Bihar fiasco may hit Rahul Gandhi’s ascension plans – Economic Times

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NEW DELHI: As Congress licks its wounds after the collapse of the grand alliance with the JD (U) and RJD in Bihar, yet another tale of mismanagement by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has come to light.

Gandhi and his advisors were clueless about the extent to which chief minister Nitish Kumar could go to sever ties with the RJD, people familiar with the matter said. Gandhi handled the situation as he has been doing over the past few months maintaining a studied silence over the issue and staying aloof from the complicated political situation.

Despite the public wrangling between Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad, Gandhi waited till the weekend to intervene. Even then, he remained a passive bystander rather than an active and anxious leader willing to go the extra mile to save an alliance he helped forge.

Gandhi met former education minister and his state unit chief Ashok Chaudhary after making him wait for three days at the peak of Bihar crisis, said one of the persons, who did not wish to be identified. This is not the first time Gandhi has employed a hands-off approach. Last week, a similar story had unfolded in Gujarat. Senior Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela quit the party after several warnings. Vaghela, too, had not been given an audience by Gandhi.

He had camped in the capital for about five days but Gandhi refused to meet him. A similar charge had been levelled by former Congressman Himanta Biswa Sarma in Assam. When he joined the BJP in 2015 and helped deliver the state to the saffron party he had singularly blamed Gandhis attitude for his step.

The crisis has once again cast a shadow on Gandhis ascension plan. Technically, the new party president has to take over in October after organisational elections. However, the party seems to be looking for an opportune moment for Gandhi to take over.

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Bihar fiasco may hit Rahul Gandhi's ascension plans - Economic Times

Donaldsonville woman arrested after argument leads to shooting, Ascension deputies say – The Advocate

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DONALDSONVILLE Ascension Parish sheriff's deputies have arrested a Donaldsonville woman on allegations she shot another woman in the face during an argument earlier this week.

Andrea Jackson, 49,302 Claiborne St., Donaldsonville, was arrested Tuesday on counts of attempted second-degree murder and illegal use of weapons, Sheriff's Chief Deputy Bobby Webre said in a statement.

Sheriff's deputies responded to a home on Claiborne Street Tuesday night and found a woman who had been shot in the face, Webre said.

Deputies later learned that the victim and Jackson had been in an argument when Jackson reached for a handgun and shot the woman, Webre said. Deputies could not say on Thursday what the source of the argument was.

The woman was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Webre said.

After Jackson's arrest Tuesday, she was booked into the Ascension Parish Prison near Donaldsonville but no bail had been set as of Thursday morning, Webre said.

Follow David J. Mitchell on Twitter, @NewsieDave.

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Donaldsonville woman arrested after argument leads to shooting, Ascension deputies say - The Advocate

New pastor brings fresh ideas to Ascension Lutheran Church – Baltimore Sun

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The Rev. Nancy Kraft says it takes five years for a church to change its mission and the way in which it approaches the community, but after just one year at the helm, the new pastor said change is happening much faster than she expected at Ascension Lutheran Church, in Towson.

Under Kraft's guidance, parishioners say, Ascension has grown to be more inclusive and accepting of all people and that members of the congregation have expanded their roles in the community and as volunteers within the congregation.

Kraft's "bold leadership" is somewhat progressive, but more aligned with what the church must become to increase its membership, draw a younger crowd and remain relevant, said 18-year-member Jill Jahries, of Lutherville.

Kraft, who became Ascension's pastor in May 2016, is "really good about reminding us about Jesus' time on earth and the fact that he was the ultimate includer," Jahries said. "There was not a selective group he sought out that was already walking the walk, so to speak. He really recognized and reached all people where they were and created a sacred relationship that allowed those people to be themselves and feel whole so long as they were being mindful of one another."

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, of which Ascension Lutheran is a member, has seen the number of its members decrease in recent years, according to the Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, the denomination's presiding bishop.

"We're set up to do church the way our parents did church and it doesn't work," Eaton said, adding that it was up to the church to adapt to changing communities and an "increasingly secular society."

A 2015 Pew Research survey on religious habits found that the percentage of adults who described themselves as religiously affiliated shrank between 2007 and 2014. Additionally, the percentage of adults who were religiously unaffiliated increased 7 percentage points, resulting in an overall U.S. population that is slightly less religious than it was a decade ago.

Mainline congregations must welcome a more diverse group of potential members if they are to continue to flourish, Eaton said.

The trend away from the church is one Kraft said she does not want to see continued in Towson, though she says she is not focused on increasing membership but on drawing members "closer to Christ."

However, bucking national trends is part of the reason the 750-member congregation chose Kraft to lead it. Involvement at Ascension Lutheran is up since Kraft was hired by a majority vote of the congregation.

"We've had lots of good pastors, each one with their own gifts and skills, but she's ready to lead us in outgoing service to our community and building on things we've done in the past," said parish administrator Sue Hartman, a 29-year member of the church.

Other members say Kraft is leading the church into the 21st century.

"Like any mainline denomination right now, our numbers are dwindling, but some congregations are growing, and I would love for Ascension to be one of them," Kraft said.

A new role in Towson

Ascension Lutheran Church traces its beginnings to 1941, when a small group of people met in a home on York Road, gathering regularly for worship. The Towson church opened on its namesake day, a Christian holiday celebrating the ascension of Jesus into heaven, on May 14, 1942.

Construction started on the present sanctuary in July 1949 with a formal dedication on June 4, 1950. In June 1959, the church added an education wing and a nursery school to better serve the community. This year, the church celebrated its 75th anniversary.

A native of Hamilton, Ohio, Kraft served the Lutheran church in her home state as well as in North Dakota and North Carolina before coming to Towson, she said.

Most recently, Kraft led Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Charlotte, N.C. Over a span of 11 years at what she describes as a congregation of mostly LGBTQ churchgoers, Kraft said she tackled social justice issues and helped champion same-sex marriage rights in the southern city.

In 2014, Kraft joined other clergy and the United Church of Christ in filing a lawsuit against the state's same-sex marriage ban on the basis of religious liberty, a full year before the 2015 landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

The role is one that earned Kraft recognition from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which came out in support of same-sex marriage in 2009.

"A lot of the work she is doing is the work we hope other pastors are doing," Eaton said. "She did a great job in Charlotte, and I'm sure she's bringing life in to where she's serving now."

Kraft said she is still working out her vision for the congregation's future, but in the meantime is focused on increasing church involvement in the community and challenging the congregation with thought-provoking sermons.

In a recent post to Inside Nancy's Noodle, Kraft's blog about her faith, the church and her experiences as a minister, Kraft questions the relationship between Christianity and evangelism.

Though evangelical is in Ascension's denominational name, Kraft said she prefers that the church focus on action directed at improving the lives of others rather than evangelism.

Instead of preaching strictly from the pulpit of a "pastor-strong" church, Kraft has moved to push the congregation to one that emphasizes "good deeds in action, rather than in thought," she said. It's a mission she says is influenced by hours of deliberation and research Kraft undergoes to fine tune each Sunday's message.

It's not rare for "Pastor Nancy," as she prefers to be called, to rewrite a sermon multiple times until the message is perfected for a congregation she said enjoys being pushed to think harder. Sermons often begin with an exclamation and end with a question or call to action, she said.

"People here are really well educated and have a history of having excellent preachers, so I think I'm working harder here than I ever have in my life," she added.

In the past year, Kraft has moved to make sermons more interactive by increasing the congregation's involvement in Sunday sermons and challenging members to think about scripture outside of the church by making those teachings a greater part of their daily lives.

She has also attempted to make the church experience more child-friendly, adding a children's song as part of worship in the summer.

"A lot of my friends who don't go to church have this old idea of what church is," Jahries said. "You just passively sit and are lectured and don't get stirred [to action]. When I talk about who Pastor Nancy is and what my church is, I have a lot of pride in that."

The church is changing for the better thanks to the congregation's help as well, Kraft said. Earlier this year, church staff revamped Ascension's website to include audio recordings of each week's sermons.

Recently, Kraft invited members interested in leading sermons to do so on some Sundays. The group meets with Kraft to discuss how sermons are written and to rehearse their presentation a practice the congregation has embraced, Jahries said.

Kraft's next focus is on welcoming a Syrian refugee family to an unused parsonage on church property. Ascension has hosted families on the property in the past, Kraft said. Church staff are now working with a Baltimore-based nonprofit to place a family in the home in the next few weeks.

"Once you help people to imagine that we can be more, I see them embracing that," Kraft said. "I can foresee in five years we are just going to transform [the church]."

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New pastor brings fresh ideas to Ascension Lutheran Church - Baltimore Sun

Ascension Parish to receive $33 million for flood hazard mitigation – Donaldsonville Chief

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Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa was on hand at the GOHSEP offices in Baton Rouge when Governor John Bel Edwards announced the distribution of a total $220 million in flood hazard mitigation funds from FEMA. The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) dollars can be used to improve drainage, elevate homes, and buy out homes that have flooded repeatedly.

I wish it was more, but any assistance we get to alleviate flooding is welcomed, Matassa said. This will go a long way in preventing future floods.

Before receiving any funds, the parish must submit its project ideas to FEMA for approval.

We're looking at projects that will give us the most bang for our buck, where the most residents live, said Matassa, adding that he wants to focus on improving drainage.

Governor Edwards stated that if all went well, the money could start arriving within three to four months.

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Two dead following early morning crashes in Ascension and Livingston Parish – Donaldsonville Chief

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This morning, Troopers from Louisiana State Police Troop A were called to investigate multiple fatal crashes in Ascension and Livingston Parish. These crashes occurred less than two hours apart and resulted in the death of two people.

Burnside The first crash occurred shortly before 5:00 a.m. on July 26, 2017 in the intersection of LA 44 and LA 22 in Ascension Parish. The initial investigation by State Police revealed that the crash occurred as 36 year old Andrew Jones Jr. of Donaldsonville was traveling eastbound on LA 22 in a 2002 Chevrolet Suburban. At the same time, 27 year old Christofer Zarazua-Flores of Baton Rouge was traveling southbound on LA 44 in a 2008 Nissan Altima. For reasons still under investigation, Zarazua-Flores failed to stop for a red signal and struck Jones vehicle in the intersection.

Jones was unrestrained at the time of the crash and was ejected from the vehicle. He sustained fatal injuries as a result of the crash and was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Ascension Parish Coroners Office. Zarazua-Flores was properly restrained and sustained moderate injuries in the crash. Impairment is not suspected, but a toxicology sample will be taken from both Zarazua-Flores and Jones for analysis.

This crash is still under investigation and charges are pending.

Watson Troopers were notified of the second crash shortly after 6:00 a.m. on July 26, 2017 when someone noticed a crashed vehicle in the wooded area along LA 1024 east of LA 16 in Livingston Parish. The initial investigation by State Police revealed that the crash occurred as 35 year old James Ganey II of Denham Springs was traveling westbound on LA 1024 in a 2001 Ford F-150. Ganey was traveling at a high rate of speed when his vehicle ran off the left side of the roadway and struck a culvert. The vehicle became airborne and began to rotate. The roof of the pickup struck a large tree causing severe damage to the vehicle.

Ganey was properly restrained but sustained fatal injuries as a result of the crash. He was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Livingston Parish Coroners Office. Impairment is unknown at this time, but a toxicology sample was taken from Ganey for analysis.

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Two dead following early morning crashes in Ascension and Livingston Parish - Donaldsonville Chief

Ascension Parish proclaims small business power week – Weekly Citizen

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At the July 20 Council meeting, the week of August 12 through 19, 2017 was proclaimed SmallBusiness Power Week.

The purpose of Small Business Power Week is to create a collaborative program whereentrepreneurs in Ascension Parish can learn about programs, services, associations andnetworks available as resources to their small business. It will give small business owners theopportunity to learn from expert service providers and to network with local business andindustry leaders.

The Small Business Power Week will serve as a launching pad to strengthen existingsmall businesses and to grow new small businesses to support the growth of a strong smallbusiness ecosystem in Ascension Parish. The partners in the collaborative include theAscension Economic Development Corporation, Microbusiness Enterprise Corporation ofAscension, SCORE, SBA, Ascension Chamber of Commerce, TruFund, SELA WomensBusiness Center, the Donaldsonville Area Chamber of Commerce, Parish of Ascension, City ofDonaldsonville, City of Gonzales, Town of Sorrento and the Louisiana Department of EconomicDevelopment.

The week kicks off with the grand opening of the MBECA LEAP Center on Saturday, August 12at 9 am at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center gym. More information can be obtained by calling225-445-1383.

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Ascension Parish proclaims small business power week - Weekly Citizen

The end of humanity as we know it is ‘coming in 2045’ and Google is preparing for it – Metro

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Robots will reach human intelligence by 2029 and life as we know it will end in 2045.

This isnt the prediction of a conspiracy theorist, a blind dead woman or an octopus but of Googles chief of engineering, Ray Kurzweil.

Kurzweil has said that the work happening now will change the nature of humanity itself.

Tech company Softbanks CEO Masayoshi Son predicts it will happen in 2047.

And its all down to the many complexities of artificial intelligence (AI).

AI is currently limited to Siri or Alexa-like voice assistants that learn from humans, Amazons things you might also like, machines like Deep Blue, which has beaten grandmasters at chess, and a few other examples.

But the Turing test, where a machine exhibits intelligence indistinguishable from a human, has still not been fully passed.

Not yet at least

What we have at the moment is known as narrow AI, intelligent at doing one thing or a narrow selection of tasks very well.

General AI, where humans and robots are comparable, is expected to show breakthroughs over the next decade.

They become adaptable and able to turn their hand to a wider variety of tasks, in the same way as humans have areas of strength but can accomplish many things outside those areas.

This is when the Turing Test will truly be passed.

The third step is ASI, artificial super-intelligence.

ASI is the thing that the movies are so obsessed with, where machines are more intelligent and stronger than humans. It always felt like a distant dream but predictions are that its getting closer.

People will be able to upload their consciousness into a machine, it is said, by 2029 when the machine will be as powerful as the human brain and ASI or the singularity will happen, Google predicts, in 2045.

There are many different theories about what this could mean, some more scary than others.

The technological singularity, as it called, is the moment when artificial intelligence takes off into artificial superintelligence and becomes exponentially more intelligent more quickly.

As self-improvement becomes more efficient, it would get quicker and quicker at improvement until the machine became infinitely more intelligent infinitely quickly.

In essence, the conclusion of the extreme end of this theory has a machine with God-like abilities recreating itself infinitely more powerfully an infinite number of times in less than a blink of eye.

We project our own humanist delusions on what life might be life [when artificial intelligence reaches maturity], philosopher Slavoj iek says.

The very basics of what a human being will be will change.

But technology never stands on its own. Its always in a set of relations and part of society.

Society, however that develops, will need to catch up with technology. If it doesnt, then there is a risk that technology will overtake it and make human society irrelevant at best and extinct at worst.

One of the theories asserts that once we upload our consciousness into a machine, we become immortal and remove the need to have a physical body.

Another has us as not being able to keep up with truly artificial intelligence so humanity is left behind as infinitely intelligent AI explores the earth and/or the universe without us.

The third, and perhaps the scariest, is the sci-fi one where, once machines become aware of humanitys predilection to destroy anything it is scared of, AI acts first to preserve itself at the expense of humans so humanity is wiped out.

All this conjures up images of Blade Runner, of iRobot and all sorts of Terminator-like dystopian nightmares.

In my lifetime, the singularity will happen, Alison Lowndes, head of AI developer relations at technology company Nvidia, tells Metro.co.uk at the AI Summit.

But why does everyone think theyd be hostile?

Thats our brain assuming its evil. Why on earth would it need to be? People are just terrified of change.

These people still struggle with the idea that your fridge might know what it contains.

Self-driving cars, which will teach themselves the nuances of each road, still frighten a lot of people.

And this is still just narrow AI.

Letting a car drive for us is one thing, letting a machine think for us is quite another.

The pace of innovation and the pace of impact on the population is getting quicker, Letitia Cailleteau, global head of AI at strategists Accenture, tells Metro.co.uk.

If you take cars, for example, it took around 50 years to get 50 million cars on the road.

If you look at the latest innovations, it only takes a couple of years like Facebook to have the same impact.

The pace of innovation is quicker. AI will innovate quickly, even though it is to predict how quickly that will be.

But, as with all doomsday predictions, there is a lot of uncertainty. It turns out predicting the future is hard:

Computer scientists, philosophers and journalists have never been shy to offer their own definite prognostics, claiming AI to be impossible or just around the corner or anything in between, the Machine Intelligence Research Institute wrote.

Steve Pinker, a cognitive scientist at Harvard puts it more simply:

The increase in understanding of the brain or evolutionary genetics has followed nothing like [the pace of technological innovation], Pinker has said.

I dont see any sign that well attain it.

Yet there already those who think were already part of the way there.

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Were already in a state of transhumanism, author and journalist Will Self says.

Technology happens to humans rather than humans playing in a part of it.

The body can already be augmented with machinery, either internally or externally, and microchips have been inserted into a workforce.

On a more everyday level, when you see people just staring at their phones, are we really that far away from a point when humans and machines are one and the same?

MORE: Star Wars books could provide clues about The Last Jedi

MORE: 40% of jobs taken by robots by 2030 but AI companies say theyre here to help

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The end of humanity as we know it is 'coming in 2045' and Google is preparing for it - Metro

What is SpaceX and is it the future of space exploration? – Telegraph.co.uk

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SpaceX is a company that aims to reduce the cost of space transportation with the long-term goal of creating a colony on Mars.

US billionaire and entrepreneur Elon Musk formed the businessinCalifornia in 2002 out of a project called Mars Oasisthat explored ways to send a mini greenhouseto the Red Planet togrow interplanetary plants.

After failing to elicit cheap rockets for the project from Nasa and returning empty-handed from a low-costpurchasing mission in Russia, Muskdecided he would need to create his own rockets. Thus, SpaceX was born.

Fifteen years later, SpaceX has almost 6,000 employees, has sent two rockets to the International Space Station andtwice landed a recycled rocket successfully.

SpaceX is developing the Dragon spacecraft and Falcon reusable rockets with a goal of sending manned missions to Mars. It is researching and developing ways to create cost efficient rockets that can be used more than once, aninterplanetary transport system anda global communications network.

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What is SpaceX and is it the future of space exploration? - Telegraph.co.uk

Interview: Neil deGrasse Tyson is helping to create this space exploration video game – BGR

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When a video game that unfolds in space has the likes of celebrity astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson behind it, the expectation is rightfully set that this is not a shoot-em-up or some kind of race against the clock to find a new planet to live on after earth has been destroyed.

Space Odyssey, the game that Tyson and a creative team are in the process of bringing to fruition and crowdfunding is a slower, more cerebral title. The imperative is not defeating an enemy; its, quite simply, to venture out, to go beyond, to come across whatever you find and figure out how to live well among the stars.

And, on the game maker side of the equation, to be as scientifically as accurate as possible along the way.

The idea here is youre part of a coalition in the future, Mark Murphy, part of the team behind the game, tells BGR. And the idea behind the coalition is to really go out and explore the exoplanets and see what we can do with them. Its about challenging yourself to see what kinds of things you can innovate on planet surfaces and finding what you can find by exploring.

The narrative is about you and a community going on a great adventure and exploration together. Its about the ideas of innovation, exploration and adventure. And how science underpins all of that.

The team is currently raising funds through Kickstarter to help with the games creation. The campaign, which runs through July 29th, had at the time of this writing raised more than $275,000.

Its coming first to PC, and then platforms like the Mac after that. No decision had been made at the time of this publication about which consoles the game will land on.

About the game itself: players will according to information from the Kickstarter campaign get immersed in biology, chemistry, geo-science and engineering as they build and explore planetary systems. As the newest Astro-Explorer in the Galactic Coalition, youve been tasked to explore the universe and build a new solar system for humanities galactic expansion. Your journey begins at Infinity Command in the not-so-distant future. You are one of the explorers and pioneers to join a new age of space travel.

The first stop on the players journey is an exploration of Proxima B, the closest known exoplanet to the solar system thats about 4.2 light years from earth. After creating their home planet, players will perform tasks like modding their civilizations spacesuits and spacecraft. Theyll also cultivate flora and fauna, as well as biomes and landscapes.

As far as how Tyson adds his input to the games creation Murphy said the team brings ideas to him and bounces a few things around. Tyson, who appears in the game as a hologram to guide players, likes to see choices before he weighs in, and then he gives his opinion and expands things from there.

Like, when we were talking about ways to get to the exoplanet obviously not today, but looking into the future theres a lot of different ideas, Murphy said. Theres a slingshot method. You could theoretically create a laser-based system. But Neil said, Why dont we think of a way that we could employ wormholes that would just get us there faster? Or, you do something where your being, your essence, is transported into a droid or a robot or something like that your awareness is transported so basically the robots are exploring the world and youre linked in in a Matrix sort of way.

The teams goal was to create something visually interesting and compelling. But more than that, to also inspire people to think about what the future of mankind might look like.

Underneath it all, this is really meant to inspire, Murphy said. We want to inspire people to play it, inspire people to be engaged in being part of a community, to come up with ideas and think about what their future is. You know? And hopefully, we can do that together.

When we talk about things like gameplay, one of the things that was important to us was to create a situation where you engage in gameplay where its not like a massive MMO, but you feel like you can play in our galaxy in a large place. We dont want this to be a competition. We dont want to create a game thats about looting or piracy or, you know, crazy combat or anything like that.

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Neil deGrasse Tyson Wants You to Explore Deep SpaceIn a Video Game – WIRED

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There's a new video game in development for all you science nerds, and it has an advisor you might recognize. No, not mejust another one of your favorite physicists-turned-science educators, Neil deGrasse Tyson . The game is Space Odyssey , a space exploration caper that takes you on a journey to explore and settle new planets. Currently, the game is a Kickstarter project with an estimated completion date of December 2018.

Now, we all know that sometimes crowdfunded games just don't work out . But even if Space Odyssey doesn't see the light of daywhich, depending on which side of your tidally-locked exoplanet you choose to colonize, might be the case!I still wanted to talk to Tyson about the game, science education, and how video games can be a great way to explore concepts in physics.

Space Odyssey is about space exploration, but how is it different than something like Kerbal Space Program , where you get to build and test-fly your own spacecraft?

Kerbal has precise, like over the top precise orbital mechanics in it. So that's kind of fun to see: what it takes to launch something, get a right trajectory to intersect with destinations. The beautiful physics in Kerbal is orbital physics.

In Space Odyssey, our goal is basically world building. Initially the target is known exoplanets. We know enough to know where they are and what their approximate masses are, what kind of orbits they have. And beyond that we, we also know if they are in the Goldilocks zone. Beyond that, we don't know. You will continue to use laws of physics to build on that planet, to explore it, to establish geology, atmospherics. You can even build out the materials thereit will build on accurate material sciences. It's the physics of living and exploring.

Why did you decide to promote these physics ideas in a video game?

Video games are such a huge source of interest for so many people. It's a place that is largely devoid of meaningful science, and I think we could possibly make an important mark here. We spend time on video games when we should be spending time doing something else, and that ratio is different for different people. At the end of the day, it would be nice know that if you should have been doing something else, at least playing this video game you will have boosted your level of science literacy. There's something you can claim for having participated.

So how much real physics is in the game? How does the game handle faster-than-light travel and communications, or is it more realistic in that you cant do that?

That's a great question. I'm still on the fence. So, the question is should the user be allowed to tweak laws of physics? Its like, holy shit, that could have unintended consequences. If you want to change the constant of gravity, for example, well that has secondary impact on the luminosity of stars. This is a level of power that I dont think is necessary to wield in this universe.

It could be fun, however, if instead of saying were going faster than the speed of light, we could change the speed of light to be something much lower. Let's say 100 mph. So now as you approach 100 mph, all these relativistic effects start taking place. So you don't have to build some super atomic machine that nobody knows how to build yet to go that fast. And then you get to see all the effects of relativityand that would be really fun to notice.

If we didnt go there, if you just keep the speed of light as it is, and then we find planets that might be orbiting black holes. Objects that were once stars became black holes but they still have planets orbiting around them. That would be possibly dangerous, you would need an energy source, but you would see amazing relativistic effects. Akin to what you may remember was portrayed in the movie Interstellar .

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There was a game or an educational app that does greatly reduce the speed of light. I love that idea.

What I do know is the famous physicist from the 20th century George Gamow, he authored a series of books called Mr. Tompkins in Wonderland , and it was for adults and kids. What it did was it imagined worlds with the various constants of nature changed so that phenomena would take place in everyday life that would otherwise require exotic physics situations to experience. So, for example, if you change Plancks constant to something large, then all of a sudden things that go on in your life would be a match for what currently goes on in the world of particles. You would walk through a doorway and you would diffract through the doorway the way light does through a slit in quantum physics.

Its a fascinating way to learn. Because when you put exotic physics in everyday life then you get to see whats actually going on with objects and phenomenon that are otherwise familiar to you. So yeah, thats a way to take the game. But I think the anchoring in the real physics and then having the creativity based on in the end will pay more dividends in terms of peoples enjoyment.

So maybe there should be two games: Space Odyssey based on real physics, and lets mess up physics bad and see what happens, as another game.

Space Odyssey: Rogue edition. How about that?

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Guest column: Wisconsin remembers Apollo era, looks to future of space exploration – hngnews.com

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Every year about this time in Wisconsin, the Wittman Regional Airport becomes the busiest airport in the world. busier than Chicagos OHare, than New Yorks La Guardia, than Los Angeles, London, Singapore, and all the rest.

Oshkosh, Wisconsin is the home of EAA AirVenture, an annual gathering of more than 500,000 flight enthusiasts.

From its beginnings in 1953, the Experimental Airplane Associations premier event has become the biggest fly-in in the world, featuring everything from kit planes to Warbirds, acrobatics to antiques, unique one-of-a-kind experimental aircrafts to hundreds upon hundreds of private planes piloted by enthusiasts from all over the world. It is a one-of-a-kind event that runs from July 24-30 this year.

But EAA AirVenture doesnt just focus on the skies it also looks to the stars. As in years past, the event includes several panels, presentations, movies, and sessions relating to space, and provides the opportunity to meet representatives from NASA and the space industry.

This year is special because 2017 marks the 50th anniversary of the launch of the Apollo program that placed Americans on the Moon 2 years later.

It is, therefore, fitting that EAA AirVenture host a Salute to Apollo on Friday, July 28 featuring Apollo astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Frank Borman, Joe Engle, Dick Gordon, Fred Haise, Jim Lovell, Al Worden, and iconic flight director Gene Kranz, who will discuss their experiences and talk about Americas future in space.

It is also fitting that this reunion will take place in Wisconsin. Milwaukees AC Electronic Circuits and later Delco (forerunners of todays Delphi Electronics & Safety) were responsible for the Apollo guidance system and built the lunar roving vehicle that first traveled on the moon.

Today, the United States is getting ready to leave earths orbit once again, preparing to launch into deep space by the end of this decade. Wisconsin is playing a vital role.

Almost two dozen companies including several in Milwaukee and one right in Oshkosh are helping build NASAs next great spacecraft, the massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion crew capsule. Together, they will take humans farther into space than ever before.

Wisconsins manufacturing and engineering expertise will go with them. Companies such as Amorim Cork Composites, 3M, Maynard Steel Casting Company, Pierce Manufacturing, Snap-On, and Oshkoshs own Multicircuits PCB are contributing manufacturing, engineering, analysis, technology, and exquisite quality control to the exacting task of creating the components and knowledge necessary to launch Americans once more into deep space.

These Wisconsin businesses join hundreds of other companies throughout the nation in forming the backbone of Americas aerospace and aeronautical manufacturing and technology industry.

As important as manufacturing the rocket and crew capsule are, astronauts are of course integral to human space exploration, and Wisconsin is the proud home to half-a-dozen former astronauts.

Curt Michel (La Crosse), 3-time space shuttle astronaut Leroy Chiao (Milwaukee), Deke Slayton of the Apollo-Soyuz test project (Sparta), 3-time shuttle and Soyuz team member Jeffrey Williams (Superior), 4-time shuttle astronaut Mark Lee (Viroqua), and 4-time shuttle astronaut Daniel Brandenstein (Watertown) all hailed from Wisconsin.

Today, we especially highlight Deke Slaytons contributions to the Apollo project. Slayton was an American World War II pilot, aeronautical engineer, and test pilot who was selected as one of the original NASA Mercury Seven astronauts and became NASAs first chief of the astronaut office. Wisconsinites are proud of our historic contributions to space exploration, and we honor the work of Deke Slayton.

President Trump and Vice President Pence have also signaled their strong support of human space exploration by signing recent legislation to fund and advance NASA programs and reestablish the National Space Council. As a fully-invested space state, Wisconsin joins them in looking to the stars, ushering in a new era for American leadership and discovery in space.

Scott Kevin Walker is the 45th and current governor of Wisconsin

A veteran of four space missions, Jim Lovell became the first man to journey twice to the moon.

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Guest column: Wisconsin remembers Apollo era, looks to future of space exploration - hngnews.com

NASA takes major step toward deep-space exploration – Sacramento Bee

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NASA takes major step toward deep-space exploration
Sacramento Bee
NASA on Tuesday successfully tested the third engine controller unit for the RS-25 rocket engines that will power a pioneering deep-space exploration mission. NASA called this test a milestone toward the launch of the Space Launch System and the ...
NASA's Megarocket Reaches Another Milestone, Aces 3rd TestFuturism
Success! Engine for NASA's Space Launch System Megarocket Aces 3rd TestSpace.com
Aerojet Rocketdyne's RS-25 Flight Controller Goes Three for Three in Testing for NASA's Space Launch SystemNasdaq
Aerotech News (blog) -NASA -NASA -ExecutiveBiz
all 42 news articles »

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NASA takes major step toward deep-space exploration - Sacramento Bee

There may be a lot of water hiding under the moon’s dusty surface, researchers say – CBS News

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For decades, scientists have thought the moon was a dry, dusty place, but it may be time to re-write the astronomy books.

New findings are upending decades of understanding about our closest neighbor in space; an analysis of satellite data suggests the moon's interior may actually be pretty wet, which could help make it easier to fly to the moon and back, or even stay there awhile, reports CBS News' Jan Crawford.

Using a recent picture of the moon's surface, and measuring the reflecting light, researchers at Brown University were able to detect water molecules in the colored areas. Red and yellow indicates a high concentration.

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On the 48th anniversary of the first moonwalk, a lawyer from Illinois saw her bank account take "one giant leap." The buyer of a bag containing t...

The researchers say there could be as much water there as what is found under the earth's crust.

Planetary geologist Ralph Milliken is the lead author of the study.

"Some of these deposits that we observe on the moon span thousands of square kilometers. They're absolutely enormous," Milliken said.

It works like this: when the moon was young and still volcanically active, violent eruptions released water molecules trapped in the moon's mantle. As the magma cooled, the molecules became trapped again -- this time inside volcanic glass beads embedded in moon rocks left behind on the surface.

A similar process happens when volcanoes erupt here on Earth.

On the moon, Milliken says most of the water is dispersed deep below the crust, locked away in its rocky interior.

"We can bake that water out of those rocks," said Derrick Pitts, Chief Astronomer at the Franklin Institute.

He says the moon's water could be used for drinking, as well as to provide oxygen for breathing and hydrogen for rocket fuel.

"We wouldn't have to carry so many basic commodities to the moon, which turns out to be one of the most expensive things we can do in space exploration," Pitts said.

"To actually get, say, a liter of water you probably have to mine and harvest maybe one to 300 cubic feet of material. An important question in all of that would be, is it economically feasible to do so?" Milliken said.

Milliken doesn't think the discovery of large amounts of water on the moon means it could support life as we know it. He says the conditions there are still pretty inhospitable to the kinds of organisms we have here on Earth.

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There may be a lot of water hiding under the moon's dusty surface, researchers say - CBS News

NASA Visitor Centers Tell the Story of Space Exploration – Leisure Group Travel

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From the Eastern Shore to Hampton Roads, coastal Virginia has played a big role in Americas space program

Its awe-inspiring to think that in 1607 three ships carried the first English settlers to Jamestown, Virginia. Now, fourcenturies and 10 years later, the international space station, along with other missions, is being supplied from Virginias Eastern Shore.

NASA Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Center, with exhibits on aeronautics, thefacilitys history and current missions, is the place to begin. Allow time to view a movie on space exploration or earth/climate themes.

NASA Wallops Flight Facility is truly an attraction thats perfect for all ages, appealing to adults who have grown up with U.S. space exploration and to student/youth groups looking for fun, educational programs with curriculum enhancement. Multiple STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) paths are available with hands-on activities, special presentations and movies. Rocketry, solar system, and earth and climate science are just a sampling of subjects.

A behind-the-scenes tour provides adults and students a close-up look at the Wallops Flight Facilitys diverse programs. Half-day and full-day tours are available Tuesday and Thursdays with a minimum of four weeks notice. Lunch is available at the employee cafeteria with notice, and a picnic area is available. Save time for the gift shop, which has NASA-themed items. If youre fortunate, youll plan your visit on a day a rocket launch is scheduled.

While youre on the Eastern Shore, nearby Chincoteague Island provides a serene addition to any itinerary. The gateway to Assateague Island and the Virginia Chincoteague wild ponies is best explored by boat. Custom experiences for large groups can be accommodated.(chincoteaguechamber.com)

Theres still more space to explore in Virginia. Its slightly more than a two-hour drive from the Eastern Shore across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel to Hampton, Virginia, the birthplace of Americas space program. Established in 1917, NASA LangleyResearch Center was the agencys original field center. The center gained considerable notoriety in December 2016 with the release of the movie Hidden Figures. The film shares the true story of three brilliant African-American NASA women who served as the brains behind the launch of astronaut John Glenn.

The Virginia Air & Space Center serves as the official NASA Langley visitor center, offering interactive exhibits spanning more than 100 years of flight. Thirty historic air-craft, space flight artifacts and a hands-on space gallery join IMAX films to tell the history of flight. The Cosmic Cafe and a gift shop are on site.

Through the Virginia Air & Space Center, NASA Langley is dedicated to fostering the growth of the nations youth. STEM is at the core of the NASA mission, and there are numerous resources available to teachers. (nasa.gov/langley/education/classroom)

If youre still in need of a flight fix, the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach is well worth a stop. There youll find the largest collection of World War I and II military aircraft in the world. Each plane has been fully restored to its prior military condition. The museum is a perfect addition to any Virginia itinerary. (militaryaviationmuseum.org)

Nearby Williamsburg, Jamestown/York-town, Newport News, Norfolk and Virginia Beach provide a wealth of group-friendly attractions, accommodations and dining.

From Virginias place in the settlement of English-speaking America to her leadership in space exploration, it has been a marvelous journey.

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NASA Visitor Centers Tell the Story of Space Exploration

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From the Eastern Shore to Hampton Roads, coastal Virginia has played a big role in Americas space program

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Leisure Group Travel

Contributor: David Bodle

Dave brings his experience as a receptive tour operator and former publisher to regular contributions in all Premier Travel Media platforms, including a marketing column in Leisure Group Travel magazine.

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Takeda taps nanotech player BioSurfaces for GI disease device … – FierceBiotech

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Takeda and BioSurfaces have signed an agreement to develop medical devices for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. The Japanese pharma will contribute its gastroenterology know-how, while the devicemaker will bring its nanomaterial technology to the table.

We are excited to partner with BioSurfaces, whose pioneering technology aids our strategy of applying novel biomaterials to treat gastrointestinal diseases, said Vincent Ling, senior director of materials and innovation at Takeda Pharmaceutical Sciences, in a statement. Our research collaboration will lead to the development of cutting-edge use of biopolymers and device fabrication technology.

The technology could potentially help prevent stricturesnarrowing of the gastrointestinal tract caused by inflammationand encourage the healing of fistulas, abnormal openings in the GI tract that allow its contents to leak, Ling said.

RELATED: Takeda teams up with Koneksa to integrate remote data capture into clinical trials

BioSurfaces tech is based on what it calls electrospinning, which applies a high voltage to a liquid polymer solution to place polymer nanofibers onto an object. The method can be used to deposit the nanofibers onto a medical deviceor onto a mold to create a standalone material or device.

In addition to enabling the formation of difficult-to-manufacture shapes, Biosurfaces process results in materials that are more biocompatible than currently available textile-based implants, which include vascular grafts and hernia-repair mesh.

Various devices using our technology have been shown to fully integrate with the bodys own tissue in preclinical studies, which is a major differentiator from current woven and knitted textile materials, said Matthew Phaneuf, president and chief technical officer of BioSurfaces. In addition to improved healing, our technology is designed to deliver drugs and/or bioactive agents directly to the disease area, putting the treatment right where it should be and not throughout the whole body, thereby reducing possible complications.

In September last year, Takeda joined forces with Vanderbilt University and Texas Digestive Disease Consultants on a digital program to help patients and physicians manage inflammatory bowel disease. The pilot program involves 100 patients who are tracking their disease using a wearable device.

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Fisker Nanotech Joint Venture Ends – The Drive – The Drive

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The joint venture between upcoming battery technology company Nanotech and Fisker has fizzled but the two groups are still in "friendly" talks, according to Automotive News.

UPDATE (July 26, 1:35 p.m. EST): This story has been updated for accuracy and clarity purposes. It previously stated that Nanotech would not providing battery technology for the upcoming EMotion and has since been updated to reflect that the joint venture between the two companies has been abandoned.

Fisker joined together with Nanotech Energy to engineer and produce the Graphene battery packs, according to Auto News. The company also made claims of the supercapacitors allowing for a range of 400 miles and a charge time of just nine minutes, but just weeks ahead of the official reveal, Fisker announced that the company would move forward with using Lithium Ion batteries to accomplish its (still promised) 400-mile range.

Currently, Tesla's Model S holds the largest battery pack in a consumer car at 100 kWh. The 100D achieves 335 miles on a single charge, something which Fisker looks to improve upon to reach. Meaning either the vehicle would have to find ways to be extremely efficient, or the battery pack would need to be pack-in more 20 percent more power to provide a denser amount of energy without increase significantly in weight or size.

Fisker also mentions having "9 min fast charging" in the above Tweet. Using supercapacitors, maybe, but current battery technology wouldn't allow for a full charge at this rapid pace, especially without a very sophisticated cooling system. This figure was actually revealed to be nine minutes to reach 100 miles of range, or 25 percent battery capacity, in the original press release. Fisker's site has now been updated to claim 125 miles of range, or 32 percent charge, in the same amount of time. Charging times like this would need to use one of Tesla's V3 superchargers or the even more rare Porsche variants to provide 350 kWh sustained rates. Someone at home would not be able to reach this figure.

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Fisker Nanotech Joint Venture Ends - The Drive - The Drive

Nanotech Schedules Third Quarter Fiscal 2017 Earnings … – Benzinga – Benzinga

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5:00pm EDT on Thursday, August 3, 2017

VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - July 25, 2017) - Nanotech Security Corp. (TSX:NTS) (OTCQX:NTSFF) today announced the Company will release financial results for its third quarter fiscal 2017 after the market closes on Thursday, August 3, 2017. The Chairman and CEO, Doug Blakeway and President and CFO, Troy Bullock will host a conference call at 5:00 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time the same day. All interested parties are invited to participate in this conference call and should dial the following number approximately 10 minutes prior to the starting time.

Conference Call Details:

About Nanotech Security

Nanotech designs, manufactures and markets nano-optic OVDs and OTF products. These products have brand protection and enhancement applications across a wide range of markets including banknotes, secure government documents, commercial branding, and the pharmaceutical industry. The Company is initially focusing its efforts on the banknote market due to its high margins and its established customer base.

The Company's nano-optic technology employs arrays of billions of nano-indentations that are impressed or embossed onto a substrate material such as polymer, paper, metal, or fabric. By using sophisticated algorithms to direct an electron beam, the Company creates visual images with colour shifting effects such as 3D, perceived movement, and can also display high-definition colours including skin tones, and whites and blacks, which are not possible using traditional holographic technology.

Additional information about Nanotech can be found at the Company's website http://www.nanosecurity.ca, the Canadian disclosure filings website http://www.sedar.com or the OTCMarkets disclosure filings website http://www.otcmarkets.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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Nanotech Schedules Third Quarter Fiscal 2017 Earnings ... - Benzinga - Benzinga

EPS for Nanotech Security (NTS) Expected At $-0.02, Nuveen Core Equity Alpha Fund (JCE) Sentiment Is 1 – UtahHerald.com

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July 27, 2017 - By Henry Gaston

Analysts expect Nanotech Security Corp (CVE:NTS) to report $-0.02 EPS on August, 15.They anticipate $0.02 EPS change or 50.00% from last quarters $-0.04 EPS. After having $-0.03 EPS previously, Nanotech Security Corps analysts see -33.33% EPS growth. About 2,700 shares traded. Nanotech Security Corp (CVE:NTS) has 0.00% since July 27, 2016 and is . It has underperformed by 16.70% the S&P500.

Nuveen Core Equity Alpha Fund is a diversified closed-end management investment fund. The company has market cap of $242.13 million. The Funds investment objective is to provide an attractive level of total return primarily through long term capital appreciation and secondarily through income and gains. It currently has negative earnings. It will invest in a portfolio of common stocks selected from among the 500 stocks comprising the S&P 500 Index, using a mathematical process designed by INTECH Investment Management LLC (INTECH) to select large cap, core equity securities and will also employ risk reduction techniques.

Nanotech Security Corp. is an identity company, providing light nanotechnology and optical thin film . The company has market cap of $71.53 million. The Firm operates through two divisions: Security Features and Surveillance. It currently has negative earnings. The Security Features segment provides nano-optics and OTF for use in anti-counterfeiting and authentication processes and products, including currency, legal documents and commercial products.

About 32,738 shares traded. Nuveen Core Equity Alpha Fund (JCE) has risen 7.35% since July 27, 2016 and is uptrending. It has underperformed by 9.35% the S&P500.

Shaker Financial Services Llc holds 3.14% of its portfolio in Nuveen Core Equity Alpha Fund for 405,389 shares. Karpus Management Inc. owns 590,675 shares or 0.44% of their US portfolio. Moreover, Jacobus Wealth Management Inc. has 0.14% invested in the company for 36,280 shares. The Colorado-based Advisors Asset Management Inc. has invested 0.07% in the stock. Thomas J. Herzfeld Advisors Inc., a Florida-based fund reported 4,731 shares.

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EPS for Nanotech Security (NTS) Expected At $-0.02, Nuveen Core Equity Alpha Fund (JCE) Sentiment Is 1 - UtahHerald.com

‘WW3 is near’ Chilling moment explorer discovers terrifying safe house under chemical lab – Daily Star

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TERRIFYING footage captured the moment an explorer stumbled across a hidden underground bunker.

While wandering around the outskirts of an abandoned chemical lab, the inquisitive adventure discovered a series of tunnels leading to a safe house.

The bizarre collection of underground rooms has been totally abandoned and along with it various items of clothing and supplies.

But the place was also fully stocked with gas masks, a chilling indication that the underground maze had been created to protect against a devastating attack.

In a caption alongside the clip, the man says: This bunker was semi-converted into storage space for old equipment and materials of the chemical laboratory above.

YOUTUBE

Getting into the tunnel wast easy as I had to sneak past cameras, but the tunnel was in a remote part of the building.

The eerie five-minute clip posted to YouTube ends with the man sitting down in one of the blacked out rooms with only his torch light to guide him back to safety.

The man explores various abandoned and uninhabited buildings for his YouTube channel, shiey.

YOUTUBE

Clown hysteria started in the US after a number of sightings the phenomena has spread worldwide and no-one knows why.

1 / 14

Flomo Facebook page profile picture is very scary, stating I kill people for a living!

He previously discovered an abandoned building near a factory similarly stocked with medical supplies and gas masks.

Viewers have been stunned by the creepy footage, with one saying: You found three safe houses all filled with gas masks. I think WW3 is near.

Another person said: Props to you man, I would have fainted from fear before I got to the first room.

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'WW3 is near' Chilling moment explorer discovers terrifying safe house under chemical lab - Daily Star

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New book about psychedelics and weird human experiences – Boing Boing

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David Luke, a University of Greenwich psychology lecturer and researcher of high weirdness, has a new book out with the compelling title of Otherworlds: Psychedelics and Exceptional Human Experience. Based on the blurb, it sounds like an absolute trip:

A psychonautic scientific trip to the weirdest outposts of the psychedelic terrain, inhaling anything and everything relevant from psychology, psychiatry, parapsychology, anthropology, neuroscience, ethnobotany, ethnopharmacology, biochemistry, religious studies, cultural history, shamanism and the occult along the way.

Staring the strange straight in the third eye this eclectic collection of otherworldly entheogenic research delivers a comprehensive and yet ragtaglledy scientific exploration of synaesthesia, extra-dimensional percepts, inter-species communication, eco-consciousness, mediumship, possession, entity encounters, near-death and out-of-body experiences, psi, alien abduction experiences and lycanthropy. Essentially, its everything you ever wanted to know about weird psychedelic experiences, but were too afraid to ask

"Otherworlds: Psychedelics and Exceptional Human Experience" (via Daily Grail)

Im making the final(ish*) stop of my Walkaway tour at Defcon this weekend in Las Vegas, giving a speech on Saturday in Track 2 at 10AM called $BIGNUM steps forward, $TRUMPNUM steps back: how can we tell if were winning?, followed by a book-signing at the No Starch Press table in the exhibitors hall.

In Paper Girls, the celebrated comics creator Brian K Vaughan (Saga, Y: The Last Man, etc) teams up with Cliff Chiang to tell a story thats like an all-girl Stranger Things, with time-travel.

To call Shopsins a Greenwich Village institution was to understate something profound and important and weird and funny: Shopsins (first a grocery store, later a restaurant) was a kind of secret reservoir of the odd and wonderful and informal world that New York City once represented, in the pre-Trumpian days of Sesame Street and Times Square sleaze: Tamara Shopsin grew up in Shopsins, and Arbitrary Stupid Goal is her new, no-muss memoir, is at once charming and sorrowing, a magnificent time-capsule containing the soul of a drowned city.

Between election hacks, ransomware, and Devils Ivy, the cybersecurity space is booming as malware and hackers become more sophisticated. If youre interested in pursuing a career in ethical hacking, or just want to secure your own devices,The Super-Sized Ethical Hacking Bundleis a great resource.In this bundle, youll learn the fundamental skills of ethical hacking, prepare []

The TREBLAB X11 Earphones are versatile, offer great sound, and are currently $32.99 in the Boing Boing Store.These Bluetooth earbuds are a great workout companion. Theyre totally sweat proof and their ear-fins keep them snugly in place during high activity something that Apples AirPods can only do if you were blessed with precisely the []

Whether youre a seasoned entertainment industry veteran or a student working on your first spec script, having the right tool for the job will make a huge difference in your focus and productivity.Final Draft 10 is far and away the worlds best screenwriting software, used extensively by professional film and TV writers at top production []

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