and dont freak out over tiny details that are irrelevant to the main purpose anyway.

31. KNOW YOUR BODYS TIMETABLE.

You might be a night owl or an early bird. Organise your day around these patterns. It is pointless to force yourself to be productive when your body simply isnt able to. Discover your bodys timetable and use it to your advantage.

32. PRIORITIZE.

Dont just make a mess out of everything by trying to accomplish as much as you can as humanly possible. Get the urgent things done soon then the ones that can wait.

33. SCHEDULE SIMILAR TASKS BACK-TO-BACK.

In this way the task will seem pretty repetitive and it feel easier as you will go into automate mode. It is best to take small breaks after accomplishing a set of tasks and not in the middle of it.

34. DO SOMETHING EVEN WHEN YOU ARE NOT IN THE MOOD.

So you just dont feel like doing anything. Get something easier done meanwhile or a task that you slightly enjoy doing. But that doesnt involve looking at cat videos or aimlessly browsing the Internet.

35. PLAN YOUR DAY AND EVEN YOUR WEEK.

Just make a rough draft and try to keep it. You can do this before you go to sleep or early in the morning before you start.

36. DONT OVERANALYSE THINGS.

Overanalysing could delay you a lot. You dont do yourself any favour by thinking for ages how to get something done without taking any real action. Take your time with essential matters but speed things up for the less important ones.

37. TURN OFF THE VOICES IN YOUR HEAD.

Everyone has an inner critic that thrashes down all the accomplishments. Just ignore that and focus on the tasks at hand.

38. GIVE YOUR BODY THE NUTRIENTS IT NEEDS.

This cant be emphasized enough. Say goodbye to highly processed foods that are full of additives. Add in your diet only healthy ones that ensure proper body functions.

39. LET THE SUN SHINE.

It is important to be exposed to natural light, otherwise you might feel groggy. The run rays will also stimulate your bodys natural rhythm

40. LEARN TO BE STRAIGHTFORWARD.

Dont spend time telling stories as you will only waste time and bore people. Keep things simple and go straight to the point.

41. USE MINDLESS ACTIVITIES TO LEARN.

Whenever you clean the house or do the laundry, you can listen to educational or motivational audios.

42. EDUCATE YOURSELF.

Never stop learning. There are tons of books that arent only good lecture, but contain different interesting points of view.

43. LET GO OF NEGATIVE EMOTIONS.

They can thrash your day and ruin your mood. Just banish them from your thoughts as much as possible.

44. ANALYSE THE TASKS AND TRIAGE THEM.

Some of them might be irrelevant. Spend your time with the ones that do matter as they are either highly important for work or for your personal life.

45. IDENTIFY THE ACTIVITIES THAT DONT BRING ANYTHING TO THE TABLE.

For example, commenting on YouTube videos or blogs and expressing an opinion that will either go unnoticed or start a fight is clearly pointless.

46. ACCEPT WHAT YOU CANT CHANGE.

Dont worry for other peoples problems if you cant do anything to help. This will only distract you from solving your own.

47. USE THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE.

It involves working for 25 minutes than having a 5-minute break. Stick to it to regain your discipline.

48. STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERS.

Social media makes people always compare themselves to one another. Instead of whining because you are less successful than others, use that time to go to the next level yourself.

View original post here:

Modafy Brain Stack | Accelerated Nootropics Formula

NASA Live Stream – Earth From Space (Full Screen) | ISS …

Earth From Space Live StreamWant to know what bit of Earth you're looking at or Where is the ISS?This stream has a live map https://www.youtube.com/c/SpaceVideos...

UPDATES:

February 27th - Undocking of Soyuz Capsule and return home of Expedition 54 crew from the ISS

Live NASA Earth from Space - live stream from the International Space Station.

Got a question about this feed? Read our FAQ'shttps://spacevideosfaq.tumblr.com

Sadly there are a number of people today that believe the earth is flat - this is a myth based on a lie with no basis in science.

The flat earth "theory" has more to do with religion and superstition that anything connected with scientific truth. It is devoid of proof.

If you have to ask, "Is the Earth Flat?" the answer is No and this live stream from the International Space Station will show you Earth seen from 240 miles above the planet.

ISS HD Video - NASA Live stream of Earth seen from space Live video from NASA HDEV cameras aboard the International Space Station.

What does Earth look like from space? Watch the planet roll by Captured by HDEV cameras on board the International Space Station.

The International Space Station - ISS - circles the earth at 240 miles above the planet, on the edge of space in low earth orbit.

The station is crewed by NASA astronauts as well as Russian Cosmonauts and a mixture of Japanese, Canadian and European astronauts as well.

Is Earth flat? NO!

The ISS passes into the dark side of the earth for roughly half of each of its 90 minute orbits. As the Space Station passes into a period of night every 45 mins video is unavailable - during this time, and other breaks in transmission recorded footage is shown when back in daylight earth will recommence. As seen from the Nasa ISS live stream on the International Space Station - A real astronaut view of Earth!

By the courtesy of International Space Station:UStream live Feed From the NASA HDEV live cameras aboard the ISS. Watch the earth roll http://www.nasa.gov

Nasa live stream from the ISS showing the Earth from Space.

This is ISS HD Video streamed directly form the space station.

The incredible views are set to beautiful relaxing music from Kevin MacLeod------------------------------------------------------------------------------Don't Forget To Subscribe To My Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/ouramazin...

24/7 LIVE Nasa Earth From Space ISS Live Stream - Real Footage - International Space Station

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Read the original here:

NASA Live Stream - Earth From Space (Full Screen) | ISS ...

Utopia – New World Encyclopedia

Utopia is a term denoting a visionary or ideally perfect state of society, whose members live the best possible life. The term Utopia was coined by Thomas More from the Greek words ou (no or not), and topos (place), as the name for the ideal state in his book, De optimo reipublicae statu deque nova insula Utopia (Louvain, 1516).

Utopianism refers to the various ways in which people think about, depict, and attempt to create a perfect society. Utopian thought deals with morality, ethics, psychology, and political philosophy, and often originates from the belief that reason and intelligence can bring about the betterment of society. It is usually characterized by optimism that an ideal society is possible. Utopianism plays an important role in motivating social and political change.

The adjective "utopian" is sometimes used in a negative connotation to discredit ideas as too advanced, too optimistic or unrealistic and impossible to realize. The term Utopian has also been used to describe actual communities founded in attempts to create an ideal economic and political system. Many works of utopian literature offer detailed and practical descriptions of an ideal society, but usually include some fatal flaw that makes the establishment of such a society impossible.

The term Utopia was coined by Thomas More from the Greek words ou (no or not), and topos (place), as the name for the ideal state in his book, De optimo reipublicae statu deque nova insula Utopia (Utopia Louvain, 1516). The book is narrated by a Portuguese traveler named Raphael Hythlodaeus, who criticizes the laws and customs of European states while admiring the ideal institutions which he observes during a five year sojourn on the island of Utopia.

Did you know?

Utopia is a perfect society, where poverty and misery have been eliminated, there are few laws and no lawyers, and the citizens, though ready to defend themselves if necessary, are pacifists. Citizens hold property in common, and care is taken to teach everyone a trade from which he can make a living, so that there is no need for crime. Agriculture is treated as a science and taught to children as part of their school curriculum; every citizen spends some of his life working on a farm. The people live in 54 cities, separated from each other by a distance of at least 24 miles. The rural population lives in communal farmhouses scattered through the countryside. Everyone works only six hours a day; this is sufficient because the people are industrious and do not require the production of useless luxuries for their consumption. A body of wise and educated representatives deliberates on public affairs, and the country is governed by a prince, selected from among candidates chosen by the people. The prince is elected for life, but can be removed from office for tyranny. All religions are tolerated and exist in harmony; atheism is not permitted since, if a man does not fear a god of some kind, he will commit evil acts and weaken society. Utopia rarely sends its citizens to war, but hires mercenaries from among its warlike neighbors, deliberately sending them into danger in the hope that the more belligerent populations of all surrounding countries will be gradually eliminated.

Utopia was first published in Louvain in 1516, without Mores knowledge, by his friend Erasmus. It was not until 1551, sixteen years after More's execution as a traitor, that it was first published in England as an English translation.

Although some readers have regarded Utopia as a realistic blueprint for a working nation, More likely intended it as a satire, allowing him to call attention to European political and social abuses without risking censure by the king. The similarities to the ideas later developed by Karl Marx are evident, but More was a devout Roman Catholic and probably used monastic communalism as his model. The politics of Utopia have been seen as influential to the ideas of Anabaptism, Mormonism, and communism. An applied example of More's utopia can be seen in Vasco de Quiroga's implemented society in Michoacn, Mexico, which was directly taken and adapted from More's work.

The word utopia overtook More's short work and has been used ever since to describe any type of imaginary ideal society. Although he may not have founded the genre of utopian and dystopian fiction, More certainly popularized it. Some of the early works which owe something to Utopia include The City of the Sun by Tommaso Campanella, Description of the Republic of Christianopolis by Johannes Valentinus Andreae, New Atlantis by Francis Bacon and Candide by Voltaire.

The more modern genre of science fiction frequently depicts utopian or dystopian societies in fictional works such as Aldous Huxley's Brave New World (1932) Lost Horizon by James Hilton (1933), "A Modern Utopia" (1905) and New Worlds for Old (1908) by H. G. Wells, The Great Explosion by Eric Frank Russell (1963), News From Nowhere by William Morris, Andromeda Nebula (1957) by Ivan Efremov, 1984 (1949) by George Orwell, and The Giver (1993) by Lois Lowry. Authors of utopian fiction are able to explore some of the problems raised by utopian concepts and to develop interesting consequences. Many works make use of an outsider, a time-traveler or a foreigner, who observes the features of the society and describes them to the reader.

Utopian thought is born from the premise that through reason and intelligence, humankind is capable of creating an ideal society in which every individual can achieve fulfillment without infringing on the happiness and well-being of the other members of society. It includes the consideration of morality, ethics, psychology, and social and political philosophy. Utopian thinking is generally confined to physical life on earth, although it may include the preparation of the members of society for a perceived afterlife. It invariably includes criticism of the current state of society and seeks ways to correct or eliminate abuses. Utopianism is characterized by tension between philosophical ideals and the practical realities of society, such as crime and immorality; there is also a conflict between respect for individual freedom and the need to maintain order. Utopian thinking implies a creative process that challenges existing concepts, rather than an ideology or justification for a belief system which is already in place.

Two of Platos dialogues, Republic and Laws, contain one of the earliest attempts to define a political organization that would not only allow its citizens to live in harmony, but would also provide the education and experience necessary for each citizen to realize his highest potential.

During the nineteenth century, thinkers such as Henri Saint-Simon, Charles Fourier, and Etienne Cabet in France, and Robert Owen in England popularized the idea of creating small, experimental communities to put philosophical ideals into practice. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels recognized that utopianism offered a vision for a better future, a vision that contributed much to Marxism, but they also criticized utopian writers' lack of a wider understanding of social and political realities which could contribute to actual political change. Herbert Marcuse made a distinction between abstract utopias based on fantasy and dreams, and concrete utopias based on critical social theory.

Utopianism is considered to originate in the imaginative capacity of the subconscious mind, which is able to transcend conscious reality by projecting images of hopes, dreams, and desires. Utopian ideas, though they may never be fully realized, play an important role in bringing about positive social change. They allow thinkers to distance themselves from the existing reality and consider new possibilities. The optimism that a better society can be achieved provides motivation and a focal point for those involved in bringing about social or political change. Abolitionism, womens rights and feminism, the Civil Rights movement, the establishment of a welfare system to take care of the poor, the Red Cross, and multiculturalism are all examples of utopian thinking applied to practical life.

The harsh economic conditions of the nineteenth century and the social disruption created by the development of commercialism and capitalism led several writers to imagine economically utopian societies. Some were characterized by a variety of socialist ideas: an equal distribution of goods according to need, frequently with the total abolition of money; citizens laboring for the common good; citizens doing work which they enjoyed; and ample leisure time for the cultivation of the arts and sciences. One such utopia was described in Edward Bellamy's Looking Backward. Another socialist utopia was William Morris' News from Nowhere, written partially in criticism of the bureaucratic nature of Bellamy's utopia.

Capitalist utopias, such as the one portrayed in Robert A. Heinlein's The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress or Ayn Rands The Fountainhead, are generally individualistic and libertarian, and are based on perfect market economies, in which there is no market failure. Eric Frank Russell's book The Great Explosion (1963) details an economic and social utopia, the first to mention of the idea of Local Exchange Trading Systems (LETS).

Political utopias are ones in which the government establishes a society that is striving toward perfection. These utopias are based on laws administered by a government, and often restrict individualism when it conflicts with the primary goals of the society. Sometimes the state or government replaces religious and family values. A global utopia of world peace is often seen as one of the possible inevitable ends of history.

Through history a number of religious communities have been created to reflect the virtues and values they believe have been lost or which await them in the Afterlife. In the United States and Europe during and after the Second Great Awakening of the nineteenth century, many radical religious groups sought to form communities where all aspects of people's lives could be governed by their faith. Among the best-known of these utopian societies were the Puritans, and the Shaker movement, which originated in England in the eighteenth century but moved to America shortly after its founding.

The most common utopias are based on religious ideals, and usually required adherence to a particular religious tradition. The Jewish, Christian and Islamic concepts of the Garden of Eden and Heaven may be interpreted as forms of utopianism, especially in their folk-religious forms. Such religious "utopias" are often described as "gardens of delight," implying an existence free from worry in a state of bliss or enlightenment. They postulate existences free from sin, pain, poverty and death, and often assume communion with beings such as angels or the houri. In a similar sense the Hindu concept of Moksha and the Buddhist concept of Nirvana may be thought of as a kind of utopia.

Many cultures and cosmogonies include a myth or memory of a distant past when humankind lived in a primitive and simple state of perfect happiness and fulfillment. The various myths describe a time when there was an instinctive harmony between man and nature, and mans needs were easily supplied by the abundance of nature. There was no motive for war or oppression, or any need for hard and painful work. Humans were simple and pious, and felt themselves close to the gods. These mythical or religious archetypes resurge with special vitality during difficult times, when the myth is not projected towards the remote past, but towards the future or a distant and fictional place (for example, The Land of Cockaygne, a straightforward parody of a paradise), where the possibility of living happily must exist.

Golden Age

Works and Days, compilation of the mythological tradition by the Greek poet Hesiod, around the eighth century B.C.E., explained that, prior to the present era, there were four progressively most perfect ones.

A medieval poem (c. 1315) , entitled "The Land of Cokaygne" depicts a land of extravagance and excess where cooked larks flew straight into one's mouth; the rivers ran with wine, and a fountain of youth kept everyone young and active.

Scientific and technical utopias are set in the future, when it is believed that advanced science and technology will allow utopian living standards; for example, the absence of death and suffering; changes in human nature and the human condition. These utopian societies tend to change what "human" is all about. Normal human functions, such as sleeping, eating and even reproduction are replaced by artificial means.

All links retrieved January 13, 2016.

New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:

The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:

Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.

See more here:

Utopia - New World Encyclopedia

Web Hosting Services – Northeastern ITS

ITS offers web hosting solutions for university members who wish to create university-connected websites. This includes a http://www.northeastern.edu/____ site hosted on the NUWeb servers.

Web hosting is available for all full-time faculty and staff, as well as student groups with an advisor. Requests for new space and access, or additional features on existing sites, are made through the Webpage Requests section of the ServiceNow portal (sign-in may be required).

All NUWeb accounts have one administrative contact who must be a current Northeastern faculty or staff member.

Accounts will expire after one year all accounts are up for renewal every September. Submit a NUWeb Account renewal request through the ServiceNow portal (sign-in may be required).

To request a new account including space on the NUWeb server and a custom URL you will need to submit a NUWeb New account request through the ServiceNow portal (sign-in may be required).

This request will include an option to have a WordPress installation.

As someone with access to the Northeastern NUWeb server, you are expected to comply with a number of security, privacy and appropriate use terms as outlined in the links below:

For more information on the web hosting solutions, look through the FAQs and HOW TO sections linked below. For technical assistance with or questions about a live site, fill out Report a problem with an NUWeb Account through the ServiceNow portal (sign-in may be required).

You can also find a number of WordPress tips and tricks in the Lynda.com playlist that ITS Training has created. Click on this link, and sign in with your myNortheastern username and password to access the video courses.

Web Hosting FAQ

Web Hosting How To

Read more:

Web Hosting Services - Northeastern ITS

Regenerative Nanomedicine Lab – yimlab.com

Our recent research article "In-vitro Topographical Model of Fuchs Dystrophy for Evaluation of Corneal Endothelial Cell Monolayer Formation" appeared on theBack cover of Advanced Healthcare Materials latest issue.

Several diseases have been known to be caused by microstructural changes in the extracellular microenvironment. Therefore, the knowledge of the interaction of cells with the altered extracellular micro-structures or surface topography is critical to develop a better understanding of the disease for therapeutic development. One such disease is Fuchs corneal endothelial dystrophy (FED). FED is the primary disease and major reason of corneal endothelial cell death. If left untreated, corneal blindness will be resulted; thus, FED is the leading indication for corneal transplantation. In the USA, 4% of population over the age of 40 is believed to have compromised corneal endothelium due to FED, which will further increase due to increasing life expectancy and rapidly ageing population. A diagnostic clinical hallmark of FED is the development of discrete pillar or dome-like microstructures on the corneal endothelial basement membrane (Descemet membrane). These microstructures are called corneal guttata or guttae. Cell therapies have been proposed as an alternative treatment method for Fuchs dystrophy patients. However, currently, no in-vitro or in-vivo FED disease model is available to study the cell therapies before clinical trials.

In this study, the pathological changes in the micro-structure of basement membranes resulting from FED disease was analyzed, to identify geometrical dimension to develop an in-vitro disease model of synthetic corneal guttata pillars/domes by using microfabrication techniques. This model was used to study the monolayer formation of donor-derived human corneal endothelial cells to test the effectiveness of the corneal endothelial cell regenerative therapies. The results suggest that the corneal cell therapies may not be equally effective for patients at different stages of disease progression. The pre-existing guttata in patients could interfere with the cells thus hampering monolayer formation within the eye. Surgical removal of the guttata from the diseased Descemet membrane prior to cell regenerative therapy could increase the success rate of monolayer formation, which could potentially increase the chances of cell therapy success. This study also demonstrate how biomaterial design can be employed to mimic the pathological microstructural changes in basement membranes for better understanding of cellular responses in disease conditions.

See the original post here:

Regenerative Nanomedicine Lab - yimlab.com

Buy Telescopes

Astro-Physics products can be shipped to overseas destinations except for the following countries: Australia, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.

Astro-Physics is dedicated to the production and development of amateur telescopes and accessories. They strive to produce the highest possible quality telescope components at an affordable price. Astro-Physics builds optics, critical gears, circuit boards, and components including the knobs and fitting from scratch.

Astro-Physics offers a variety of telescope mounts andmount accessories, tube rings and photo / visual accessories.

The German Equatorial mounts Astro-Physics manufactures are: the Mach1GTO, 1100GTO, 1600GTOand 3600GTO. The Mach1GTO is compact, light-weight and portable. The 1100GTO German Equatorial Mount incorporates the design features of the 1600GTO in a smaller, more portable package.The 1600GTO can be used for basic configuration or with the optional Absolute Encoders it can go into demanding astro-imaging. The 3600GTO is the solution for imaging with large instruments or with a combined weight.

Mounting plates are another product of Astro-Physics. They produce an arrangement of dovetail mountings and fixed mountings. Astro-Physics also offer an array of accessories from counterweight shaft options, shaft extension and shaft safety parts, tripod, piers, power supplies and so much more. From the smallest accessory to the largest telescope mount you will find Astro-Physics products to be of the finest quality.

Read more:

Buy Telescopes

FBI Victims

Download Printable Document

In the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, the victim of a hate crime may be an individual, a business/financial institution, a government entity, a religious organization, or society/public as a whole. In 2016, the nations law enforcement agencies reported that there were 7,615 victims of hate crimes. Of these victims, 106 were victimized in separate multiple-bias incidents.

The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, 18 U.S.C. 249 required the FBI to collect data concerning hate crimes committed by or directed against juveniles. Beginning in 2013, law enforcement began reporting the number of victims who are 18 years of age or older and the number of victims under the age of 18 in addition to reporting the number of individual victims. Of the 4,876 individuals for which victim age data were reported in 2016, 4,311 hate crime victims were adults, and 565 hate crime victims were juveniles.

In 2013, the national UCR Program began collecting revised race and ethnicity data in accordance with a directive from the U.S. Governments Office of Management and Budget. The race categories were expanded from four (White, Black, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Asian or Other Pacific Islander) to five (White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander). The ethnicity categories changed from Hispanic and Non-Hispanic to Hispanic or Latino and Not Hispanic or Latino. (See the Methodology for more information about this program change as well as others.)

An analysis of data for victims of single-bias hate crime incidents showed that:

Further examination of these bias categories showed the following details:

Among single-bias hate crime incidents in 2016, there were 4,426 victims of race/ethnicity/ancestry motivated hate crime.

Of the 1,584 victims of anti-religious hate crimes:

Of the 1,255 victims targeted due to sexual-orientation bias:

Of the 131 victims of gender-identity bias:

Of the 77 victims of hate crimes due to the offenders biases against disabilities:

Of the 36 victims of hate crime motivated by offenders biases toward gender:

Of the 7,615 victims of hate crime, 62.0 percent were victims of crimes against persons, and 36.9 percent were victims of crimes against property. The remaining 1.1 percent were victims of crimes against society.

In 2016, 4,720 victims of hate crimes were victims of crimes against persons. Regarding these victims and the crimes committed against them:

In 2016, 2,813 victims of hate crimes were victims of crimes against property. Of these:

There were 82 victims of hate crimes categorized as crimes against society. Crimes against society (e.g., weapon law violations, drug/narcotic offenses, gambling offenses) represent societys prohibition against engaging in certain types of activity; they are typically victimless crimes in which property is not the object.

Read the original post:

FBI Victims

Vox Popoli: What the Alternative Right is

In the interest of developing a core Alternative Right philosophy upon which others can build.

The patron saint of conservatives, Russell Kirk, wrote: "The great line of demarcation in modern politics, Eric Voegelin used to point out, is not a division between liberals on one side and totalitarians on the other. No, on one side of that line are all those men and women who fancy that the temporal order is the only order, and that material needs are their only needs, and that they may do as they like with the human patrimony. On the other side of that line are all those people who recognize an enduring moral order in the universe, a constant human nature, and high duties toward the order spiritual and the order temporal."

This is no longer true, assuming it ever was. The great line of demarcation in modern politics is now a division between men and women who believe that they are ultimately defined by their momentary opinions and those who believe they are ultimately defined by their genetic heritage. The Alt Right understands that the former will always lose to the latter in the end, because the former is subject to change.

The 16 Points in other languages:

Labels: #AltRight, philosophy

Original post:

Vox Popoli: What the Alternative Right is

Protesters Try to Shut Down Jordan Peterson at Queen’s …

I honestly dont get the outrage over Jordan Peterson. Its the equivalent of getting upset over Kermit the Frog. Singing about 12 rules for life. While playing a banjo. But if theres two places where free speech is triggering, its college campuses and Canada (seeAltLeft Shuts Down Toronto Comedy Show Over Words Free SpeechandWATCH: University Protestors Scream, Sing, and Blare a Speaker Over Christina Sommers). The professor shared a few videos from his recent speech at Queens University.

These students seem like theyre fun at parties. Their rhymes are wack though. FYI, these students are textbook examples of Social Justice Warriors which we shorten to SJWs. Because Fecal-flinging Monkey Trolls is too long to type.

Not everyone was able to get inside. Some surrounded the building and started banging on the window. No word yet on if they flung their poo. But we do have footage of these SJWs picking fleas off each other. Eating the fleas for a little protest nourishment.

Eventually, the perimeter was breached. The SJWs stormed the stage. Now was there chance to be heard. So much limb swinging to be had.

And this was the best they could come up with.

Heres what I love best. Jordan Peterson recently told Joe Roganhes managed to monetize SJW outrage. The more they complain, the more paper he gets. So sure, he was frustrated while this was going on. But in his head, hes thinking:

You would think after decades of student protests, theyd realize their adversaries are much smarter in all ways. Including how to earn fat stacks off their stupid. As much as SJWs try to shut down opposing viewpoints, the opposing viewpoints just grow stronger. The perpetrators of those opposing viewpoints make more money. While the students protesting just look stupid.

STUDENT #1: Man, f*** Jordan Peterson.

STUDENT #2: You realize the more we complain, the more donations he gets through Patreon, right.

STUDENT #1: IT IS RIGHT TO REBEL! YOUR LOGIC CAN GO TO HELL.

God bless college, and the zookeepers who let the apes run free to pee.

I wonder what new car Jordan Peterson will drive this month

Load More

Visit link:

Protesters Try to Shut Down Jordan Peterson at Queen's ...