Letter: Understanding the Second Amendment – Uinta County Herald

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Editor:

Too often when liberals, in general, read the Constitution they pick and choose the wording they want to follow. Armed Teachers a Bad Idea (published in the July 11 edition of the Uinta County Herald) is a perfect example of this. To make my point, in italics is the whole Second Amendment:

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Of course, liberals with their typical big-government beliefs will only see the words well regulated and it stops there.

The first question I have to ask is who are the militia? By definition they are a military force that is raised from the civil population to supplement a regular army.

So, we, the people, are the militia, and in order to keep a free state around the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

Does it say what kind of weapons I can and cant own? No, it doesnt. A group of men known as the founders had just spent years fighting a tyrannical government with the same weapons the government had.

So, the second the government makes any law restricting people from owning the type of weaponry they can afford and desire, they are in violation of the Second Amendment.

For all of the Christians out there, Luke 22:36 says, Then said he unto them, but now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

Its plain and simple that you should own and familiarize yourself with weapons.

And now onto the part that really just confused me more than anything. What about the childs psyche? Most of us have been around or involved with firearms since we were children. Some of us parked off school property so we could leave our rifles in our trucks and go hunting after school.

Guns dont commit crimes and criminals dont care about laws.

I read the comments on the website and I have to applaud most of you for actually giving it traffic. However, there are a few things I would like to clarify.

I took an oath 10 years ago. I was disqualified from serving due to my medical record but I still took an oath; to some people that means something. Secondly, I agree that teachers need sufficient training breach and clear techniques need to be taught.

Finally, I am not a gun nut, I just understand the Constitution as what it is, a legal document.

Patrick Ballinger

Evanston

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Letter: Understanding the Second Amendment - Uinta County Herald

Medical Marijuana means Losing Your Second Amendment Rights – KNWA

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NORTHWEST ARKANSAS - Your right to bear arms in Arkansas could be taken away if you apply for a medical marijuana card. According to the Arkansas Department of Health, you can't have both a medical marijuana card and legally own a gun because pot is still illegal on the federal level.

Robert Reed, a Navy Veteran who served his country for 16 year, suffers PTSD along medical conditions which medical marijuana would help.

Reed said, "I will not apply for a med license, and risk my livelihood and my safety."

The Arkansas Department of Health said a question they get all the time is whether or not you can own a gun and possess a medical marijuana ID card. Since prescription pot is a Schedule 1 controlled substance, under federal law, you can't own a gun legally. And federal law supersedes state law.

"If they're a user of marijuana, although legal in Arkansas, it's still illegal on the federal level," explained Robert Brech with Arkansas Department of Health. "It's very clear you cannot be a marijuana user, and pass that check."

Reed, and other veterans who fought for Constitutional rights, will not apply for their medical marijuana cards due to putting the freedom they fought for at risk.

"You've got a law that outlaws the people that defended your right to make a law that puts me in jail," said Reed.

"You won't be denied the medical marijuana card. There's actually a provision in the Constitutional amendment that you can't be denied a license. So they may continue to give a conceal carry license to someone. It's really a problem at the federal level, not the state level," explained Brech.

"How can I have health and freedom by giving up a right? I can't," said Reed.

Continued here:

Medical Marijuana means Losing Your Second Amendment Rights - KNWA

First Amendment: Two recent Supreme Court decisions are of particular interest and importance in Minnesota – MinnPost

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Shortly before its summer recess, the U. S.Supreme Court unanimously issued a pair of concurrent rulings concerning the right of freedom of speech under the First Amendment. Although neither arose in Minnesota, the pair are of particular interest and importance here.

MinnPost photo by Jana Freiband

Marshall H. Tanick

Both cases were significant, as are nearly all opinions of the high court, since the tribunal hears and decides only about 70 cases a year, less than 1 percent of the civil and criminal lawsuits it is requested to adjudicate annually. One of these rulings deservedly got ample public glare, perhaps even more than merited, while the other received much less attention than it warranted.

The former, Matal v. Tam[PDF], struck down a provision of the federal trademark law forbidding registration of any disparaging name or markthat reflects "contempt or disrepute" for an individual, group, or organization. The challenge was brought by an Asian-American rock musicband known as "Slants," a reference to the derogatory phrase "slant-eyes" for Asian-Americans, after the Trademark and Patent Office refused to accept its name for legally protected intellectual property. The justices, in a ruling written by Justice Samuel Alito, reasoned that the proscription constitutes impermissible "viewpoint" censorship.

The ruling garnered lots of attention and accompanying acclaim because of its popular-culture subject matter. But it also was noteworthybecause of its seemingly fatal implication for the Trademark Office's declination of the nickname "Redskins" for the professional football team representing the nation's capital. The high court refused last fall to review that rulingat the same time as it took on the "Slants" case, but theoutcome in the rock-band case maydoom the decisiondisallowing the "Redskins" appellation.

That issue has particular resonance here.A number of leaders of the Native American community, along with many supporters, have vigorously opposed use of nicknames by sports teams they deem to denigrate them, although there are questions regarding the breadth of that aversion among rank-and-file Native Americans. As a result, school boards throughout the state have removed and replaced offensive Native American-related appellations from their squads, which has also occurred in other jurisdictions and at both public and private educational institutions.

Additionally, the Native American objectors, represented by a Minneapolis law firm, obtained the ruling from the Trademark office canceling the trademark of the "Redskins" name and logo, although that determination now is of dubious validity in light of the outcome of the "Slants" suit.

The contretemps has not been lost on the media, including some in Minnesota, that have struggled for years over how to report the names of athletic teams that have versions of Native American nicknames, particularly professional baseball and football teams.

The other high court free-speech decision, though, may have even more widespread significance. The case, Packingham v. NorthCarolina, concerned a state law that barred registered sex offenders from using any social media that is accessible to children. The Supreme Court, as in the "Slants" case, invalidated the measure as an unlawful restriction on freedom of expression.

In so doing, the decision authoredby JusticeAnthony Kennedy noted the ever-increasing and "protean" nature of the internet, pointing out that the number of Facebook users is thrice the population of the North American continent. Recognizing these features, the ruling equates the internet with traditional expressive forums like parks and other public places where freedom of speech is allowed to be largely untrammeled. That portion of the decision is suggestive that restraints on internet communications must besparse or virtually nonexistent to pass constitutional muster.

The implication drew some concern fromthree members of the court, led by Justice Joseph Alito, who has emerged as one of the strongest First Amendment defenders on the high court, which has taken on what Harvard Law School professor Noah Feldman describes as a "free speech absolutism" hue. Alito's centrality to this approach was exemplified by a solitary dissent he authored a few years ago supporting the right of anti-gay-rights extremists to protest vocally at military burial services in objection to the expansion of gays and lesbians in the armed services.

Although Alito and the other two, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Clarence Thomas, voted with the majority, they joined in a concurring opinion that lamented the far-reaching implications of the decision that would seem to bar any efforts to restrict social media communications by criminal offenders.

It remains to be seen how the ruling will affect conditions imposed on them or, for that matter, commonly accepted limitations on use of social media to engage in offensive or harassingcommunications. These types of restrictions are frequently resorted to by judges in Minnesota, and elsewhere in sentencing of criminal wrongdoers, including sex offenders, as well as inmarital disputes and other inter-personal spats.

The unanimity of these two freedom-of-speech decisions by the Supreme Court reflects their broad acceptanceacross the ideological spectrum. But they also are likely to be heard from again as these rulingsand their underlying reasonings play out inthe courts in Minnesota and around the country.

Marshall H. Tanick is aconstitutional lawattorney with theTwin Cities law firm of Hellmuth & Johnson.

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First Amendment: Two recent Supreme Court decisions are of particular interest and importance in Minnesota - MinnPost

‘There’s an Effort Around the Country to Curtail People’s Fundamental 1st Amendment Rights’ – FAIR

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Janine Jackson interviewed Mara Verheyden-Hilliard about the right to protest for the July 14, 2017, episode of CounterSpin. This is a lightly edited transcript.

MP3 Link

Washington Post (6/27/17)

Janine Jackson: A recent popular op-ed called on those engaged in resisting the Trump administration to stop counting so much on lawyers. The fate of the nation cannot be left in the hands of the courts, the piece, written by a lawyer, argued, and thats solid advice. Popular action is what historically has moved the country forward.

But when people do go into the street and are arrested, what then? When they put their bodies on the line and the state creates a new law to criminalize that resistance, what then? Like it or not, the law is still one of the bigger tools in the box for Americans. So what does and doesnt it do for us in the present moment?

Mara Verheyden-Hilliard is an activist and attorney. Shes co-founder and executive director of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund. She joins us now by phone from Washington, DC. Welcome back to CounterSpin, Mara Verheyden-Hilliard.

Mara Verheyden-Hilliard: Thank you for having me.

JJ: Well, Id like to start, if we could, with an update on the J-20, those arrested in inauguration protests in DC, who are facing what Ive heard called unprecedented charges for demonstrators, felony charges that could lead to 75, 80 years in prison. One of those still facing charges is journalist Aaron Cant, now at the Santa Fe Reporter, who has written for FAIR. We talked about the case in January. What should we know now about this ongoing story?

Mara Verheyden-Hilliard: There are millions of people who are engaging in political protest and political organizing who have never done so before. (image: WTTG-TV)

MVH: This case is really of extraordinary proportions, when you look at what the government is doing to people who are engaged in protests on the first day that Trump took office. And its really in its own context significant, too, because of the major shift in policing in Washington, DC, which we believe is intended to send a signal.

Whats happened now is more than 200 people were swept up in a dragnet arrest by the police, and this occurred after the police had followed the demonstration for, by their own account, approximately half an hour, while there were some people who broke windows, only a handful of people. And rather than going in and arresting the people for whom they had probable cause to arrest, the police waited that arbitrary time, tracked and detained 200 people. And so they swept up demonstrators, passers-by, journalists, anyone whos in proximity, anyone who is chanting and protesting.

And then they undertook this mass prosecution with the United States Attorneys Office here in the District of Columbia, in which people are being threatened with, as youve mentioned, jail time that is decades and decades long, really a lifetime of jail time, with these felony charges. They are charging people en masse with crimes that may have happened, in terms of property damage, but charging everyone with crimes without particularized probable cause, without being able to point to a person and say, you committed this act and so were charging you for this act. Theyre charging everyone in the vicinity for being in proximity.

This is extremely dangerous; it sets the stage that for any demonstration, if anyone commits a criminal act, an act of property damage, whether that be a protestor or, frankly, a police agent provocateur, the police can now use this as license, or they wish to, to sweep up everyone else around them.

JJ: This is what we talked about before. Its not a crime, now, is it, to be in proximity to other people who break the law in conjunction with First Amendment activities?

MVH: Of course its not, and it cannot be. And the First Amendment has always stood for that, in fact, you cannot criminalize a person for the acts of another. And particularly in the context of the First Amendment, when its an issue where the connection is that there may be a sympathy of political views, one cannot do that. There are cases dating back, NAACP v. Claiborne Hardware and others, the courts said you have to act with precision. You cannot say that just because people have a similar point of view, or may have similar political goals, that those who carry out illegal acts or acts of violence in pursuit of those goals, that those acts can be attributed to the others who do not.

JJ: Right. These charges, at the level theyre at, it feels new, but we know that the effort to repress First Amendment expression is not new. The Supreme Court last month rejected a First Amendment case that dates from years back, Garcia v. Bloomberg. Can you tell us about that and how it relates?

Occupy Wall Street marchers on the Brooklyn Bridge, October 1, 2011. (cc photo: Mat McDermott)

MVH: The Garcia v. Bloomberg case comes from the Occupy demonstration of 2011, when 700 people were peacefully marching, compliant with police orders, there was no violence, and as people marched, the police escorted the march. The police themselves closed the Brooklyn Bridge roadway to vehicular traffic. The police and police commanders themselves opened up the roadway to pedestrian traffic. It is the police and police commanders who led the demonstrators onto the roadway of the Brooklyn Bridge, and once those demonstrators had flowed and followed behind the lead of the police, the police stopped the march, trapped them from behind, mass-arrested 700 people.

When we litigated this case, we won at the District Court level, we won at the Second Circuit, in fact. And then Mayor de Blasio, who had taken office, frankly, running on an Occupy ticket, had the court reevaluate the ruling, and the court, in an extraordinary measure, reversed itself. And we took this case up to the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court just last month determined that they would not hear it.

JJ: Obviously, lots of folks are taking their lead from this, and kind of joining on this bandwagon. We have a spate of anti-protest legislation around the country, even UN experts are issuing alarmed statements now. Some 20 states have passed or tried to pass laws allowing protesters to be charged with conspiracy, increasing penalties for blocking streets, even protecting drivers who run protesters over, banning masks and hoodies. I mean, is anyone really confused that the intent of these rules is to quash dissent, and doesnt that thinly veiled intent matter?

MVH: Its clear that there is an effort around the country to try, through legal meansalthough we would consider illegal meansto curtail peoples fundamental First Amendment rights to gather together in the streets, to be able to speak out in unified action.

I do think, as much as were seeing these kinds of restrictions imposed and these rulings, that at the same time it can obviously have a chilling effect on people, the reality is that people do always come out and people will continue to come out. And while this may be intended to have a chilling effect, it is really crucial that people stand up and speak out for what they believe in. And I do think the reason that were seeing these is because there is a growing recognition that there really is this fire of people, these embers burning, where we keep seeing people come up and demonstrating for what they believe in. Were seeing so many more people entering political life, even since the election of Donald Trump. People are taking to the streets, protesting, who never protested before.

So while were faced with what is I think overt repression, both in terms of these felony prosecutions, these state laws, these court rulings, we also are faced with the fact that there are millions of people who are engaging in political protest and political organizing who have never done so before, and thats a force that really cant be stopped.

JJ: Weve been speaking with Mara Verheyden-Hilliard of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund. Find them online at JusticeOnline.org. Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, thank you very much for joining us today on CounterSpin.

MVH: Thank you for having me.

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'There's an Effort Around the Country to Curtail People's Fundamental 1st Amendment Rights' - FAIR

How to access the dark web – The Daily Dot

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If you think search engines like Google and Bing let you probe the entire web, youre totally wrong. Youre barely scratching the surface of the webliterally. Below the webs outer crustthe one youre accessing right now to read this articleflows other layers of the internet that you cant find through search. But with a little bit of know-how, anyone can dive into the webs deep end to find some hidden treasures (and perhaps a bit more than that). Heres a quick guide to the deep web, the dark web, and what youll find when you get there.

There are basically three parts to the world wide web: surface web, deep web, and dark web.

The surface web is everything thats publicly available and accessible through search or typing a URL into your browser. The deep web, also known as the invisible web, is all the content on the web that is not indexed by standard search engines, such as email clients, online banking websites, or pages that are inaccessible to crawlers, the software that indexes the web for search engines. Some of those pages can still be accessed if you have the URL while others require you to have login credentials. According to expert estimates, the deep web is 500 times larger than the surface web.

The dark web, however, is a totally different beasta tiny fraction of the web that is only accessible through specialized software such as the Tor browser. However, the term dark web is also often used to refer to the darknet, the overlay networks that are used to anonymize communications and obfuscate both the origin and destination of internet traffic. READ MORE:

The main characteristic of the dark web is its anonymity, which makes it appealing to a number of actors. Like all innovative tools, the dark web is an instrument to shady and illegal activities, such as child pornography and the sale of drugs, firearms, and stolen credit card numbers.

One of the most famous cases that involves the dark web is that of Silk Road, the first modern online black market that was created on the dark web. The website was shut down in 2013 and its founder is serving a life sentence in prison. Naturally, many other similar websites have sprouted in recent years. Earlier this month, AlphaBay, another dark web marketplace that made $600,000 and $800,000 a day, was shut down by law enforcement.

However, the dark web is also being used for many other activities that are mostly legitimate (though not necessarily legal, depending on your perspective). Edward Snowden, the famous whistleblower who exposed the U.S. governments mass surveillance program, used the dark web to send information to reporters and media outlets.

Journalists and activists also use the dark web to avoid being traced by autocratic governments or other actors that might want to harm them.

In countries where the government restricts access to specific websites and social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, dark web tools can help circumvent censorship.

The most famous tool to get on the dark web is the Tor browser. With Tor, you can access websites whose address ends with the .onion extension. These are websites that are exclusively available on the dark web and cant be accessed through normal browsers.

Tor enables you to access all the other surface and deep websites with the added benefit that it anonymizes your browser traffic by encrypting it and deflecting it across several computerscalled Tor nodesbefore sending it to its destination.

However, there are several things you should know about Tor:

With those considerations in mind, have fun surfing the dark web, and stay out of trouble.

Ben Dickson is a software engineer and the founder of TechTalks. Follow his tweets at @bendee983 and his updates on Facebook.

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How to access the dark web - The Daily Dot

Your Mailman Is a Drug Dealer. He Just Doesn’t Know It. – WNYC

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(Charles Krupa / AP Photo)

The Dark Web conjures images of gothic fonts and black backgrounds, like a metal fans MySpace page circa 2001. But this section of the internet looks surprisingly normal. Accessible only through the TOR browser, there are Google-style search engines and Amazon-style marketplaces. Except what theyre selling are mostly illegal thingsstolen passports, hacked account numbers, and drugs. A lot of drugs.

This week, we stress out WNYCS IT department and venture onto the Dark Web. Where you can get heroin, fentanyl, or oxycontin shipped right to your door via USPS. And we talk to Nick Bilton, author of American Kingpin: The Epic Hunt for the Criminal Mastermind Behind the Silk Road, about how Libertarian philosophy and tech-bro hubris combined to spark an online drug revolutionand an opioid crisis.

Andthe Dark Web community is starting to recognize the role they're playing. Since we recorded this episode, Hansa Market - the verysite we visit in the show - has banned the sale of fentanyl, according to the New York Times.

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Your Mailman Is a Drug Dealer. He Just Doesn't Know It. - WNYC

Morgan Stanley Ex-CEO to Launch Cryptocurrency Game-Changer – Investopedia

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While the movement from traditional banking and financial institutions to cryptocurrency investments has been slow for some, others have been biding their time and waiting for the appropriate moment to make the switch. According to a recent report by Coin Telegraph, John Mack, the former Chief Executive Officer for Morgan Stanley, is in the latter category. Mack is reportedly preparing to enter the cryptocurrency game and is looking to launch an ICO at some point later in the year. Why would Mack be interested in joining cryptocurrency investors in the hottest new trend?

Mack's project at this time is Omega One, a platform which he says "is going to be transformative because it benefits the entire ecosystem--making crypto assets cheaper and easier to access," according to the report. Mack claims that he has been following and investing in digital currencies for several years, and he feels that Omega One is uniquely prepared to transform the industry. His investments in the startup were reportedly made via Venture One, a portfolio company which he backs privately. The goal of Omega One seems to be to push digital currencies into broader public view, making them more available and attractive to potential investors. Mack is currently the sole investor in this project, although his status as a finance legend will likely draw in other interest as time goes on.

According to Alex Gordon-Brander of Omega One, his company provides "the bridge between traditional capital markets and the crypto markets." Omega One, he says, "will provide everything from balance sheet intermediation and a trusted counterparty." He points to the "very first signs of institutional adoption of crypto markets" as a sign that his company has an interested and eager audience, as well as room in which to make an impact.

Analysts at Coin Telegraph suggest that Mack's move into the cryptocurrency space has been strategically timed, as the cryptocurrency market itself has grown and matured significantly over the past year and a half. With a clear sign that institutional investors are interested in entering the field, there remains a bit of mystery as to how these investors could best make use of their assets. This is where a company like Omega One could come in, or at least that's what Mack and the company's leaders hope. Regulation and education regarding the digital currency world are some of the largest barriers at this point. Experienced financial professionals like Mack may hope that their background in trading securities and assets of all kinds will allow them the benefit of being able to learn about and improve upon the way that cryptocurrencies are bought and sold, too.

Omega One will reportedly offer clients the opportunity to hold native tokens. It aims to launch via an ICO at some point later this year, after August and before December.

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Morgan Stanley Ex-CEO to Launch Cryptocurrency Game-Changer - Investopedia

Cryptocurrency: Bitcoin Retains Gains as Hard Fork Fears Recede – DailyFX

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- Recent cryptocurrency losses have been pulled back.

- Volatility remains until new proposals come into force.

Looking for fresh trading ideas? - Get your free DailyFX Third-Quarter Trading Forecast and Trading Guide here.

Fears that blockchain may split into two, creating two different bitcoins (BTC), have lessened in the past two days as bitcoin miners have begun to support a new bitcoin improvement proposal (BIP) that would help solve the long-running scaling problems. The proposal BIP 91, would introduce SegWit2X to the blockchain to help speed up the transaction time from the current limit of 1 megabyte every 10 minutes. According to many in the industry, BIP 91 would make implementation of SegWit2X less risky and would decrease the probability of a blockchain split (hard fork).

Over the past couple of days, bitcoin miners have begun signalling support for BIP 91 by adding a piece of code to each new block transaction. If the required 80% support is reached before August 1, the new protocol would be locked-in, lessening the chances of a hard fork. The activation window is 336 blocks and if the 80% target is hit, BIP 91 locks-in and after another 336 blocks are mined it becomes activated.

The latest signalling rate is seen just under 80% of the last 144 blocks mined with several of the largest BTC miners already showing their support for the new proposal, including AntPool, BitClub, Bixin, BTC.com and BitFury.

With the chances of a blockchain split lessening, the price of BTC and most other digital currencies have recovered from Sundays heavy sell-off. The future though may be less certain with the recent volatility underscoring the need for cryptocurrency traders to tread carefully in the weeks ahead. The chart below shows BTC still trading below its 100-day ema with a potential resistance level around $2419.

Chart: Bitcoin Four Hour Timeframe (June 14 - July 19, 2017)

Chart by IG

Ether (ETH) in the meantime has seen even sharper swings than peer bitcoin slumping from $225 on Sunday to a $137 low before rebounding to trade over $257 late Tuesday.

Chart: Ether Three Hour Chart (July 7 July 19, 2017)

Chart by TradingView.

Ethereum however, may soon come under increasing State regulation, over the recent surge in Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs), the cryptocurrency markets equivalent of traditional equity Initial Public Offerings (IPOs).

Market Moves/Capitalizations July 14, 2017.

Cryptocurrency

Price/Change%

Market Cap

BITCOIN

$2307 -0.94%

$37.971bn

ETHEREUM

$221.4 +9.5%

$20.68bn

RIPPLE

$0.176 -3.21%

$6.765bn

LITECOIN

$41.93 -4.84%

$2.183bn

ETHEREUM CLASSIC

$15.45 -2.03%

$1.448bn

--- Written by Nick Cawley, Analyst

To contact Nick, email him at nicholas.cawley@ig.com

Don't trade FX but want to learn more? Read the DailyFX Trading Guides

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Cryptocurrency: Bitcoin Retains Gains as Hard Fork Fears Recede - DailyFX

Governor of Austrian Central Bank Advises Cryptocurrency Caution … – ETHNews

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News world

Governor of the Austrian Central Bank Ewald Nowotny warned users about the speculative nature of virtual currency. Nowotny also serves as a member of the governing council of the European Central Bank (ECB).

On July 19, governor of the Austrian Central Bank (German: Oesterreichische Nationalbank) Ewald Nowotny warned against cryptocurrency usage in an interview with newspaper Kleine Zeitung. Nowotny worries that the general public fails to grasp the potential psycho-social ramifications of a virtual currency correction. When asked about Japans recognition of bitcoin as a means of payment, Nowotny expressed his reservations.

Bitcoin is not a currency, he said. Bitcoin lacks the one thing that makes a good currency, namely stability. Instead, he classifies bitcoin as an object of speculation.

His hesitation is understandable, especially in light of bitcoins impending User Activated Soft Fork. Nonetheless, cryptocurrency has taken root in Austria. sterreichische Post, Austrias official postal services provider, recently announced its partnership with a Vienna startup to allow the exchange of euros for bitcoin.

Significantly, Nowotny is not completely pessimistic about cryptocurrency. He explains that Austria does not ban it as a banknote, but acknowledges that you have to let the people know what they are doing. Previously, he had compared cryptocurrencys popularity to the Tulip Crazeof the 16th century Holland.

Nowotnys measured approach is exactly what a concerned public would hope for in a central banker. He recognizes the inherent dangers and seeks to insulate the Austrian economy.

[Bubbles] can have negative psychological effects, he said. This is the danger we see but I would not overrate it either.

As a member of the European Central Banks governing council, Nowotny may inform the approach of his colleagues. In May, ECB president Mario Draghi encouraged the close study of distributed ledger technology.

Quotes translated from German using Google Translate.

Matthew is a writer with a passion for emerging technology. Prior to joining ETHNews, he interned for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as well as the OECD. He graduated cum laude from Georgetown University where he studied international economics. In his spare time, Matthew loves playing basketball and listening to podcasts. He currently lives in Los Angeles.

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Governor of Austrian Central Bank Advises Cryptocurrency Caution ... - ETHNews

Predicting the August 1 Split Flow Chart the Hard Way – Bitcoin News (press release)

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Below isa detailedflow chart graphic that depicts the possible outcomes to the upcoming scaling proposals that may be implemented in the near future. We hope to help our readers get a better understanding of whats going on with these specific Bitcoin network developments.

Also Read:The Blockchain Split Scenario: Staying Informed and Backing Up Bitcoin Keys

Over the next few weeks, the Bitcoin network and its participants may see some scaling proposals implemented to the protocol and the subject can be confusing. Right now there are multiple scenarios between three possible plans that include a user-activated soft fork (UASF), Segwit2x, and a user-activated hard fork (UAHF). Weve done a run down of each proposal, community sentiment, and possible outcomes in recent articles to give our readers some information on the topics.

We want to take it a bit further and give our readers a visual glimpse at the possible outcomes of Segwit2x, UASF, UAHF, all the Bitcoin Improvement Proposals (BIP) involved, signaling periods, and a timeline of dates and requirements. Bitcoin.com would like to also thank our friends Hampus Sjberg, Eric Wall, and Tomislav Dugandzic for allowing us to use the initial template for this flow chart.

At the moment there is a lot of support showing for BIP91 with intentions to activate Segregated Witness (Segwit) as part of the New York Agreement (NYA) roadmap. At the time of writing as you can see from the chart below BIP91 support is approximately 80.5 percent and the proposal needs to maintain 80 percent to lock in Segwit over336 blocks. Following a successful lock in period another 336 blocks has to pass to successfully activate Segwit. After the Segwit activation, NYA participants agreed to implement a 2MB hard fork which is proposed to take place ~3 months after the Segwit activation.

Another part of the discussion is the two user-activated forks that may be attempted on August 1. If Segwit2x fails to activate Segwit, then there is a possibility both user-activated forks will proceed with their plans on that date. UASF participants will then try to activate Segwit using full nodes aimed at blocking non-segwit blocks and hoping hash power will follow this move. Further, the UAHF is a contingency plan against this effort and plans to utilize a bitcoin implementation called Bitcoin ABC. This plan will remove segwit from the bitcoin code and use an adjustable block size instead. Moreover, the company Viabtc has pledged to support Bitcoin ABC with its own mining pool and will call the token Bitcoin Cash if the protocol splits off from the main chain.

Additionally, there have been some exchanges that have announced how they will handle a possible Bitcoin network fork. So far multiple exchanges have issued contingency plans and warnings about the possible network changes planned. This includes exchanges such as Bity, GDAX and Coinbase, Chinas top three trading platforms, and thirteen Japanese cryptocurrency exchanges have made statements concerning these events. On August 1 specifically, these exchanges say they will likely disable deposits and withdrawals, and possibly halt trading as well.

In addition to the announcements from nineteen global bitcoin exchanges on July 19, the firm Coinbase announced it would not support the user-activated hard fork and its associated token. The San Francisco-based bitcoin company says it will not honor the UAHF blockchain because it is incompatible with the current Bitcoin ruleset and will create a separate blockchain. Coinbase users are advised to withdraw their bitcoins from Coinbase by July 31st if they desire access to UAHF coins. Nevertheless, the trading platform will monitor the UAHF situation but doesnt plan on supporting any new blockchains anytime soon.

What do you think about the upcoming network changes? Let us know what you think about our flow chart in the comments below.

Images via Shutterstock, XBT.eu, Hampus Sjberg, Eric Wall, Tomislav Dugandzic, JCBA, Pixabay, and Bitcoin.com.

Do you want to vote on important Bitcoin issues? Bitcoin.com has acquired Bitcoinocracy, and rebranded the project to Vote.bitcoin.com. Users simply sign a statement with a non-empty Bitcoin address and express their opinions. The project focuses on determining truth backed by monetary value and transparency.

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Predicting the August 1 Split Flow Chart the Hard Way - Bitcoin News (press release)

Lady Comets ‘getting up to speed’ on pitch – Journal-Times

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You see the slogan on many U.S. Marine Corps recruiting posters: Adapt, Improvise, Overcome.

Of course, nobody's equating the Marines' mission with West Carter's girls soccer team's 2017 goals, but the three-word phrase still applies to the Lady Comets they have to adjust after losing 10 seniors, including leading scorer Samantha Duvall and her 23 goals and 13 assists.

What's more, second-year coach William Logan has fewer players with whom to work he says 17 or 18 are expected this year, compared with last year's 28 at the beginning of the season. (Injuries ultimately reduced that number to 24.)

We're rebuilding at defense, midfield, forward and the keeper, third-year coach William Logan says. We've been doing a lot of conditioning, getting up to speed and maintaining.

The Lady Comets are steadily improving. Last year's team was 11-12, up from 2015's 8-13-2.

West Carter had never been to a summer team camp, but Logan took the Lady Comets for a 212-mile round trip ride to Asbury University in Wilmore for some workouts with coach Brooke Lincoln.

We worked mostly on transitioning to make everyone involved, Logan said. We're working more on crossing (passes) and finishing with the younger ones and more on ball skills.

Though Duvall is gone, the Lady Comets are not bereft of scoring. Junior forward Addison Burchett scored 19 times last year and dished five assists.

She handles the ball well, Logan says. She has a good strike. She works on ball skills, dribble and make turns and make space behind the defense.

Logan says seniors Katie Wolfe and Taylor Hicks should join Burchett on the front line. Katie Wolfe started as a sophomore, so she's coming into her third year, Logan says.

There's also a sisterly connection; sophomore Hadley Burchett is a midfielder. Sophomore Taylar Middleton and Megan Perry are the potential midfield starters.

I want (Middleton) to make space and pull the defense over a little more, Logan said.

Freshman Riley Madden and sophomore Hallie Steagall are the goalkeepers. Steagall allowed 23 goals and compiled a 1.6 goals-against average last season.

The keepers have learned to be more active, Logan says.

So, how does Logan define a successful season? Winning the 62nd District for the first time would be nice.

For me, it's the girls learning more about the game a little bit more, he says. We do like to get wins also.

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Lady Comets 'getting up to speed' on pitch - Journal-Times

Comets players are now free agents – The Blue Testament

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News about the Kansas City Comets has been limited and rare since the end of last season. With a legal struggle between owners dominating what little information was made available the last few months fans have been worried about their team.

The press release the MASL sent out Tuesday did not help calm the fears that the Comets may not be back in the fall.

The Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) is actively seeking a new ownership group for the Kansas City market. In conjunction with the current operating group, the MASL is working to find the best fit within the league and the community for the market.

Through the process, the league also seeks to act in the best interest of the players. Therefore, the players who were under contract with the previous ownership group as of July 18, 2017 at 8:00 p.m. ET, will now be free to negotiate new contracts when new ownership is established, or with any other team in the MASL.

The league will continue to pursue a strong ownership group to operate the Kansas City Comets for the 2017-2018 MASL season.

As of Tuesday, the players under contract to the Comets became free agents and can negotiate with other teams.

On the positive side the league does state they are working with the current operating group to find a strong ownership for Kansas City and the players can negotiate with the new ownership group.

The question is how many of the Comets can wait until a new ownership group is formed. Most of the players for the Comets have strong local ties. A number of them went to school locally and coach with local clubs, have second jobs and local charities and would find it difficult to move to another city.

While the press release sounds at least somewhat positive that a new ownership group will be formed, the longer it takes the harder it will be to field a team. They will be further and further behind the curve in getting players/coaches under contract, tickets sold and everything else that goes into putting a team on the field.

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Comets players are now free agents - The Blue Testament

Aces trumped by Comets – Bournemouth Echo

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POOLE Comets withstood a valiant fight-back from Exeter Aces to emerge 93-85 victors following a thrilling British South West League clash at Harbourside Park.

The hosts looked set to run away with the contest until the Devon outfit found their feet during the closing heats.

Poole led from the start thanks to a maximum heat win from Callum Smith and Dean Hook before Jay Briggs and Ben Donohue repeated the feat to leave the visitors reeling.

Having established a healthy 13-point lead by the interval, the Comets were in no mood to let it slip and rubbed more salt into Exeter wounds with two more maximum heat wins after the break.

But from that point on, the Aces management made use of some astute tactical changes to win four of the last five races to peg back the Comets advantage.

However, ultimately, the Aces could not compete with Comets all-round strength in depth, with no fewer than six of the home riders chalking up double-figure scores.

Polish ace Matiej Ganczarek was in a different class for the Comets, thrilling the crowd with some well-judged passing moves to finish the match unbeaten by an opponent and received solid support from the rest of the team.

Poole: Jay Briggs 14+1, Fraser Garnett 13+1, Callum Smith 13+2, Dean Hook 11+2, Ben Tinsdale 7, Matiej Ganczarek 15+1, Ben Donohue 11+1, Macie Schmidt 9.

Exeter: Aaron Herbert 16, Rob Geach 10, Connor Tucker 16+1, Dave Murphy 8, Lauren Hookway 6, Dan Winchester 12, Andy Collett 4, Craig Nethercott 13.

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Aces trumped by Comets - Bournemouth Echo

Comets football staff filled – YourGV.com

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New Halifax County High School Head Football Coach Grayson Throckmorton can now breathe a little easier. Throckmorton said Monday Halifax County School Board members finalized appointments to remaining open coaching spots last week, a move that cemented a full 10-person coaching staff to cover both the varsity and junior varsity teams.

Several familiar faces are returning to the Comets coaching staff this season including linebackers and assistant offensive line coach Fred Palmore, Jay Cole who will serve as co-defensive coordinator and offensive and defensive line coach, Stanley Brandon who will coach defensive backs and primarily work with safeties and Thomas Crews who will be the wide receivers coach and assistant defensive line coach.

Also returning to the coaching staff are Eugene Turbeville who will serve as JV head coach and JV defensive coordinator, and Kwame Lambert who will serve as JV offensive coordinator and offensive backs coach.

New to the Comets football staff this season is Dave Hale who comes to Halifax County high School from Bluestone High School. Hale will serve as co-defensive coordinator with Cole and will coach safeties and defensive backs.

Also new is former Halifax County High School offensive and defensive line standout Terence Brandon who went on to play football at Averett University. He will serve as JV offensive and defensive line coach.

The third new face on the Comets coaching staff is Chris DeJarnette, who served as a volunteer assistant coach at Halifax County Middle School last season. DeJarnette is a Gretna High School graduate and played on two of Gretna High Schools state championship football teams before continuing his playing career at UVA-Wise.

The dust is starting to settle a little bit because we now have the staff finished, Throckmorton remarked.

Thats not only work on my part, its work on the part of our athletic director (Allen Lawter), our principal (Michael Lewis) and administration trying to find jobs for people to come in and coach football.

Throckmorton says he has a good mix of people on the staff who bring a variety of knowledge and experience to the Comets football program.

Everybody we have on staff brings something to the table that is more than just being a football coach, Throckmorton pointed out.

One of our new hires, Terence Brandon, is a youth counselor out of Danville. He brings in not only the ability to coach offensive and defensive line, which is what he played at Averett University and at Halifax County High School, he brings in the ability to work with our youngsters who may need some help here and there with behavior and other crises they may be going through.

Another new hire we have, Dave Hale, has coached at several different schools and brings to the table having been a guidance counselor for nine years and the understanding of what the guys need to take in classes, the SATs, all of the qualifiers they have to meet to get into college and qualify for the next level, Throckmorton added.

All of our guys bring something to the table that is really good, and with the help from the administration of being able to offer these people jobs, we have been able to fill our 10-man staff with some very qualified folks, and I feel really good about that.

Counting today, only four summer workout sessions remain for the approximately 40 players that have regularly attended off-season workouts throughout the spring and summer. A football clinic for youngsters of all ages is scheduled Monday, July 31 and Tuesday, August 1, with the first day of what Throckmorton is calling football camp, set for Wednesday, August 2.

While the completion of filling the Comets football coaching staff came at this late date, Throckmorton says there is no panic regarding pre-season preparations.

There is a natural feeling that you are a little bit behind, Throckmorton remarked, but I havent felt like weve been behind. Before we got everyone in place, we went ahead with installing our overall system (of offense and defense). I was putting that in and working with some positions and things I normally wouldnt coach. I was pulling that slack until we hired someone to take those reigns over.

Weve got the system going with what we want to do with regard to Xs and Os and the understanding of that, Throckmorton continued.

Really, were going to be kind of on an equal page with the defense and offense being together going into camp. In that aspect, the transition has been pretty smooth. Everything is falling together about the best it possibly could.

Next year, Throckmorton added, we will be more ahead of the curve because I will have been in the building for a year and the staff will have been in place and we wont have to go through this again.

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Comets football staff filled - YourGV.com

Kelechi Osemele’s Travel Guide: The Raiders Pro Bowler’s Trip Around The World – Raiders.com

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If you follow Oakland Raiders offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele on social media, youre aware of his adventurous lifestyle. If you dont follow the Pro Bowler, youre in luck, because his social media accounts have practically turned into a travel guide.

Whether youre a fan of football or not, Osemele is a must-follow on Twitter and Instagram, primarily because of the destinations he travels to.

To help you get a better idea, lets go on a journey in chronological order through all of his escapades in the last seven months.

Cabo San Lucas

Following the conclusion of the 2016 campaign, K.O. took some time to get away from the field and head south to Mexico.

Australia

After heading to the sunny beaches of Cabo San Lucas, Osemele decided hed venture a little further from home, and take a couple of companions with him. Former Raiders safety Brynden Trawick and current Raiders running back Taiwan Jones went to the land down under with No. 70 for bridge climbing.

New Zealand

From there, the group journeyed a tad bit east of Australia to the roaming green plains and high mountain ranges of beautiful New Zealand, where Osemele did a bit of thrill seeking.

Thailand

If you havent noticed, Osemeles vacation started turning into his own version of Around the World in Eighty Days, and continued in Asia.

At 65, 330 pounds, the Raiders offensive lineman is a large individual; now picture him riding an elephant.

Osemele has built an impressive rsum as an adrenaline junky, and added to the list with jumping rope, while its on fire.

Italy

Possibly the location he spent the most time in, the Houston-native stayed in Europe for a substantial amount of time, seeing all the major sights Italy has to offer.

While Osemele might play in the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, seeing the original Colosseum in Rome is probably a different feeling.

Colorado

Once he finally returned home, it didnt take long for the former Iowa State Cyclone to hit the road again, but this time he stayed in The States for a camping excursion.

Hawaii

You say a travel spot, and my guess is that Osemeles already been there. Its only fitting he visited the tropical beaches of Hawaii during summertime too.

Iceland

Personally, this is my favorite place K.O. has visited, and I hope to make a trip here myself one day. The vast landscape of Iceland is loaded with waterfalls, greenery, and fascinating architecture, which are all featured during his stay.

London

Last, but not least, the most recent trip of the offensive linemans travels was to the United Kingdom, to experience what England has to offer.

With football starting up again, the chances of Osemele taking an extravagant vacation soon are unlikely. But you better believe Ill be the first one waiting to see where he goes next.

You can follow him on Twitter @KOseven0, or on Instagram @k.o.seven0

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Kelechi Osemele's Travel Guide: The Raiders Pro Bowler's Trip Around The World - Raiders.com

Disney Is Building the First Marvel Hotel in the World – Travel+Leisure

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It looks as though Stark Industries has a new property to add to its portfolio.

Disneys Hotel New York, a 565-room, four-star hotel near Disneyland Paris Disneytown, will be overhauled to feature the props, drawings and costumes from Marvel television shows, cinematic films and comic books throughout.

When it transforms into Disneys Hotel New York The Art Of Marvel, the comic-infused resort will be the first-ever Marvel Comics hotel, bringing The Avengers and other favorites to Disneyland Paris for the very first time.

With its skyscraper facade and nods to Manhattan monuments and culture, the likely addition of Stark Tower among its faux skyline would be fitting, especially in the expanded Marvel presence at Disney parks. Since acquiring Marvel Entertainment in 2009, The Walt Disney Company has opened two attractions, Guardians of the Galaxy Mission: BREAKOUT! at Disney California Adventure and Iron Man Experience at Hong Kong Disneyland.

Disneyland Paris soon-to-be updated resort joins other superhero experiences, including a forthcoming Guardians of the Galaxy roller coaster at Walt Disney Worlds Epcot as well as new Superman and Avengers attractions promised for Disney California Adventure park.

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Disney Is Building the First Marvel Hotel in the World - Travel+Leisure

Trump travel ban: Supreme Court rejects block on relatives – BBC News

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BBC News
Trump travel ban: Supreme Court rejects block on relatives
BBC News
The US Supreme Court has rejected an attempt by President Donald Trump to include grandparents and other relatives of US residents in his travel ban on people from six countries. But the judges also gave the government the right to enforce a separate ...
Trump's travel ban: Where it standsUSA TODAY
US Supreme Court exempts relatives from Trump's travel banTRT World
Supreme Court Allows 'Grandparent' Exemption To Trump Travel BanWUFT
CBS News -New York Times -People's World
all 326 news articles »

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Trump travel ban: Supreme Court rejects block on relatives - BBC News

How Much Cabs Cost in 80 Cities Around the World – Travel+Leisure

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What youll end up paying for a cab can vary greatly from one country to another due to local regulations.

To help travelers get a sense of what they can expect to pay around the globe, U.K. online car dealership Carspring has put together a 2017 Taxi Price Index.

The index breaks down the costs across 80 of the worlds most visited cities and includes the cost of hailing the cab (the initial hire costs), the cost per kilometer, the cost of any waiting time (any period of time where the cab isn't moving but you still have it for hire), and the fare to take a taxi from the airport to the city center.

Carspring also calculated what the fare would be for a 3-kilometer ride (about 1.86 miles) in each city using data provided both by local cab companies and tourism boards.

Here are the top 10 cities with the most affordable fares when it comes to the rate per kilometer.

1. Cairo, Egypt: $0.10 per kilometer

2. Bangkok, Thailand: $0.18 per kilometer

3. Moscow, Russia: $0.27 per kilometer

4. Mexico City, Mexico: $0.28 per kilometer

5. Jakarta, Indonesia: $0.30 per kilometer

6. Bangalore, India: $0.30 per kilometer

7. Mumbai, India: $0.32 per kilometer

8. Beijing, China: $0.34 per kilometer

9. Bucharest, Romania: $0.35 per kilometer

10. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: $0.36 per kilometer

Cairo had the worlds most affordable taxis, costing just 10 cents per kilometer of travel, while a cab ride from Cairo International Airport to the city center was also the cheapest airport-to-city ride on the list at just $4.20.

Meanwhile, several cities in Europe proved to be pricier choices, with the top two most expensive cities hailing from Switzerland.

Take a look at the most expensive locations to take a taxi below.

1. Zurich, Switzerland: $5.19 per kilometer

2. Geneva, Switzerland: $3.32 per kilometer

3. Tokyo, Japan: $2.92 per kilometer

4. London, England: $2.89 per kilometer

5. Berlin, Germany: $2.36 per kilometer

6. Amsterdam, Netherlands: $2.36 per kilometer

7. Cologne, Germany: $2.34 per kilometer

8. Copenhagen, Denmark: $ 2.31 per kilometer

9. Antwerp, Belgium: $ 2.25 per kilometer

10. Stuttgart, Germany: $2.25 per kilometer

Zurich was the city with the highest initial fee of any city, with a cost of $8.30 just for getting into the cab.

Carspring also found that customers who ask a taxi to wait for them for one hour would pay the most in Zurich, at $82.96.

Tokyo was the only city outside of Europe to make it on the list of the most expensive fares, with a ride from Tokyo-Narita International Airport to the Tokyo city center costing $189.91.

Nothing beats the relief of hopping into a comfortable taxi after a long day of sightseeing in a new city, Maximilian Vollenbroich, CEO of Carspring, said in a press release. But in some cities, this simply isnt affordable and in other places, tourists are at risk of being overcharged; we hope our research helps travelers prepare for safe, fun, and budget-friendly travel in whatever ride best suits them."

The full index also includes the popular model of taxi you'll find in each city, so that travelers can be aware of potentially unlicensed drivers.

Tipping practices can also vary from one place to another, making this handy guide a great quick reference if you're wondering whether or not to leave a tip at the end of your ride.

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How Much Cabs Cost in 80 Cities Around the World - Travel+Leisure

Digital river maps transform waterways into colorful art – CNN

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(CNN) When you think about the world of cartography, antique sepia maps are likely the first images that come to mind. But nomadic digital cartographer Robert Szucs saw the potential to turn nature's patterns into contemporary artwork.

Under his moniker Grasshopper Geography, the Hungarian artist uses open-source software and satellite data to paint the world's rivers. As a result, China's Yangtze swims in a sea of colors, while the Mississippi swirls in soft pastels.

Why rivers?

"Because they are amazing," Szucs tells CNN. "I mean, look at my US river map -- I created the design, the colors, the width of the lines. But I did not draw any of the lines."

"It's nature's amazing work. I just found a way to show it in a new way, a fitting way."

GIS artist Robert Szucs found a new way to showcase beautiful rivers around the world. (Robert Szucs/Grasshopper Geography)

Szuc's river maps began as a creative outlet and an escape from everyday office drudgery.

A cartographer by profession, Szucs harnesses QGIS -- an open-source geographic information system -- to prepare the data and design the maps. He then loads up GIMP image editing software to fine-tune the lines, creating a dramatic visual effect.

"It's all 100% scientific, based on satellite data and digital elevation models," he says. "Every stream and river is placed on a scale of 1-10, based on the stream order (size)."

He spends days tinkering with the width of every single line and going through dozens of color iterations. There are more than 1,000 river basins or watersheds in most of his artwork -- and the number of lines can reach over a million.

"I usually have an idea, an image in my head. Then I spend days and sometimes weeks trying to get there," says Szucs.

"My river maps usually have hundreds, sometime more than a thousand river basins, but I want each one to be perfect."

Szucs has since left his job and lived around the world to deepen his understanding on geography.(Robert Szucs/Grasshopper Geography)

Until about 18 months ago, 31-year-old Szucs spent his days as a geographic information systems (GIS) analyst cooped up in an office in the UK using digital data to create maps. And now? He's since ditched the 9-5 entirely and hit the road, traveling and working around the world.

"Studying geography, and just moving around in those circles, makes you realize how many amazing places there are on this planet, so I'm following my big dream," says Szucs. "I'm on a mission to live at least a couple of months on every continent, in every major cultural region."

So far, he says he's lived in four out of the seven continents, spending an average of three to six months in each location.

Szucs has worked for an archeologist on the tiny Caribbean island of St. Eustatius, with a marine biologist in Alaska, and in an orangutan conservation program in Indonesian Borneo.

"I want to get to know the people and their society in a place, learn how they live, how they think, how they approach problems, and learn from them," he says. "With my map skills, I've been able to look for long lost forts, track whales and their food as they migrate, help lobby decision makers about the importance of rainforests and primate conservation."

Technology has made new forms of cartography art possible. Here is a global population density heat map. (Robert Szucs/Grasshopper Geography)

With mobile phones and GPS, Szucs says that maps are more integral to our lives than ever -- and yet people are rarely conscious of their impact.

"From crime maps for the police to income maps for insurance companies, whale distribution maps for an NGO or delicate works of art you can hang on your wall, cartography is everywhere," says Szucs. "Try taking away your GPS and Google Maps -- and see how your life would be."

Today, the digital nature of cartography means that the field is constantly changing. And, as part of a digital generation, Szucs says it's an exciting time for his industry.

"I have never made a map on paper. Technology made my work possible in the past couple of decades, and is expanding my possibilities drastically year by year," he says.

"I mean, I was a GIS Analyst last year. Now I'm a GIS Artist. Who would have thought?"

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Digital river maps transform waterways into colorful art - CNN

Supercomputer maker Cray cutting 14% of workforce, 190 jobs … – GeekWire

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(GeekWire File Photo)

Seattle supercomputer maker Cray plans to cut 190 jobs, representing about 14 percent of its global workforce, as part of a restructuring plan meant to cut costs.

In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Wednesday, the company said the layoffs will affect all organizations and major geographies of the Company. A vast majority of the cuts are set to take effect by the end of the week, the company said in the filing.

Cray said it expects to save $25 million per year as a result of the job cuts. It will take a $10 million restructuring charge, mostly related to severance payments and employment taxes.

Cray says on its website it has more than 1,300 employees globally, with its headquarters in Seattle and engineering and manufacturing facilities in California, Minnesota, Texas and Wisconsin. It has sales and service offices around the world.

Seymour Cray is a legend in high-performance computing, and while the company he founded has gone through a number of iterations as servers evolved over the decades, its still putting out some of the most powerful machines on the planet. The market for those machines is shrinking, however, as cloud services become more and more popular and powerful:Crays revenue and net income declined sharply in 2016compared to the previous year.

The Cray brand, along with much of its intellectual property and some Cray engineers were acquired in 2000 by Tera Computer Company, which immediately re-named itself after the iconic brand. Recently Cray has been working to reinvent itself for the cloud era with a new product that promises supercomputing as a service.

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Supercomputer maker Cray cutting 14% of workforce, 190 jobs ... - GeekWire