True Focus Review (UPDATED 2017): Don’t Buy Before You Read This! – Diets In Review (blog)

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True Focus is a dietary supplement marketed as a nootropic that provides neurotransmitter support in order to help improve users mental performance. This may include increasing thinking speed and accuracy and enhancing users attention span and ability to retain deep focus for longer periods of time.

It may also have applications for improving users mood and sense of mental well-being. True Focus uses several different antioxidants and anti-inflammatories that are designed to help prevent damage to the tissues of the brain, potentially helping lengthen the lifespan of its effectiveness and prevent conditions like Alzheimers disease and dementia.

The nootropic booster that has shown the most potent effects on their consumers is Memotenz. It is a powerful memory booster that has also shown applications for improving cognition, subjective well-being, and providing neural protection, even into old age. Click on this link to read our panel of experts full review of Memotenz to see if it might be effective for helping you meet your personal mental performance goals.

True Focus promotes their ingredients blend as containing a mixture of amino acids, grape seed extracts, and ginkgo biloba. While this is technically true, it is also somewhat misleading as the amino acids that they use are not the most effective aminos for nootropic products, and they also do not use a particularly effective dosage quantities of ginkgo.

Additionally, there are some other less-recommended ingredients that are found in their blend that they do not promote as heavily. Some of the main ingredients in their proprietary blend are:

L-Tyrosine: A non-essential amino acid that can be synthesized in the body or consumed in foods like cheeses and other dairy products, chicken, turkey, and certain types of nuts, beans, and fruits. Biologically, it plays a role as a building block for more complicated proteins in the body, including coenzyme Q10, and several different pigments, alkaloids, and phenols.

L-Tyrosine is part of the production of several different neurotransmitters in the brain including dopamine and epinephrine. It may have some benefits for improving alertness, attention, and focus in some people, however these effects will tend to be more noticeable in individuals that have L-Tyrosine deficiencies, either natural or dietary, that prevent them from getting even minimal amounts of the amino.

For L-Tyrosine deficient individuals the benefits will be dramatic, but in people who get enough L-Tyrosine the effects of additional supplementation will be very slight. It is not technically thought of as a performance booster in the majority of consumers.

L-Phenylalanine: Another amino acid that may be beneficial for the mental performance of some individuals. L-Phenylalanine is considered an essential amino acid that the body is incapable of manufacturing it on its own and needs to get its requisite amounts from outside sources.

L-Phenylalanine is used by the body to make proteins, certain types of chemical messengers, and as a neuromodulator that helps regulate nervous function. It is found commonly occurring in a number of different foods, especially meats and animal byproducts like chicken, liver, beef, and eggs.

L-Phenylalanine is also a precursor to L-tyrosine, so it has many of the same benefits and limitations when it comes to its abilities as a nootropic. In individuals with L-Tyrosine and L-Phenylalanine deficiencies it may have some very important benefits to their memory and cognition abilities, and in people who are consuming enough naturally then its effects will be relatively unnoticeable.

There are some more worries about potential side effects related to L-Phenylalanine than there are to most other amino acids, including the potential that excessive levels of it may start to interfere with serotonin and nitric oxide production, as well as disrupting the normal functioning of other aminos.

There are also a number of people that have a condition known as phenylketonuria (PKE), which is an inability to metabolize L-Phenylalanine. This is especially an issue with some pregnant women, who must carefully monitor their L-Phenylalanine intake.

Grape Seed Extract: A somewhat effective antioxidant derived from the seeds of the common vitis vinifera grape. Grape seed extracts are not known as particularly effective nootropic agents, but they may have some mild benefits for neuroprotection.

Grape seed extracts may potentially cause some side effects like gastro-intestinal issues or headaches, however they tend to be fairly mild in all respects. They are not thought to generally be able to harm most consumers, but they also may not be able to help them much either.

Ginkgo Biloba: One of the most potent herbal nootropic ingredients in the world and strongly recommended by our experts for use in over the counter mental performance boosters. It is especially thought to be beneficial for memory function, but it can also increase blood flow to the brain, improve cognition and energy levels, and may have some neuroprotectant capabilities as well.

Unfortunately, True Focus uses a very small dose of ginkgo biloba that is far lower than that found in the majority of effective nootropics that choose to include it. Our experts strongly recommend ginkgo biloba to our readers, however they would generally encourage them to find a product with a larger quantity of the potent herbal aid.

Follow this link to see which nootropic supplements were named to our team of experts top ten list.

When True Focus says in their advertising that they use amino acids in their blend, it would be easy to assume that they were referring to Acetyl L-Carnitine or L-Glutamine, as those are two aminos that are often found in nootropic products. Instead, they include only L-Tyrosine and L-Phenylalanine, which are not nearly as well regarded in products of this nature.

Additionally, they promote their use of ginkgo biloba, however their dose of ginkgo is far below our experts recommended levels. In general, the ingredients of True Focus seem to be beneficial for the body on its most basic levels, however they also seem incapable of offering much in the way of a specific increase in any traditional nootropic category. It seems unlikely that True Focus could be particularly effective as a study aid or short-term mental performance booster, though it may have some applications for regulating long term mental wellness.

Follow this link to read more reviews of the top nootropic products on the market today.

True Focus is not sold through their own unique webpage, nor are they sold through the web page of their manufacturer, NOW Foods. Instead, they are widely available through many physical retailers in the United States, as well as through several other third-party distributors that are found online.

The prices for True Focus that were being quoted by these online sellers tends to fall within this price range:

These prices are well below the average for products of this nature. This is in keeping with their low dosage amounts and unusual ingredients selection.

As mentioned above, True Focus is a product of NOW Foods, a fairly large and well known manufacturer of a wide variety of different vitamins and nutritional supplements. They list their contact information online as:

Phone Number: (888) 669-3663

Address: 244 Knollwood Drive

Bloomingdale, IL 60108

Email: NOW Foods does not publish an email address publically, however it does have a customer comment form on their contact page for all electronic inquiries.

EDITORS TIP: For the best results, our experts recommend using brain enhancement supplements for at least 3 months. Save your money by buying a few bottles at once.

The online reviews of True Focus are somewhat disappointing. Here are several comments that previous customers have left online:

Never noticed a thing. Total waste of my money.

I bought three months worth of True Focus, and after taking it every day for over a month and a half, I have yet to see any benefits. Not sure if Ill keep taking it until its gone or just throw the rest out now.

The majority of the critical reviews were similar to these in that it seems most customers expected more out of True Focus than they received.

To see which nootropic supplements are the most effective for increasing memory levels and attention span, just follow this link.

The advertising for True Focus boasts that it uses a potent blend of amino acids and the herbal brain booster ginkgo biloba in order to help boost its consumers mental performance in a variety of ways. Unfortunately, the amino acids that they are referring to are not thought to be the most potent on the market, and the dosage amount of ginkgo that they use is below industry standard.

The result is a supplement that can offer some benefits to its users, however far less than the benefits that most people will get from the majority of other nootropic products. Our research team encourages our readers to seek out a more effective mental performance booster than True Focus.

The product that they suggest our readers try is called Memotenz. It has a far more effective ingredients list, including a selection of amino acids like L-Carnitine that are much more traditionally used in product of this type.

It is effective as both a short-term study aid or performance booster and a long-term neuroprotectant capable of reducing the severity of cognitive decline. Click here to read testimonials from past Memotenz users to see if it sounds right for you.

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True Focus Review (UPDATED 2017): Don't Buy Before You Read This! - Diets In Review (blog)

Profetik Strikes Again With Masterful 2 Track Progressive Trance EP – EDM Sauce

After hitting #8 in the Beatport trance release charts on his last EP, Profetik is back with an epic two track Freegrant Music release. Staying true to their roots, Profetik and Jackson Snapp combine emotional chords and massive basslines. The tracks have already been supported by big names in trance like: Cosmic Gate, Myon and JES. Watch out for these guys in the future if you are a fan of progressive music.

Jackson Snapp came up with this beautiful piano piece and that formed the basis for the entire song. We went through a number of different basslines and chord progressions Overall it took a lot of hard work to properly present the emotions we wanted to depict.

I was really going for a big festival feel in this bassline. I love trance because it can tie together gentle elements, like the nylon guitars in The Decree, with heavy hitting basses to take the listener on a journey.

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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3ojqMOXU6FFmgxwzO4mpnM Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/profetiksound Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/profetiksound/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profetiksound Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProfetikSound

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Profetik Strikes Again With Masterful 2 Track Progressive Trance EP - EDM Sauce

[Rave Jungle Interview] Ferry Corsten talks about Tomorrowland and his new album Blueprint ! – Rave Jungle (press release) (subscription) (blog)

Rave Jungle had the opportunity to have an exclusive interview with the Trance music legend, Ferry Corsten, shortly after his performance at this years Tomorrowland festival.

The Dutch legend known under his numerous aliases, including System F, Moonman, Pulp Victim and Gouryella gave an exclusive interview regarding his performance at the first weekend of the festival. We have also discussed about his new album called Blueprint.

Check out the interview below !

Tomorrowland was great! They had a stunning production that really complemented the music. First, the trance energy stage where I performed as Ferry Corsten was probably one of the most amazing productions ever. You could really see that the crowd was eager to have trance back at the festival. My set as Ferry Corsten was great. I was able to play a lot of the tracks from my album Blueprint. The response was phenomenal, both at the festival and online. My second set as Gouryella brought out every die-hard trance fan over there. Since the documentary has been released, people felt more in tune with the concept when I played.

The festival was great. Unfortunately, I didnt get to stay as long as I wanted as I had some promotional things to do around my album outside of the festival but from what I saw it was fantastic. It was great to see some old friends and fans again!

I guess the concept makes it stand out. Its a whimsical European take on day festivals!

Blueprint is a hybrid between a music album and an audio book. In other words, a fully narrative story that carries the listener throughout the entire album creating a full listening experience. The difference between this album and my previous workMy previous work was just music albums where there was no central theme. The music in my previous albums were made to flow together but not as cohesive as blueprint due to the story.

Its really hard to pick one from all your favourite darlings. But if I had to pick one, it would be Venera. It ties Blueprint and Gouryella together.

I think its great. Ultimately, techno is where trance came from so uniting the 2 makes sense.

Weve got a few Ibiza shows, a couple more festivals in Europe and Asia and then Its back to the U.S and the rest of the world for the last quarter of the year.

Thank you so much as well !

Check out Ferrys performance at this years Tomorrowland below !

Link:

[Rave Jungle Interview] Ferry Corsten talks about Tomorrowland and his new album Blueprint ! - Rave Jungle (press release) (subscription) (blog)

Cyberpunk 2077 to Have Destructible Environments & Reactive Physics – COGconnected

Our latest news coverage forCyberpunk 2077 comes directly from a CD Projekt Red job posting. In their twitter feed, the developer revealed their purpose behind recruiting.In sum, it looks like their highly anticipated sci-fi title will have realistic physics and destruction.

Among the things we know by now is that CD Projekt Redis skilled at implementing photorealistic environments and physics. As we saw inThe Witcher 3, small details such as trees swaying in the wind, Geralts hair, and reactionary AI proved that,ironically, realism was part of the fantasy experience.

So how will CDPR render their environment inCyberpunk 2077? Well, when we pay particular attention to their Environment Artist job listing, heres what the developer asks for:

CD PROJEKT RED is currently looking for talented artists to join our environment art team in Warsaw to work on Cyberpunk 2077. The Environment Artist will create a wide range of photorealistic environments in futuristic settings, covering also physicalized objects and destruction models.

Paying particular attention to the last sentence, we note physicalized objects and destruction models. From this, we determine thatCyberpunk 2077 will have an advanced game engine that utilizes physics. Essentially, it will allow for an interactive environment that facilitates real-time destruction and interesting visual affects. For example,gun shots could lead to lasting bullet holes. Explosions can leave char marks and incinerate cover, and so on.

Additionally, we must remember that the game is set in the future, with cities, which is very different from anything the developer has attempted before. Seeing as this is a much larger team than any of their previous projects, we can expect a much larger and more immersivesetting. Also, a very refined realism factor.

The name of CD Projekt Reds engine forCyberpunk 2077 is REDengine 4,developed exclusively for their RPG titles. With all the strides theyre making, expect more interesting news coming out of the Warsaw-based studio. Until then,

Happy gaming.

SOURCE

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Cyberpunk 2077 to Have Destructible Environments & Reactive Physics - COGconnected

Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) Sees Schaff Indicator Continue To Climb – Morgan Research

Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) are in traders focus this week as the Schaff Trend Cycle indicator has trending higher consistently over the past week. Investors will be watching to see if the price level breaches the overbought signal at 75, which would suggest the strong likelihood of a near-term pullback.

Introduced in 2008 by Douglas Schaff, the conecpt of the Schaff Trend Cycle (STC) is to identify peaks and lows and predict reversals byrunning through a cycle oscillator, creating an effective indicator for entry and exit signals, when used in conjuction with additionalsignals.The STC combines an exponential moving average with slow stochastics to display a signal line that oscillates between two levels on a scale of 0 to 100.

The RSI, or Relative Strength Index is another popular oscillating indicator among traders and investors. The RSI operates in a range-bound area with values between 0 and 100. When the RSI line moves up, the stock may be experiencing strength. The opposite is the case when the RSI line is heading lower. Different time periods may be used when using the RSI indicator. The RSI may be more volatile using a shorter period of time. Many traders keep an eye on the 30 and 70 marks on the RSI scale. A move above 70 is widely considered to show the stock as overbought, and a move below 30 would indicate that the stock may be oversold. Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) has a 14-day RSI of 37.14, the 7-day is at 46.33, and the 3-day is resting at 57.76.

When getting into the markets, most investors realize that riskier stocks may have an increased potential for higher returns. If investors decide to take a chance on some of these stocks, they may want to employ some standard techniques to help manage that risk. This may involve creating a diversified stock portfolio. Mixing up the portfolio with stocks from different sectors, market caps, and growth potential, may be the right move. In general, the goal is to maximize returns in accordance with the individuals specific risk profile. It should be obvious that no matter how well rounded the portfolio is, there are always risks in the equity markets. Having a sound plan before investing can help ease the burden of knowing that markets can sometimes do crazy things without any rhyme or reason.

Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) currently has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of 32.56. Active investors may choose to use this technical indicator as a stock evaluation tool. Used as a coincident indicator, the CCI reading above +100 would reflect strong price action which may signal an uptrend. On the flip side, a reading below -100 may signal a downtrend reflecting weak price action. Using the CCI as a leading indicator, technical analysts may use a +100 reading as an overbought signal and a -100 reading as an oversold indicator, suggesting a trend reversal.

Shares of Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) have a 200-day moving average of 0.28. The 50-day is 0.11, and the 7-day is sitting at 0.05. Using a bigger time frame to assess the moving average such as the 200-day, may help block out the noise and chaos that is often caused by daily price fluctuations. In some cases, MAs may be used as strong reference points for spotting support and resistance levels.

The Average Directional Index or ADX is technical analysis indicator used to describe if a market is trending or not trending. The ADX alone measures trend strength but not direction. Using the ADX with the Plus Directional Indicator (+DI) and Minus Directional Indicator (-DI) may help determine the direction of the trend as well as the overall momentum. Many traders will use the ADX alongside other indicators in order to help spot proper trading entry/exit points. Currently, the 14-day ADX for Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) is 43.85. Generally speaking, an ADX value from 0-25 would indicate an absent or weak trend. A value of 25-50 would indicate a strong trend. A value of 50-75 would signal a very strong trend, and a value of 75-100 would indicate an extremely strong trend. The Williams Percent Range or Williams %R is another technical indicator that may be useful for traders and investors.

The Williams %R is designed to provide a general sense of when the equity might have reached an extreme and be primed for a reversal. As a general observance, the more overbought or oversold the reading displays, the more likely a reversal may take place. The 14 day Williams %R for Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) is noted at -25.00. Many consider the equity oversold if the reading is below -80 and overbought if the indicator is between 0 and -20.

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Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) Sees Schaff Indicator Continue To Climb - Morgan Research

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Treatment That ‘Rewires’ the Brain Could Be Used for Depression – Healthline

An FDA-approved therapy using magnetic stimulation on the brain can be given to people who havent responded well to antidepressants.

When it comes to treating depression, its tough to know what will work for specific people who have the condition.

Antidepressants are commonly prescribed, but between 10 percent and 30 percent of people with major depression who take the medications fail to show improvement.

But now, a new treatment that involves the use of magnetic stimulation to "rewire" parts of the brain has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

It has proven effective in treating people with depression and could potentially be used in other applications, as well.

This treatment, called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), targets specific parts of the brain in a noninvasive way.

The way that we believe TMS works is as a brain network treatment, Dr. Andrew Leuchter, a senior research scientist at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, and director of the neuromodulation division at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Health, told Healthline.

As opposed to medications, which kind of work from the bottom up, they work at the level of the nerve cell, and then spread from there, Leuchter said. TMS picks specific nodes of a brain network and introduces energy into those.

The number of clinics offering TMS is growing as the treatment offers an alternative for people who havent responded to antidepressants.

Leuchter says that TMS has been around as a diagnostic and research tool since the mid-1980s.

It was in the 90s that people began to realize there are many ways to stimulate the brain, he said. Of course, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) had been around forever. But people thought if you can use electricity to stimulate the brain, how about using electromagnetic energy? Pulsing the brain with an electromagnet to try to achieve the same result, but with a much better side effect profile. People began to experiment with it, discover that, in fact, you can provide very focal brain stimulation that seemed to relieve the symptoms of depression without nearly the side effects of ECT. It was studied for a number of years, and approved by the FDA in 2009.

A major advantage to TMS when compared with antidepressants is its relative lack of side effects.

A lot of times, antidepressant medications are used for these different conditions, and they can be helpful, said Leuchter. The problem is, with medication youre commonly dealing with side effects. Youre taking a medication and distributing it throughout the bloodstream, throughout the body. You end up, therefore, with effects on virtually every organ system and in many instances the side effects can be problematic nausea, weight gain, headache, dizziness, those kinds of things.

The nice thing about TMS as a treatment is that you are really applying it directly to a specific part of the brain. It has very, very few side effects. Therefore, we are able to achieve a therapeutic effect for the patient with a much more favorable side effect profile, by targeting the treatment to the precise brain area that we need to hit in order to get the patient some benefit.

Eight years after its approval by the FDA for depression, TMS is available in every major metropolitan area in the United States.

Leuchter estimated there are currently between 800 and 1,000 TMS devices being used in practices across the country.

[TMS devices] are still not as widespread as we would like them to be, in order for everybody to have access, says Leuchter. The good news in terms of access is that insurance companies are now pretty routinely covering TMS treatment for depression. So its something that is more and more widely successful, both because the devices are out there in the community, and because its a covered benefit under a lot of insurance plans, including Medicare.

For those without health benefits, however, the cost can be significant.

While out-of-pocket costs vary by geographic region, a 6- to 9-week treatment of TMS typically costs somewhere in the range of $14,000.

The out-of-pocket costs for uninsured Americans may be higher than the cost of antidepressant medications, but Leuchter says there are a few caveats.

It is important to bear in mind that TMS generally is performed in patients who have suffered for years with unrelenting depression and have failed to benefit from multiple courses of medication treatment and psychotherapy, he said.

There have been a few health economics studies that have looked at the cost effectiveness of TMS treatment the cost per QALY, or quality-adjusted life year and have concluded that TMS is a very cost-effective alternative.

There are more potential applications for TMS treatment on the horizon.

TMS works for a whole variety of different conditions, said Leuchter. Anything where focal brain stimulation might be helpful. So its been used with success not just for depression, but for bipolar disorder, for obsessive-compulsive disorder, PTSD too. Weve used it with some success here at UCLA for the treatment of tinnitus thats chronic ringing of the ears. And it also is quite useful for the treatment of chronic pain conditions. So a variety of different applications are in development.

With Americans spending billions of dollars every year on antidepressants and the country in the midst of an opioid epidemic, TMS offers a possible alternative.

Were excited about treatments like TMS that actually can offer a great deal of relief for chronic pain without the side effects of opioids, said Leuchter. I think that what were going to see going forward is that there will be more and more of those brain stimulation neuromodulation methods that can help reduce pain symptoms with fewer side effects. So were very interested in exploring those avenues of research.

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Treatment That 'Rewires' the Brain Could Be Used for Depression - Healthline

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Shares Seesawing on Volume: Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) – Clayton News

Shares ofTargeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) aremoving on volatility today10.00% or 0.005 from the open.TheTSXV listed companysaw a recent bid of 0.055 and62000shares have traded hands in the session.

Being able to sell a winner can provide obvious profits, and it may even be a confidence booster for the average investor. On the flip side, investors may also be faced with the decision of when to sell a loser. Even the most researched trades can go sour. Being able to detach from the trade mentally can end up saving the investor more grief down the line. Holding onto a stock with the hopes of a giant turnaround can be a recipe for portfolio disaster. Being able to cut losses is just as much a part of the process as being able to cash in winners. Learning from mistakes and being able to wipe the slate clean can help the investor be better prepared for future endeavors in the markets.

Deep diving into thetechnical levels forTargeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V), we note that the equitycurrently has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of 32.56. Active investors may choose to use this technical indicator as a stock evaluation tool. Used as a coincident indicator, the CCI reading above +100 would reflect strong price action which may signal an uptrend. On the flip side, a reading below -100 may signal a downtrend reflecting weak price action. Using the CCI as a leading indicator, technical analysts may use a +100 reading as an overbought signal and a -100 reading as an oversold indicator, suggesting a trend reversal.

Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc.s Williams Percent Range or 14 day Williams %R currently sits at -25.00. The Williams %R oscillates in a range from 0 to -100. A reading between 0 and -20 would point to an overbought situation. A reading from -80 to -100 would signal an oversold situation. The Williams %R was developed by Larry Williams. This is a momentum indicator that is the inverse of the Fast Stochastic Oscillator.

Currently, the 14-day ADX for Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) is sitting at 43.85. Generally speaking, an ADX value from 0-25 would indicate an absent or weak trend. A value of 25-50 would support a strong trend. A value of 50-75 would identify a very strong trend, and a value of 75-100 would lead to an extremely strong trend. ADX is used to gauge trend strength but not trend direction. Traders often add the Plus Directional Indicator (+DI) and Minus Directional Indicator (-DI) to identify the direction of a trend.

The RSI, or Relative Strength Index, is a widely used technical momentum indicator that compares price movement over time. The RSI was created by J. Welles Wilder who was striving to measure whether or not a stock was overbought or oversold. The RSI may be useful for spotting abnormal price activity and volatility. The RSI oscillates on a scale from 0 to 100. The normal reading of a stock will fall in the range of 30 to 70. A reading over 70 would indicate that the stock is overbought, and possibly overvalued. A reading under 30 may indicate that the stock is oversold, and possibly undervalued. After a recent check, the 14-day RSIforTargeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) is currently at 37.14, the 7-day stands at 46.33, and the 3-day is sitting at 57.76.

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Shares Seesawing on Volume: Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) - Clayton News

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Trivascular Technologies (TRIV) & Stryker Corporation (SYK) Critical Review – Stock Observer

Stryker Corporation (NYSE: SYK) and Trivascular Technologies (NASDAQ:TRIV) are both medical companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, institutional ownership, dividends, valuation, earnings, profitabiliy and analyst recommendations.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current ratings for Stryker Corporation and Trivascular Technologies, as provided by MarketBeat.

Stryker Corporation presently has a consensus price target of $139.21, suggesting a potential downside of 4.69%. Given Stryker Corporations higher probable upside, equities research analysts plainly believe Stryker Corporation is more favorable than Trivascular Technologies.

Dividends

Stryker Corporation pays an annual dividend of $1.70 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.2%. Trivascular Technologies does not pay a dividend. Stryker Corporation pays out 38.2% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Trivascular Technologies has raised its dividend for 6 consecutive years.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

74.3% of Stryker Corporation shares are owned by institutional investors. 7.4% of Stryker Corporation shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Stryker Corporation and Trivascular Technologies net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Stryker Corporation and Trivascular Technologies gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Stryker Corporation has higher revenue and earnings than Trivascular Technologies.

Summary

Stryker Corporation beats Trivascular Technologies on 9 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Stryker Corporation

Stryker Corporation is a medical technology company. The Company offers a range of medical technologies, including orthopedic, medical and surgical, and neurotechnology and spine products. The Companys segments include Orthopaedics; MedSurg; Neurotechnology and Spine, and Corporate and Other. The Orthopaedics segment includes reconstructive (hip and knee) and trauma implant systems and other related products. The MedSurg segment includes surgical equipment and surgical navigation systems; endoscopic and communications systems; patient handling, emergency medical equipment, intensive care disposable products; reprocessed and remanufactured medical devices, and other related products. The Neurotechnology and Spine segment includes neurovascular products, spinal implant systems and other related products. The Companys products include implants, which are used in joint replacement and trauma surgeries, and other products that are used in a range of medical specialties.

About Trivascular Technologies

Trivascular Technologies, Inc. is a medical device company developing and commercializing technologies to advance minimally invasive treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). The Ovation System, the Companys solution for the treatment of AAA through minimally invasive endovascular aortic repair, or EVAR, is a stent graft platform, providing an alternative to conventional devices. It is designed to specifically address many of the limitations associated with conventional EVAR devices and expand the pool of patients eligible for EVAR. The Company is developing Ovation iX iliac limbs for use with both its Ovation Prime and its Ovation iX and Alto aortic bodies, which are in development. Trivascular is developing Ovation iX aortic bodies for use with both its Ovation Prime and its Ovation iX iliac limbs. The Company is developing an aortic body that together with the iliac limbs makes up the Ovation Alto stent graft.

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Trivascular Technologies (TRIV) & Stryker Corporation (SYK) Critical Review - Stock Observer

Ode: Divorced and dating again, childfree by choice – KWIT

Ally Karsyn tells her story live at Ode. The theme was "Stigmas: An ode to the power of opening up."

In the long-term parking lot, I meet a middle-aged woman wearing sunglasses, sneakers and yoga pants. Her hair is casually swept into a ponytail. Shes flying to Phoenix for business. Im off to Seattle for fun. She cant remember the last time shes gone on vacation. I go somewhere every year.

Something about our conversation makes her ask, Do you have any little ones at home?

No, thats why I can travel like this, I say. Just pick up and go anywhere.

Do it now, she says, because when you have kids

Her voice trails off. I smile politely. She said, When.

I didnt tell her that there wouldnt be a when for me. Im childfree by choice. I didnt tell her that Im divorced, after four years, and dating again.

Before my divorce was final, my well-meaning mother started saying things like, Oh, Id really like to see you find a nice guy. To which I replied, Ive got nothing but time. I don't have any biological clocks ticking! But then she said, If having kids has taught me anything, its never say never.

I'm probably not the daughter she expected.

In the small farm town where I grew up, it was acceptable, if not encouraged, to get married at 22 to the son of a farmer with a Dutch surname. (That was better than living in sin.) And it was acceptable to buy that house in the suburbs. Doing these things bestowed comfort and approval in the form of verbal praise, plus gifts.

But panic set in with each measuring cup and Tupperware container I received. What sent me over the edge was the shiny red, 22-pound KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer. It dictated I would be spending my weekends baking brownies like my mom did, not biking through rice paddies in Bali, shopping the souks in Marrakesh or eating tapas in Seville.

Being showered with kitchenwares brought back childhood memories of being told to dry the dishes while my older brother played computer games, less than 10 feet away. Id protest, Why cant he help you? Its just cause hes a boy!

I not only rejected the gendered household division of labor, I didnt have much interest in playing with dolls or Barbies. Instead, I took cat photos with my little yellow Kodak camera. I cut and pasted pictures out of magazines and wrote my own stories. I went on outdoor adventures with my three imaginary friends.

These quirks were cute when I was a little girl. Then I grew up.

In my late teens, when I first declared I was never having kids, a family member told me, You must have babies so the Muslims dont take over! Now in my late-20s, the most popular response has been: Youll change your mind.

This sweeping declaration doesnt take into account my underactive thyroid that occasionally hits me with debilitating fatigue or my susceptibility to anxiety and depression when diet, sleep and exercise are compromised. (But hey, kids wont affect that.) It doesnt account for the sense of purpose derived from my precarious journalism career or the desire to travel in order to better understand the world and my place in it.

When I was younger and far more insecure, my college boyfriend convinced me that few men would want to be with an ambitious, free-spirited woman like me. In rural Iowa, I was too different. He promised the kind of life I wanted. Every three to five years, wed move for my job. That was the agreement. That and no kids. I thought, This must be as good as it gets.

I married him.

But after a couple years, my stepping stone became his anchor. He had settled into a comfortable, well-paying technical career. And I was checking JournalismJobs.com every day. My incessant searching finally made him crack. I dont want to live like a nomad, he said. That and his affinity for alcohol made me leave. I took the 22-pound mixer with me.

Then, a strange thing happened. For the first time, I had people telling me, Good thing you dont have kids!

I could look at my starter marriage as a failure or a mistake. But I dont.

By getting divorced and essentially doing the thing I was not supposed to do, I freed myself from crushing expectations. I learned that the only real mistake would be believing Im unworthy of love. Or joy. Even it looks a little different.

Now, I get to try again.

I downloaded Bumble, Tinder and Coffee Meets Bagel. I hadnt been on a first date in more than seven years. Back then, these kinds of dating apps didnt exist. Now I stood in line at the grocery store and swiped through med students, airmen, farmers, truck drivers, pro-athletes and engineers. Never in my life have I seen more photos of men holding up dead pheasants, fish and deer. And then there were the ones with kids usually their nieces and nephews. Even that says, Im looking for the mother of my children. And thats not me.

I finally found a match on Tinder, but after 15 messages back and forth about weather and work, he brought up handcuffs and spanking. No thanks.

I had better luck on Coffee Meets Bagel and matched with Marcos the 31-year-old music-loving chef. Latino. Five-foot-10. Religion: Other.

When I asked Marcos what made him want to be a chef, he said, Usually, men arent in the kitchen if youre raised in a Mexican family, but since it was me and my two brothers, my mom taught us how to cook.

His enlightened response won me over. Our first date lasted six-hours, filled with coffee, crepes and great conversation. It ended with a goodnight kiss in the misting rain. We kept seeing each other, and after a couple months, I decided to tell my mom about the nice guy Id found, which begged the question, Whats his name?

Marcos.

Does he have a last name?

Vela.

Is heeeee

Mexican.

Oh, she said, I thought maybe he was Italian.

But she pronounces it, Eye-talian.

When Marcos had his big, black beard, he could have passed as Pakistani or Indian. (In fact, people have come up to him speaking Hindi.) But hes most definitely from Mexicoone of the Dreamers, tossed over a border fence by his teenage mother when he was 2 years old.

They left Acapulco. The coastal city in southern Mexico is part of a region densely populated with descendants of African slaves. Or people who, today, identify as Blaxicansblack Mexicans. A heritage he is proud of yet removed from.

A few weeks ago, we were walking through a flea market. In between the nostalgia-inducing model airplanes and My Little Ponies, he pointed to an illustrated reprinting of The Man Without a Country and said, Thats me.

Instantly, I knew that feeling of being out of place when you want to belong. But cant.

When I told my mother more about the talkative, well-groomed, fashion-savvy man Id foundthe one who can pick out my clothes and cook for meshe said, Just make sure he's not too different. Which I took to mean, Make sure he's not gay.

From our first date, I knew Marcos was different.

Over brunch, he answered a call from his mom. He was boyishly embarrassed at first but still told her, I love you, before he hung up. He apologized for the interruption and went on to tell me about his job at an upscale, modern American restauranthow he works from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. five days a week and teaches free music lessons in the Latino community on one of his days off. He shared his dream of opening his own restaurant, one in Australia, then Germany. He admired my confidence and wit, my independence and ambition.

Going against the advice on the Internet, I told Marcos that Im divorced and I dont want kids.

He stared at me with his deep brown eyes, reminiscent of two perfect little cups of coffee that I could drink in all day. His face softened into a smile and he said, Me, too.

---

Ally Karsyn is the arts producer and weekday afternoon announcer at Siouxland Public Media. She is also the founder, producer and host of Ode.

Odeis a storytelling series where community members tell true stories on stage to promote positive impact through empathy. Its produced by Siouxland Public Media.

The next event is 7 p.m. Friday, August 4 atBe Yoga Studioin downtown Sioux City. The theme is Little Did I Know. Tickets are available atkwit.org. For more information, visitfacebook.com/odestorytelling.

This story was produced as part of anImages & Voices of HopeRestorative Narrative Fellowship, which supports media practitioners who want to tell stories of resilience in communities around the U.S. and abroad.ivohis a nonprofit committed to strengthening the media's role as an agent of change and world benefit.

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Ode: Divorced and dating again, childfree by choice - KWIT

Reader Opinion: Political correctness – Brainerd Dispatch

Justine Damond, an Australian woman, was shot by Mohamed Noor, the policeman she had summoned to a possible crime scene. He is a rookie with questionable experience. Police Chief Janee Harteau, who filed discrimination lawsuits against the city in the past, has resigned while the Mayor, Betsy Hodges, refuses to.

The dead woman may have died from a gunshot, but make no mistake about it; she was killed by political correctness.

This socialist-run hell hole of political correctness is responsible for there being a young, progressive female mayor and a lesbian police chief who selected a Somali for the police force simply because he fit the ethnic and cultural profile she wanted in an attempt to demonstrate the inclusiveness their failed social experiment calls for.

Now Mayor Hodges wants to appoint a new chief, saying he "knows how to communicate," as if a lack of communication was responsible for the woman's death.

Noor was no more qualified to be a policeman than a mayor who thinks communicating with criminals is going to stop them. Officer Noor claimed that he was startled by a loud noise just before he shot Damond. If that's how well unqualified candidates are trained, remind me to never call the Minneapolis police during a thunderstorm.

How many more American cities must the progressive socialists destroy?

Tony Bauer

Nisswa

Link:

Reader Opinion: Political correctness - Brainerd Dispatch

Australia’s seniors say the political correctness of millennials is … – ABC Online

Updated July 26, 2017 17:56:32

Older Australians are sick of the younger generation's manners, obsession with technology, punctuality and political correctness, which they say is ruining society.

That was the verdict on the nation's young which emerged from a study commissioned by the Australian Seniors Insurance Agency (ASIA).

Of 1,000 people aged over 50 surveyed by CoreData for the ASIA, 88 per cent thought people in modern Australia were too politically correct.

As well, 74 per cent of seniors said people who strived to be politically correct annoyed them, and 45 per cent said they tried to avoid being politically correct just for the sake of it.

And 86 per cent of those surveyed said the drive to be politically correct was ruining society.

Nan Bosler, president of the Australian Seniors Computer Clubs Association, said seniors found it difficult these days when it came to simple things, such as certain words they used day to day.

"Names we have known things by all our lives, they weren't there out of disrespect or anything like that, it was just a name we knew things by," she said.

"And if we have to always modify what we're saying, it's a little distracting, it's a little bit frustrating.

"We of course do respect other people, so we understand about political correctness.

"But we don't always think it's the way we want to go we want to be true to ourselves."

Ms Bosley said too much sensitivity about the meaning of words and phrases acted as a barrier between younger Australians and people aged over 50.

"I think we can just be too politically correct," she said.

"I suppose it's for the majority that the minority have to sometimes think well 'ok, can't say that anymore, I must remember that'."

CoreData also surveyed Australians over 50 about their views of millennials, which it defined as Australians aged 19 to 35.

The survey found 85 per cent of older Australians found millennial social etiquette confusing.

Ms Bosley said it worried her when she heard "younger people" in restaurants being rude to staff.

"That's probably our upbringing we were respectful to other people, and sometimes young people just don't do that," she said.

Respondents aged over 50 also said they were worried about young people spending too much time on their phones and online.

In fact, digital distraction and over-reliance on technology were two of the top five things that those over 50 thought were the biggest social taboos ranked after racism, smoking and swearing.

Mark Young helps older Australians navigate computers at a computer club in Sydney.

He said older Australians found the digital "distraction" among younger people frustrating.

"The grandkids come round and just spend their time on the phone and looking at that and not talking to them, and they have to kind of butt in in order to get a conversation going," Mr Young said.

"They don't like that, they think that's poorly mannered."

He explained how older Australians often felt pressure to sign up to social media networks such as Facebook.

"They feel kind of left out, that people won't interact with them if they're not on it, yet they don't really want to," Mr Young said.

"So there's the pressure there that they don't like."

Mr Young said for many older Australians, the pace of social change over their lifetimes had been a bit disconcerting.

And that, he said, was likely why such a high proportion of them who said they were worried about political correctness.

"I think that they're used to being able to talk to people that were like them, similar to them," he said.

"And therefore it was easy to say what you wanted to say because you knew the people would agree.

"But they're dealing with a wider range of people, more diversity and we're all taken in by the need to tolerate diversity these days.

"Whereas in the past Australia wasn't as diverse and we didn't have to think about things like gay marriage and stuff like that."

Topics: older-people, youth, community-and-society, australia

First posted July 26, 2017 17:07:05

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Australia's seniors say the political correctness of millennials is ... - ABC Online

This History Buff’s Take Down Of A ‘Political Correctness Gone Mad’ Tweet Is Everything We Needed Today – ELLE UK

We've all seen those silly trolls who cry 'political correctness gone mad!' at every instance of ethnic diversity.

'A black James Bond? That's political correctness gone mad!'

'A cartoon Rastafarian mouse? That's political correctness gone mad!'

'Actually asian actors playing asian roles? That's political correctness gone mad!'

You get the picture.

And however much you come back with an argument like, 'They are qualified for the job', or 'why not?', or 'we should strive for representation so our children feel they have more choice' or even 'because why does everyone have to be white all. the. time?'

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Sometimes you don't quite have the data to back your opinion up.

Thankfully, every now and then, there is a nerd (we use this phrase very fondly by the way, we should all strive to be nerds) lurking, ready to debate their bums off and win you the argument on totally valid, factual, incontrovertible grounds. Huzzah!

In this case, it's the turn of notionally right wing writer and talking head Paul Joseph Watson, who has a website called Prison Planet. He posted a screenshot of a children's BBC show, depicting a cartoon family in Roman Britain.

He captioned the shot on Twitter, 'Thank God the BBC is portraying Roman Britain as ethnically diverse. I mean, who cares about historical accuracy, right?'

Whilst some of us might simply think, 'well yeah, I might actually prefer for my children to see ethnic diversity on their screens. I'm pretty sure this show doesn't include all of the details of Ancient Rome (washing their mouth out with wee, all the phallic art in Pompeii etc)'.

Others have appeared to agree with Watson, suggesting that a so-called leftwing agenda doesn't need to be pushed into every crevice of every media.

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Well, before we had a moment to think about how to respond, Mike Stuchbery turned up in the comments.

Mike is a historian and someone who clearly takes his profession - and Roman Britain - very seriously.

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This History Buff's Take Down Of A 'Political Correctness Gone Mad' Tweet Is Everything We Needed Today - ELLE UK

Why Did Trump Ban Transgender People From the Military? – Newsweek

Donald Trump announced on Twitter Wednesday that he would bar transgender people from serving in the military. In a series of three tweets, he claimed he consulted with experts and decided transgender people were a disruption and left the military burdened with the tremendous medical costs.

After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you, he wrote.

The Military Times reported in June that a directive from President Barack Obama that would allow transgender people to serve beginning this summer faced indefinite delay.On July 1, the Department of Defense officially pushedback thedate when the military would begin allowing transgender recruits to join the military.

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The phrasing from Trump on Twitter would seem to suggest that not only is the president walking back Obamas policy to allow transgender people to join the military and serve openlythe former reality star is alsobanning transgender individuals already servingtheir country from doing so. Daniel Dale, a Washington correspondent for the Toronto Star, tweeted that Trump first delayed the implementation of the Obama policies and was now reversing the policy. Its estimated 15,000 transgender people already serve in the military.

But while Trump announced the policy shift on Wednesday, the change could also be the work ofVice President Mike Pence, who has long been criticized for taking extremely anti-LGBT positions. Foreign Policy reported Tuesday Pence and his staff had been working quietly to get Congress to roll back the Defense Departments year-old policy covering medical procedures for transitioning service members.

Foreign Policy noted that opponents of transgender individuals serving claim that medical treatmentsfor transgender individuals would cost$3.7 billion over 10 yearsbut studies show the cost would be between $24 million and $84 million over that time.

Trump has claimed to be an advocate of LGBT rights in the past, something many folks were calling into question Wednesday. The president has also previously spoken out against transgender people serving in the militarywhen asked about the policies in October 2016.

Were gonna get away from political correctness,he said. We have a politically correct military and its getting more and more politically correct every day.... Some of the things theyre asking you to do and be politically correct about are ridiculous.

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Why Did Trump Ban Transgender People From the Military? - Newsweek

Competent Cells Market to Reach $2.2 Billion by 2022 – Analysis By Type, Application, End User & Region – PR Newswire (press release)

The global competent cells market is projected to reach USD 2.22 Billion by 2022 from USD 1.37 Billion in 2017, at a CAGR of 10.2%. The advancements in molecular cloning research due to the emergence of new technologies and the growing commercial demand for molecular cloned products and recombinant proteins are the major driving factors for this market.

The competent cells market is segmented on the basis of type, application, and end user. On the basis of type, the competent cells market is segmented into chemically competent cells and electrocompetent cells. The chemically competent cells segment is expected to command the largest share of the global competent cells market in 2017. However, the electrocompetent cells segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Electrocompetent cells offer high transformation efficiencies, making them suitable for many molecular biology applications such as the generation of cDNA libraries or constructing gene banks.

Based on the applications of competent cells, the market is broadly segmented into cloning, protein expression, and other applications. In 2017, cloning is expected to command the largest share of this market. Increasing research on cloning driven by government support and funding is among the major factors driving market growth in this segment. The cloning application is further segmented into subcloning & routine cloning, phage display library construction, toxic/unstable DNA cloning, and high-throughput cloning.

Other applications are further subsegmented into mutagenesis, single-stranded DNA production, lentiviral vector production, and large plasmid transformation. The other applications segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This segment is primarily driven by the increasing intensity of research and technological advancements in competent cells. In addition, the growth in the genomics market will enhance research in mutagenesis, thus driving the demand for competent cells.

Companies Mentioned

Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction

2 Research Methodology

3 Executive Summary

4 Premium Insights

5 Market Overview

6 Competent Cells Market, By Type

7 Competent Cells Market, By Application

8 Competent Cells Market, By End User

9 Competent Cells Market, By Region

10 Competitive Landscape

11 Company Profiles

12 Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/5qqtsc/competent_cells

biMedia Contact:

Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

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View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/competent-cells-market-to-reach-22-billion-by-2022---analysis-by-type-application-end-user--region-300494466.html

SOURCE Research and Markets

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Competent Cells Market to Reach $2.2 Billion by 2022 - Analysis By Type, Application, End User & Region - PR Newswire (press release)

Identifying major transitions in human cultural evolution – Phys.Org

July 26, 2017 Powerful new phylogenetic comparative methods can be applied to D-Place, a massive open-access database of places, language, culture and environment, and other databases in order to reconstruct the history of cultures and test theories about major transitions in human history. The map here shows the global distribution of independent vs. extended family living. Credit: Map taken from d-place.org

Over the past 10,000 years human cultures have expanded from small groups of hunter-gatherers to colossal and complexly organized societies. The secrets to how and why this major cultural transition occurred have largely remained elusive. In an article published on July 24 by Russell Gray and Joseph Watts in PNAS they outline how advances in computational methods and large cross-cultural datasets are beginning to reveal the broad patterns and processes underlying our cultural histories.

Ten thousand years ago most humans lived in small, kin based, relatively egalitarian groups. Today we live in colossal nation states with distantly related members, complex hierarchical organization, and huge social inequality. This change in size and structure of human social organization over this time represents a major transition in human's evolutionary history, one that we still know remarkably little about.

To date, most research on cultural evolution focuses on microevolution; changes that occur within cultural groups over relatively short periods of time. However, as Russell Gray, Director of the Department of Linguistic and Cultural Evolution at MPI-SHH points out "processes observed at the micro level do not necessarily explain the macroevolutionary patterns and major transitions we observed in deeper human history." In a new article by Russell Gray and Joseph Watts in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) present a "plea" for research on cultural macroevolution. The authors highlight the exciting potential to combined cutting edge statistical methods and comprehensive cross-cultural database to resolve longstanding debates about the major cultural transitions in human prehistory.

Recent years have seen the growth of large cross-cultural databases that document the features and diversity of human cultures. For example, the database called Lexibank contains data on 2,500 of languages, the Database of Religious History documents hundreds of different religious beliefs and practices, and D-Place documents our means of subsistence, kinship systems and a striking array of marital, sexual, and child-rearing norms. These databases are open access and allow anyone to visualize and download data on the diversity of human cultural systems.

Powerful new phylogenetic comparative methods can be applied to these databases in order to reconstruct the history of cultures and test theories about major transitions in human history. Gray, Watts and colleagues have begun to use these methods to reconstruct the ancestral history of Indo-European languages as well as test the role of Big Gods and human sacrifice in the evolution of large, complex societies. According to Watts "we're entering a new age of research in the humanities, one in which theories about the major transitions in human history are built and tested using powerful computational methods."

Explore further: Massive open-access database on human cultures created

More information: Russell D. Gray el al., "Cultural macroevolution matters," PNAS (2017). http://www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1620746114

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Over the past 10,000 years human cultures have expanded from small groups of hunter-gatherers to colossal and complexly organized societies. The secrets to how and why this major cultural transition occurred have largely ...

Using new methods to analyze stone projectile points crafted by North America's earliest human inhabitants, Smithsonian scientists have found that these tools show evidence of a shift toward more experimentation in their ...

The flexibility and ability to adapt to changing climates by employing various cultural innovations allowed communities of early humans to survive through a prolonged period of pronounced aridification.

A Bronze Age wooden container found in an ice patch at 2,650m in the Swiss Alps could help archaeologists shed new light on the spread and exploitation of cereal grains following a chance discovery.

Citizens depend on police to provide public safety while maintaining the trust of the community. How can democratic societies balance these two, often conflicting, aimsgiven citizens' often divergent views over basic tenets ...

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Identifying major transitions in human cultural evolution - Phys.Org

Why Evolution should be the default Linux email client – TechRepublic

Image: Jack Wallen

For the longest time, the Evolution groupware suite was given a bad rap; being dismissed because of the inclusion of the mono software, bugs, or a lack of stability. However, that ire mellowed considerably over the years and Evolution continued to, well, evolve.

It had been a while since I gave Evolution a go. Since my migration to Elementary OS, I'd been toying with various and sundry clients (Elementary Mail, Geary, Nylas, and Thunderbird to be specific), never to be completely satisfied. In fact, over the last few years, I've felt the email client was one of the weakest links in Linux.

Until I came back to Evolution.

I'm going to be completely honest here. One of the reasons why I left Evolution behind (years ago) in the first place, was because it too closely resembled Outlook. For the longest time, Linux was the anti-hero in the operating system worldfundamentally it functioned, but did so with enough variance to make it different. So when Evolution came out, looking (for all intents and purposes) like MS Outlook, I had a hard time accepting the very idea of using software on my Linux desktop that could have been mistaken for something created by "the competition."

Time passed. What was once important didn't exactly hold nearly the weight it originally did. Out of nowhere, what took over was a need to get things done with a modicum of efficiency. Instead of concerning myself about similarity with a Microsoft product, I simply needed an email client that would function in such a way that would help me through a busy day.

And so, I revisited Evolution and found it had evolved into just that.

SEE: 20 quick tips to make Linux networking easier

Business. Period. That's why. I shouldn't have to explain further, but I will.

If there's one area where the Linux desktop needs to continue to focus, it is within the realm of business. LibreOffice does an outstanding job of filling the office suite void, but the business desktop is incomplete without a solid email/calendaring/contacts/todo solution. Thunderbird has tried to fill that slot, but having to add various and sundry plugins, so that it can serve as a somewhat passable solution isn't enough. KMail is okay, but really needs to serve its purpose on KDE. Beyond that, where do you turn? Geary is dead, Elementary Mail is email-only, Nylas' calendar plugin isn't enough, and Claws Mail is far too complicated for the average user.

That's where Evolution really shines. For any Linux user looking for a business-capable email client (one that can easily connect to both your Google Mail account and Office 365), you will not find a more apt client than Evolution. And that, my friends, is one of the main reasons why Evolution should be considered as the distribution-wide default. If you're looking for an all-in-one groupware tool, one that doesn't require you install various plugins to get the functionality you require, your best bet is Evolution. End of story.

One thing Linux users have been guilty of is holding tight to a particular mindset (such as my refusing to use Evolution because it was too much like Outlook, or that the inclusion of Mono made it enemy of the open source state). Truth is, Evolution no longer depends upon Mono and the Outlook-like layout isn't really all that bad. The mindset of the Linux user has been a tough nut to crack. For instance, the idea that one can go their entire Linux lifetime and never open a terminal window is a reality...but it's one many of the Linux faithful refuse to accept. However, in order to win over the average user, that particular mindset must be set aside.

The same thing holds true with the email client. Take a look across the vast distribution landscape and count the number of "default" clients. This could easily become a point of contention for new users. Certainly you can install just about any supporting email client on nearly any distributionbut new users shouldn't have to do that. And that many Linux distributions default to an email client that is not ready for business prime time, is an issue that should be addressed. Consider this, for the longest time a Windows desktop could be deployed in either a home or business environment and (with little modification) it would function just fine. The same thing holds true for MacOS. Linux, on the other hand, needs some additional pieces such that it can pull off that same functionality within that same environment.

The good news on this front is that with Ubuntu returning to the GNOME desktop, it could possibly circumvent this issue by including Evolution as its default email client. However, that is no guarantee. Recently Canonical released a survey to find out what default applications should be used for Ubuntu 18.04. Reading through various threads on this subject, I was surprised to see how few people mentioned Evolution. Thunderbird received most of the attention, followed by the likes of Claws Mail.

Claws Mail?

Seriously?

Okay, I get it, Claws Mail is a very, very powerful email client. Years ago, it was my go-to for a long time. However (and this is a huge however), it's complicated enough that the average user would be absolutely lost in its setup. On top of that, it would look completely out of place (theme-wise) on the modern GNOME desktop.

This is what I'm talking about. Embracing what is actually best for the whole of Linux, instead of what is best for the individual user. If you consider what would be the most logical email client for the masses, there really is no reason to go beyond Evolution. And that every hardcore user can easily install their email of choice (in their sleep, nonetheless), means whatever is used as the default should make little matter. To the average user, on the other hand, it does make for a considerable matter. No new user wants to have to take the time to configure the likes of Claws Mail. No new user wants to have to walk through the process of adding a number of plugins to gain the standard functionality they are used to having.

Users just want things to work. Evolution works and it works quite well now. It's stable, reliable, and familiar. It is that last bit which should weigh heavily on the decision to select Evolution as the default client. Add to that the fact that it plays well with business environments and the decision should be a no brainer.

What do you think? What should be the default email client for Linux, and why?

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Why Evolution should be the default Linux email client - TechRepublic

Cats vs dogs: in terms of evolution, are we barking up the wrong tree? – The Guardian

Are you a dog person, or a cat person? The question is often treated as dichotomous: if you appreciate the solidity of a steadfast pooch, you cant also relish the coquettish companionship of a kitty. Recent studies suggest humankind could have been divided by their pet-preferences since the stone age. In evolutionary terms, however, the question is far from black and white. Cats and dogs belong together, related to one another by a common ancestor. They share this ancestry with a whole suite of other animals, large and small. One may as well ask: are you a badger person, or a hyaena-person? Do you prefer meerkats, or weasels?

Our beloved pets belong to the order Carnivora. This group includes bears, hyaenas, mongooses, civets, skunks, badgers and more, as well as marine members, the seals, walruses, and sea-lions. The name of the group is a little misleading: not all meat-chomping mammals are part of Carnivora, and not all members of Carnivora feast on flesh.

Carnivorans (animals belonging to the order Carnivora) share various features, but the key one is in their teeth. They all have blade-like carnassial teeth their fourth upper premolar and first lower molar which bite together to shear through food. This design is especially good for snipping flesh, and many carnivorans live a predatory lifestyle. Others are more omnivorous, such as the bears, which tackle huge ranges of food, but also bintourongs and red pandas, which thrive on a mostly plant-based diet. The so-called giant panda* has pushed the boat right out: becoming a fully-fledged, bamboo-specialist vegetarian (although it has been known to nom the occasional fish, egg or insect).

So what ancestral family photograph do all of these seemingly disparate animals have mounted on the wall at home? The ancestors of Carnivora are from a group of animals called miacids, once found across Eurasia and North America. They were small, long-bodied creatures, a little like a pine marten, and at home in the trees. The exact relationships among these miacids remains unclear, but we know they appeared only a few million years after the extinction of the dinosaurs, and persisted for over 25 million years. From among their slinky ranks, the earliest identifiable carnivorans emerged.

Carnivora havent always been the top-dogs when it comes to killing. Back in those heady days of mammal divergence after the asteroid had wiped the largest reptiles from the face of the earth, two other dominant mammal groups emerged with specialised shearing teeth to prey on animals.

The creodontans included the largest land mammal predators of all time. Their carnassial teeth comprised only molars (not premolars and molars, like the carnivorans). This suggests that they converged on the specialisation to hunt and eat flesh separately from Carnivora, and they did it across Eurasia, Africa and North America. The last known creodontan, Dissopsalis, only died out 8 million years ago, by which point carnivorans had taken over the predatory world.

Creodontans were not the only ones prowling the Palaeogene. An even stranger group of meat-eaters, hailing from Asia, spread across the northern hemisphere: the mesonychids. They didnt have carnassial teeth at all, but had their own unique shearing and crushing molars to process meat. While the earliest species walked on flat feet, some of the later ones walked on their toes like cats and dogs - except that they had hooves on each toe. Sharing many tooth and skull characteristics with whales and dolphins, scientists thought mesonychids may be these marine-mammals ancestors. More recent analysis suggests they are sister groups, sharing a common ancestor along with hippos.

Mesonychids and creodontans were the top-predators in their time, but both were replaced by Carnivora, one of the most successful animal groups on earth. Its unclear exactly why the carnivorans did so well at their cousins expense, but it has been suggested that a suite of unique adaptations including larger brains, more efficient locomotion, and more versatile teeth - gave them the ecological advantage, allowing them to replace their competitors.

There is a grain of truth in the cat versus dog question. Although they share a common ancestor, the Carnivora are split into two quite well-defined groups that are broadly dog-like, the caniformia, and broadly cat-like, the feliformia. This division has deep roots, around 43 million years.

The feliforms tend to be more specialised meat-eaters, have shorter faces and retractable claws. Many of them are ambush, pounce-predators, rather than runners (the cheetah is a notable exception). They include the carnivorans of Madagascar - such as the fossa - meerkats, mongooses, civets and genets (although some research suggests these may have split off from other carnivorans before the main feliformia/caniformia break up), as well as the larger true cats, and the hyaenas. Even a non-specialist can identify most of these animals as sharing a kitty-like demeanour. Now you know, its more than skin deep.

As you would expect, the caniformia includes the dogs, wolves and jackals, all of which split from their dog-like relatives early on. The rest of caniformia have a strikingly diverse profile: the bears are in there, another early split from the rest of the group. The marine carnivorans have really gone to town when it comes to physical specialisation, with their short flippered-limbs and rolls of fat. But the old slang name for seals, sea-dogs, suggests that even before the science of anatomy confirmed it, humankind could see a family resemblance. Perhaps less obvious, the skunks, weasels, badgers, otters, racoons and coatis are also part of this pooch-tastic branch of Carnivora.

So what of the loyal hound and humble puss? Recent research has been exploring the origins of our domesticated friends from their wild forebears. Dogs have received a lot of attention, tracing their origins to an ancestor shared with modern grey wolves. The first domestication (or domestications, it may have happened twice) of wolves occurred somewhere in Eurasia possibly even Europe - although there is still some disagreement. It took place perhaps by human design, or maybe by accident. The timing has also proven controversial, with a recent study in Nature Communications suggesting it may have occurred as long as 41,000 years ago.

It has even been suggested in another paper out this month, that first domesticated wolves suffered from a canine version of the developmental disorder Williams syndrome. This is caused by variations in the chromosome which, in humans, results in extremely friendly, trusting characteristics (hypersociability) and what are described as pixie-like facial features. The theory is that wolves with such a disorder may have readily interacted with humans due to their natural inclination to be mans best friend. More research is needed to explore this possibility, but one this is certain: weve been breeding dogs for friendliness ever since.

Kitties havent been studied as extensively, but its long been obvious their domestication took place later, and was less intense. Recently, an international team led by researchers at KU-Leuven University in Belgium, carried out DNA analyses on cats from across Europe, Asia and Africa, including modern cat samples, and ancient DNA from archaeological specimens. Their evidence suggests there have been crazy cat ladies since the Neolithic, with waves of cat appreciation starting in the near East and spreading across the old world during the Egyptian dynasties, via trade routes. Only after the Middle Ages did we begin breeding for more frivolous traits like coat colours, but weve long appreciated the usefulness of a dedicated mouser.

So, shall we pit the whole of dog-like Carnivora against the cat-like ones? Perhaps your preference for pooches extends to their cousins, and you find yourself naturally drawn to skunks over mongooses? Ill leave it to you to ponder your loyalties and pose your own who-would-win-in-a fight-between questions. But if you are a pet fence-sitter like me, youll know that there is much to appreciate in both branches of Carnivora. The huge diversity of cat and dog relatives pay testament to the successful evolutionary design shared by these two most popular pets.

* So-called, because the giant panda and red panda are not directly related. They belong to different branches of Carnivora; the giant panda is actually a bear (Ursidae), whereas the red panda is the only member of its own special branch, called Ailuridae. The red panda was first revealed to the western world in the 1820s, and almost 50 years later the giant panda was given its western-name and mistakenly thought to be related to it. So I ask you: are you a red-panda-person, or a giant-panda-person?

References

Flynn JJ, Finarelli JA, Zehr S, Hsu J, Nedbal MA. 2005. Molecular Phylogeny of the Carnivora (Mammalia): Assessing the Impact of Increased Sampling on Resolving Enigmatic Relationships. Journal of Systematic Biology 54:317-337.

Ottoni C, Neer WV, De Cupere B, Daligault J, Guimaraes S, Peters J, Spassov N, Prendergast ME, Boivin N, Morales-Muiz A, Blescu A, Becker C, Benecke N, Boroneant A, Buitenhuis H, Chahoud J, Crowther A, Llorente L, Manaseryan N, Monchot H, Onar V, Osypiska M, Putelat O, Quintana Morales EM, Studer J, Wierer U, Decorte R, Grange T, Geigl E-M. 2017. The palaeogenetics of cat dispersal in the ancient world. Nature Ecology & Evolution 1:0139.

vonHoldt BM, Shuldiner E, Janowitz Koch I, Kartzinel RY, Hogan A, Brubaker L, Wanser S, Stahler D, Wynne CDL, Ostrander EA, Sinsheimer JS, Udell MAR. 2017. Structural variants in genes associated with human Williams-Beuren syndrome underlie stereotypical hypersociability in domestic dog. Science Advances 3:E1700398.

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Cats vs dogs: in terms of evolution, are we barking up the wrong tree? - The Guardian

Tyson’s evolution one of American sport’s most compelling tales – Irish Times

Either side of the recent passing of the 20th anniversary of Mike Tyson chomping on Evander Holyfields ear, a couple of clips of the former world champion went viral.

In their own way, each captured how far he has travelled from the Lecteresque caricature of the mid-90s. In the first video, Tyson is asked about Floyd Mayweather Jnr claiming to be greater than Muhammad Ali.

Hes very delusional, he replies in a calm, measured tone. If he was anywhere near the realm of the great Ali, hed be able to take his kids to school by himself. He cant take his kids to school by himself and hes talking about being great? Greatness is not guarding yourself from the people. Greatness is being accepted by the people.

An eloquent answer, equal parts pithy put-down and the voice of a man speaking from bitter experience about the expensive folly of entourages.

The second quote is of a very different timbre. An outtake from a recent interview with ESPNs Jeremy Schaap, Tyson recounts how, as a young boy in Brownsville, Brooklyn, he was dragged into a building by a stranger and molested. When Schaap presses for more details on its impact on him, a solitary bead of sweat forms on Tysons furrowed brow, his eyes give off a vulnerable, vacant stare and he tries to downplay its significance.

I think I outgrew that during my fighting years, he says.

Both moments offer further evidence that the evolution of Tyson continues to be one of the most compelling stories in American sport. A quarter of a century has passed since he was sentenced to six years in jail for the rape of Desiree Washington, an 18-year-old beauty pageant contestant.

The character who subsequently emerged from prison into the arms of Don King, a move with a definite frying pan to fire vibe, cut a tormented figure as he struggled to replicate the fistic achievements of the first half of his career and to cope with normal life.

Yet, somehow, Tyson turned 51 last month, an age many might have predicted back in his hedonistic pomp (his drugs of choice included a cocktail of pot, morphine, cocaine, and Viagra) that hed never see. Battling alcoholism and bipolar disorder, lately he appears to have done more than survive the hard living years though. He has actually thrived.

Having squandered a $300 million fortune through his own profligacy and the venality of greedy handlers, he has morphed from one more clich of the down at heel ex-boxer with a criminal record into a peculiarly 21st century brand. He has a podcast, a one-man Broadway show that travels the world, a new book about his mentor Cus DAmato, and a growing resume of acting turns.

On this journey from one-time baddest man on the planet to baddest dad on the planet (as Sports Illustrated dubbed him), he has cultivated a whole new public persona. On primetime television, hes a goofy judge on a talent show called Superhuman, hamming it up for the cameras at every opportunity.

Late at night, he plays an even more comical version of himself in the adult cartoon series Mike Tyson Mysteries. As part of a crime-solving team that includes a perverted pigeon, an adopted Korean daughter, and the ghost of the Marquess of Queensbury, he tries to catch crooks in a funny if rather surreal riff on Scooby Doo. Hardly the kind of milieu where anybody expects a convicted rapist with a history of violent outbursts to end up.

Then again, nobody could have imagined Tyson turning into a middle-aged tennis parent either. His eight-year-old daughter Milan is regarded as something of a prodigy and trains at Mike Agassis academy in Las Vegas.

During one interview last summer, Tyson confessed he hadnt seen any Olympic boxing because he was busy watching Monica Puig taking gold on the court. When the stadium cam flashed him and his family up on the big screen at the BNP Paribas Tournament in Indian Wells, California in 2016, he and Milan put on quite a show. The grin that once portended inevitable doom for opponents in a boxing ring now belongs to a middle-aged man giddily dad-dancing in the bleachers.

While these days he lives in a Vegas suburb with his third wife Kiki (mother to Milan and her brother Rocco), he has seven children from previous relationships who remain in New York, Washington DC and Phoenix. In 2009, another daughter, Exodus, then four, died following an accident with a treadmill in Arizona.

Im anticipating that Im going to go to the hospital and raise hell, said Tyson of that day. Once I got there and saw other people who had children who already died or were dying, they were handling it with dignity and I didnt want to be the psycho parent.

The redemption song isnt without other discordant notes. No matter how much he earns from his various multi-media enterprises (a chain of worldwide fitness centres is another venture), Tyson claims he will always be broke because he owes so much in back taxes to the IRS from the bad old good old days.

That time of legend when he could afford to spend $1,500 a day on food for his trio of Bengal tigers. That time when he didnt know the joy of bringing his kids to school by himself.

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Tyson's evolution one of American sport's most compelling tales - Irish Times

Trump Ends A Covert CIA Program Funding Rebels In Syria – Collective Evolution


Collective Evolution
Trump Ends A Covert CIA Program Funding Rebels In Syria
Collective Evolution
The CIA has been creating, arming, and funding terrorists for a very long time. They were responsible for al Qaeda, and now they're in part responsible for ISIS. This isn't new information, though many people are completely unaware of these operations ...

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Trump Ends A Covert CIA Program Funding Rebels In Syria - Collective Evolution

Will the Evolution of Artificial Intelligence Harm Humans? Depends – The Mac Observer

We tend to speak about Artificial Intelligence (AI) in terms of the pinnacle of its potential evolution, and thats a problem.

This article I found showcases one current debate about the potential for AI doing evil. Elon Musk fires back at Mark Zuckerberg in debate about the future: His understanding of the subject is limited.

On Sunday afternoon, while smoking some meats in his back garden, Zuckerberg, the Facebook CEO, questioned why Musk, the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and OpenAI, was being so negative about AI.

What theyre debating is the future potential for AIs that can, for all practical purposes, duplicate and then go far beyond the capabilities of the human mind. And, in addition, possess the ability to interact with humans beings for good or evil.

Of course, AIs today are very limited. We discover those limitations when we realize that AI demos typically only address one or two specific tasks. Like playing chess. Or driving a car on the roadwaysin traffic.Our interactions with Siri provide confirmation every day of that AIs limits.

So whats the debate really about? I think those who worry, like Elon Mush, ponder two certain things.

Just as Apple has built a sophisticated web browser, called Safari, that serves us well and trued to protect us, theres no way to perfectly protect the user when dedicated minds, the hackers, try to subvert the good uses of Safari for financial gain or other purposes.

Moreover, even though Apple has, for example, joined the Partnership on AI consortium, theres no guarantee that the knowledge or ethics developed there will be constrained only for good purposes, all over the planet Earth.

So then the question boils down to the limits of human capabilities. I dont think anyone doubts that well get smart enough to build an entity like Star Treks Lt. Commander Data. See NASAs page on the science of Star Trek:

At a conference on cybernetics several years ago, the president of the association was asked what is the ultimate goal of his field of technology. He replied, Lieutenant Commander Data. Creating Star Treks Mr. Data would be a historic feat of cybernetics, and its very controversial in computer science whether it can be done.

So how long will this take? If it takes us another 100 years to build a Lt. Commander Data, unforeseen events, war, climate change, and cultural changes could prevent that kind of evolution from ever happening. On the other hand, if we develop AI technology too fast, without adequate controls, we could end up as we did with nuclear weapons. A lot of power that we struggle to keep under control.

In the end, I think both Mr. Zuckerberg and Mr. Musk have equally good points. In Mr. Zuckerbergs favor, AI technology will do a lot to help us out in the short term, limited in scope as it is. However, in the long run, Mr. Musk has a great point. Namely, our species hasnt been able to control its worst instincts on the current day internet.What will we have to do as a species to avoid the worst possible fate of massive AI evil inflicted on ourselves.

Thats what were in the process of finding out.

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Will the Evolution of Artificial Intelligence Harm Humans? Depends - The Mac Observer