TMG 2010 rewriting original host headers when … – Extropy

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I found a strange behavior with TMG 2010 when publishing a website. It appears to rewrite URLs sent outbound to clients when the "send original host header is sent" under certain conditions. Here are those conditions:

Here is precisely what I encountered:

So by process of elimination I found that this appears to be TMG not affecting any host header inbound, nor affecting the alternate URLs outbound.This appears to affect only the main URL outbound, as TMG appears to be rewriting the protocol part of the header when the submitted form returns a redirect from http to https (changing https back to http).

Fixes: Uncheck the "send original host header..." flag and all functionality works correctly. I don't think this is as "clean", because it means that TMG touches every request and changes the host header to the internal host header, however on the IIS bright-side this means the web server will see the same host header no matter what clients request (normalization). The only caveat is that if you wanted to use an internal URL (instead of IP address) for the site that was the same as the external URL it would either not work, or would require a DNS trick on TMG to force it. Or, you could just change the internal URL to something else (not used).

TMG proxy background:

This isn't so much of a bug in TMG as a "feature". TMG is designed to allow external access to internal resources. I've found that it makes a powerful and flexible reverse proxy server, you just have to contend with a few "features". TMG's basic design-premise is based on rewriting URLs that are normally only internally visible, to URLs that are externally visible. This means that TMG errs towards the side of rewriting in exception cases, which this appears to be. This methodology appears to assume that the web servers are dumb, and don't know about external URLs. This premise is fine, except when it is necessary for the web server to perform some type of functionality that requires a complex redirect based on a user action (such as switching to https when a user logs in). TMG assumes that the redirect is internal in nature and blocks the redirect in favor of maintaining the original URL and same-protocol bridging (or more accurately not bridging). This appears to only be an issue when TMG is confused by using the external URL as the internal URL (same as listener and client requests). This shouldn't be an issue when you specify that TMG uses an IP address for the internal site, however it appears that MS has designed TMG to be "smarter" and "more helpful" by performing host header translation outbound, even when you request it no to do so...

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TMG 2010 rewriting original host headers when ... - Extropy

Space-Exploration Artifacts Are Worth So Much Money for a Reason – TIME

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Buzz Aldrin at Tranquility Base. The Apollo programs most iconic image. Large color photograph taken by Neil Armstrong of Buzz Aldrin during their Apollo 11 moonwalk. Signed & inscribed by Buzz Aldrin.Courtesy of Sotheby's Buzz Aldrin at Tranquility Base. The Apollo programs most iconic image. Large color photograph taken by Neil Armstrong

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Updated: Jul 14, 2017 12:11 PM ET

It's impossible to put a price on the rocks and dirt brought back from the moon by the six Apollo landing missions the rare case in which the word "priceless" applies literally. But one way to grasp the value of lunar samples is to compare them to something else we prize highly: gold. Over the course of history, about 425 million pounds of gold have been mined and refined. That's 505,000 times more by weight than the 842 pounds of samples carried home from the moon. Gold currently trades at a per-ounce price of around $1,215. Using that as a benchmark and multiplying by scarcity, moon dirt should trade at over $614 million per ounce.

It's not likely anyone will pay nearly that much for the lunar dust that will be sold at Sotheby's during an auction of space artifacts on July 20 the 48th anniversary of the first moon landing . There will hardly be an ounce of the stuff anyway, just a few grains and stains trapped in the fabric of a sample return bag carried home by the Apollo 11 crew. Still, that's enough for the Sotheby's appraisers to estimate a $2 million to $4 million sales range for the bag.

Space artifacts have that kind of effect on people, and the auction house is counting on a big pay day when the sample bag and the 172 other items being auctioned along with it go under the hammer. Some of the space merch on offer is, at least by cosmic standards, relatively commonplace stuff: the familiar photo of Buzz Aldrin standing on the Sea of Tranquility, but signed by Buzz himself; a patch from Apollo 11, but one that was actually carried on the spacecraft to the moon and back.

There are, too, actual pieces of actual ships an altimeter cover flown aboard Apollo 9 and signed by mission commander Jim McDivitt, a pyrotechnic battery from the Apollo 11 lunar module. None of it looks any more glamorous than garage junk, except it's garage junk that once left our planet and is therefore limned in a special light. Perhaps most evocative is the astronauts' in-flight paperwork a signed lunar map used by Apollo 8 navigator Jim Lovell when he and two crewmates became the first human beings to orbit the moon; a flight plan, filled with scribbled notes and workarounds, that Lovell and his Apollo 13 crew used 16 months later as they brought their crippled spacecraft back to Earth.

Artifacts are, by definition, backward looking things, and without a clear destination for America's present-day space program, moon artifacts take on a special poignancy. The nation will surely find its way in space again, but the relics of the Apollo era the first grand age of exploration will likely never lose their value.

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Space-Exploration Artifacts Are Worth So Much Money for a Reason - TIME

Abstracts: Environmental Killings, Space Exploration, and More – Undark Magazine

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An iceberg the size of Delaware one of the largest ever recorded broke off the Antarctic continent this week. Scientists had been anticipating that the trillion-ton iceberg would break away for months, and they now worry about the hazards it poses for nearby ships. (Reuters)

One of the largest recorded icebergs could pose a threat to cruise ships traveling from South America.

Visual by James Petts/Flickr

A film clip has been successfully stored in bacterial DNA using the genome editing tool Crispr. The scientific advance ushers in new possibilities for other record-keeping techniques using bacteria, such as recording and replaying how human cells behave when a person becomes ill. (New York Times)

A record number of environmental activists were killed worldwide in 2016, primarily due to disputes over mining, logging, and agribusiness projects, according to a report released by Global Witness. Sixty percent of the killings occurred in Latin America, and almost 40 percent of the victims hailed from indigenous communities. (BBC)

The Yemeni government has dropped a request for cholera vaccines to slow the spread of the disease, which has claimed more1,742 lives in the war-torn country since April 27. A representative from the World Health Organization said the decision was made because most of Yemen has already been affected by the disease, reducing the effectiveness of vaccination. (Science)

A new gene therapy for leukemia has garnered support from an FDA panel of experts, an important milestone for the experimental treatment. The cancer therapy now awaits approval from the FDA itself, which is expected to make a final decision on October 3. (STAT)

An all-female high school robotics team from Afghanistan has been granted permission to compete in an American competition by President Trump, after having been twice denied requests for U.S. visas. (Associated Press)

The Juno spacecraft captured its first closeup images of Jupiters Great Red Spot. Mission Juno invites the public to download and tweak the images for free. (Science News)

And finally, hoping to become the first private company to land a spacecraft on the moon, the Florida startup Moon Express released a plan on Wednesday for a regular delivery service to send payloads to the moon. The plan is part of the companys efforts to make space exploration less expensive. (NBC News)

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Abstracts: Environmental Killings, Space Exploration, and More - Undark Magazine

How Moon Express is shooting way beyond the moon for space – Syfy – SYFY WIRE (blog)

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Moon Express is shooting for the moon with every intention of landing on its crater-covered surface. They dont intend to stop there, either.

Lunar exploration is only one small step for Moon Express. The company recently announced that it's developling an entire fleet of spacecraft to explore the moon, Mars and whatever lies beyond without the specter of exorbitant costs. CEO Bob Richards wants to make travel to the moon for both scientific and commercial purposes possible without the financial end of it existing in some unreachable galaxy.

"That's where my heart issolar system exploration on a grand scale that democratizes and completely accelerates our evolution into the solar system through knowledge and discovery, not just a few expensive voyages sponsored by kings and governments, like in history," said Richards. "We need to get everybody going."

A satellite is only the launching point for Moon Express far-out vision. They are currently one of five finalists competing for the Google Lunar X Prize (GXLP), meaning they could win $20 million for further research and development if they manage to be the first privately funded company to accomplish soft-landing a robot on the moon, moving it at least 1,640 feet across its pockmarked surface and beaming back hi-res images and video. Because the award will expire if it remains unclaimed by the end of this year, Moon Express plans to have its lander take off with Rocket Labs Electron booster, though the launch date is still floating in space.

GXLP is just the first portal of opportunity. Next to launch in 2019 will be a robotic research outpost that will search the lunar south pole for water and other resources that could possibly fuel missions to Mars or a potential space station orbiting the moon. The year 2020 will see the first commercial sample-return mission to the moon and back. MX-1 is the lander that will make these missions and more happen. Moon Express wants to mass-produce and market the MX-1 as a solo lunar explorer and use it as the basis for designing orbiter, lander and deep-space models of the more complex MX-2, MX-5 and MX-9. More advanced spacecraft will increase payloads and rocket engine power that could potentially make missions to the moons of Mars, Venus and beyond more than just the stuff of sci-fi.

"We're not The Moon Express," Richards added. "We're Moon Express, so any moon will do."

While a ticket to the moon is likely to set you back more than even a first-class seat to your next Earthly vacation destination, the companys estimates show a drastic reduction in costs that may only keep plunging further with new innovations. Moon travel could even become a thing.

(via Space.com)

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How Moon Express is shooting way beyond the moon for space - Syfy - SYFY WIRE (blog)

The United States aim for space exploration leadership – Travel Wires

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As the VP has recently named an advisory body named the National Space Council, the U.S. is expected to aim at new advances in the space traveling field. According to Pences statements earlier this week, Americans will build a "new era" of space travel, with both Moon and Mars missions in the schedule.

The Vice President offered few details about planned explorations, but joined the NASA's Kennedy Space Center in order to attend the construction phases of a NASA deep space missions spaceship, especially designed to launch astronauts to the low orbit of our planet. SpaceX and Boeing are the two companies that will build the capsules.

"Our nation will return to the Moon, and we will put American boots on the face of Mars. We did win the race to the Moon," Pence declared for the Space Centers audience.

For instance, the Deep Space Gateway project by NASA will use the Space Launch System rocket to send explorers near the Moon, while the missions to Mars are programmed around 2030, as a result of Barack Obama and George W. Bush previous space-related policies.

The relaunch of a strong space program was taken into consideration due to the fact that back in 2011 the United States has stopped sending its astronauts to the International Space Station, as the program was retired. Since then, American explorers use Russia's Soyuz spacecraft for prices as high as $80 million per seat.

Therefore, the Vice President also underlined the importance of the private industry developments, in order to make space travel safer and more affordable. No other specifics were yet provided though, as details on the administration's vision for both NASA and the commercial space flight industry are expected to be revealed during the next months.

"We will get back to winning in the 21st century and beyond," Mike Pence concluded.

As the current Trump administration proposed a $19.1 billion budget for NASA, with a 0.8 per cent decrease when compared with the figures last year, the agency is fighting to make its own adjustments to the budget, in order to be able to complete its projects. The final call will be decided by lawmakers later this year.

Source: phys.org

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The United States aim for space exploration leadership - Travel Wires

Our space programme will inspire Emirati youth and create a competitive economy – The National

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Space exploration is a necessity not only because of its tangible benefits to our everyday lives, but because of its potential to inspire and uplift mankind in ways we can only imagine. Kamran Jebreili / AP Photo

At the time of the first lunar landing, the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration was using the most advanced technology. Today, most people in the UAE have more computing power in their mobile phones than was available to the American astronauts back then.

Space exploration is one of the greatest catalysts for innovation in the 21st century and squarely aligns with the UAEs competitiveness strategy. As the UAE Space Agency celebrates its third anniversary today, we are proud to have developed the largest space programme in the region and remain dedicated to growing the sector, in line with the objectives of the UAE Vision 2021.

Underpinning our aspirations in space is an education system that creates a sustainable, globally competitive economy led by highly-skilled andhighly educated Emiratis.

The Ministry of Education is committed to realising this vision by expanding research and development as well as innovation opportunities across universities, fostering greater collaboration with the private sector and improving the quality of tertiary education, with the overall objective of preparing our graduates for the future. The competitiveness of the country relies on the competitiveness of its people and nowhere is this more evident than in our goals for space exploration.

I also have the distinct honour of serving as Chairman of the UAE Space Agency. Just as higher education pushes our boundaries, so do our aspirations in space. As with bolstering our higher education system, our ability to explore space reaps benefits beyond the immediate task it creates a virtuous cycle.

We recognise that space exploration is a necessity not only because of its tangible benefits to our everyday lives, but because of its potential to inspire and uplift mankind in ways we can only imagine. Satellite technology, for example, has been instrumental in weather forecasting, communications and broadcasting as well national security enhancements, let alone expanding our knowledge of the earth and universe. Now Mars offers the next frontier in space exploration and is a key strategic initiative of the UAE Space Agency.

The Emirates Mars Mission will be the first Arab mission to the Red Planet and aims to provide a truly global picture of the Martian atmosphere, from understanding its climate dynamics to the escape of hydrogen and oxygen. Once the Hope probe reaches Mars in 2021 and begins to gather this information, we will share our findings with more than 200 scientific institutions and education and research centres for analysis, allowing the UAE to lead the way in creating new knowledge about the universe.

These ambitions for our space programme have and will continue to inspire Emirati youth to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics, providing the UAE with the skilled manpower and capacity to conduct research and development that will advance space exploration. Furthermore, the possibility for greater discovery and innovation in space will motivate our young people to build the necessary expertise so that they may contribute to creating a brighter future for all of us.

In our efforts to be one of the most innovative nations in the world, higher education and space exploration will work hand-in-hand to secure the UAEs future. Together, they will drive sustainable economic development, help diversify our economyand elevate our competitiveness, thus ensuring the long-term prosperity of our great nation.

Dr Ahmad Belhoul is the UAEs Minister of State for Higher Education and newly appointed Chairman of the UAE Space Agency

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Our space programme will inspire Emirati youth and create a competitive economy - The National

Elon Musk’s space vision can inspire new generations: Letters – The Daily Breeze

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How on Earth are stories on space travel boring?

Re Space exploration isnt interesting anymore (Letters, July 9):

I couldnt disagree more with Robert Schilling regarding the newsworthiness of SpaceXs day-to-day successes and failures. As humans, I believe, we have an innate compulsion to explore and expand our areas of habitation, and space is still the ultimate frontier.

As a child I was enthralled with the TV broadcasts of the early successes of NASAs Mercury program, followed by Gemini and, of course, the very successful Apollo program with repeated landings of men on the moon and their safe return to Earth.

Unfortunately, the country lost interest in space exploration, and for the next few decades those of us with our hearts set on true space exploration and settlement had to be satisfied with Skylab, the Space Shuttle and merely poking around in the backwater of near Earth orbit.

The recent movie The Martian should help to spark the interest and passion of the generations younger than I in true space exploration, while Elon Musk has revitalized our efforts in actual human space exploration.

I, for one, will never tire of reading articles about what this true modern-day visionary is doing, on every front that interests him. Please continue with the interesting articles about SpaceX as well as Musks other endeavors.

Dale Mooney, Torrance

Study undercounted violence by Islamists

Re Is Trump ignoring U.S. hate groups? (July 9):

The article by Deepa Bharath suggested that the real threat to people in the U.S. is from white supremacist violence, rather than from Islamist groups.

It cites an Anti-Defamation League study that, for some unspecified reason, focuses on the years 2006-2015, to make its point that only 13 percent of the 295 extremist-related deaths in that time period involved domestic Islamic extremism. This artificial time period leaves out the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, which killed six and injured 1,042, and the 2001 World Trade Center attack, which killed almost 3,000 and injured over 6,000 both attacks by Islamic jihadists.

Then there was the attack by an Egyptian terrorist at LAX which killed two and injured four in 2002, plus the Beltway sniper jihadist attacks that same year which killed 17 and injured 10.

Its not clear if the study included the San Bernardino jihadist attack in December 2015, which killed 16 and injured 24. Then there was the June 2016 Islamist killing of 49 plus 53 injured at the Pulse nightclub in Florida.

Looking at a longer time span, Islamist-related killings dwarf those by white supremacists or environmentalists or anti-abortionists or other left-wing and right-wing groups, which, of course, is not the message that the article seeks to convey.

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Carl Pearlston, Torrance

If only president were ignoring hate groups

Re Is Trump ignoring U.S. hate groups? (July 9):

Often I run across a newspaper headline that causes me to go Well, duh! These headlines can appear in any paper: The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times or the Daily Breeze.

A couple of my favorites are Cancer often causes death and Statistics show teen pregnancies drop off after age 25. Sometimes I think this must have been a tired copy editor getting in a joke: Chick accuses colleagues of using sexist language.

A headline on the front page of the July 9 Daily Breeze will be an ironic favorite of mine for the Well, duh prize: Is Trump ignoring U.S. hate groups? Trump has not ignored U.S. hate groups: he has encouraged them.

An easy argument could be built to show that his election was in large part possible because he ridiculed and demeaned the handicapped, African-Americans, Mexicans, women well, a big list.

He was endorsed by the KKK. He has a white supremacist as a top advisor. His big political start was claiming former President Barack Obama was born in Africa, a reminder to everyone that Obama was black. He encouraged his supporters to violence both before the election and now as president.

Is Trump ignoring U.S. hate groups? Not at all: He is encouraging them, and encouraging them to violence.

Dee Masters, Torrance

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Elon Musk's space vision can inspire new generations: Letters - The Daily Breeze

Industrial Nanotech Inc (INTK) Needle Moving 0.00% – Stock Talker

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Shares ofIndustrial Nanotech Inc (INTK) aremoving on volatility today0.00% or $0.00 from the open.TheOTC listed companysaw a recent bid of $0.0038 and260790shares have traded hands in the session.

Investors might be looking for a way to boost profits as we move deeper into the second half of the year. Finding that next big winner may take a lot of research and number crunching with so many stocks trading around all-time highs. Finding that gem that everyone else missed can be an exhilarating feeling. On the other side of the coin, nobody wants to be stuck with that loser that drags down the portfolio. Knowing when to cut losses can play a significant role in longer-term portfolio stability. Investors may get too attached to a specific stock, and let emotions get involved in the decision making process. Keeping emotions out of stock picking may be tough, but it may be a smart play.

Taking a deeper look into the technical levels ofIndustrial Nanotech Inc (INTK), we can see thatthe Williams Percent Range or 14 day Williams %R currently sits at -47.83. 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.

Industrial Nanotech Inc (INTK) currently has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of 212.02. 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.

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, Industrial Nanotech Incs 14-day RSI is currently at 55.81, the 7-day stands at 62.20, and the 3-day is sitting at 79.75.

Currently, the 14-day ADX for Industrial Nanotech Inc (INTK) is sitting at 41.95. 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.

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Industrial Nanotech Inc (INTK) Needle Moving 0.00% - Stock Talker

Needle Tilting Mid-Session For NanoTech Entertainment Inc (NTEK) – Union Trade Journal

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Shares ofNanoTech Entertainment Inc (NTEK) aremoving on volatility today3.69% or $0.0008 from the open.TheOTC listed companysaw a recent bid of $0.0225 and84112shares have traded hands in the session.

When it comes to investing in the equity markets, patience may play a key role in how successful the portfolio is. Learning the ins and outs of the markets can take a lot of time and energy. Investors who are able to make well researched, calculated decisions may be putting themselves in a much better place. Learning how to focus on the most pertinent data can put the individual investor on the right track. With so much information available, it becomes highly important to be able to discern what information deserves attention and what doesnt. Once the investor knows exactly what to look for, the process may become gradually easier and much more manageable.

Digging deeping into the NanoTech Entertainment Inc (NTEK) s technical indicators, we note that the Williams Percent Range or 14 day Williams %R currently sits at -75.00. 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.

NanoTech Entertainment Inc (NTEK) currently has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of -85.46. 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.

Currently, the 14-day ADX for NanoTech Entertainment Inc (NTEK) is sitting at 40.64. 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 RSI for NanoTech Entertainment Incis currently at 39.61, the 7-day stands at 39.89, and the 3-day is sitting at 41.45.

By Journal Contributor

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Needle Tilting Mid-Session For NanoTech Entertainment Inc (NTEK) - Union Trade Journal

Psychiatrists Say Cannabis Medicine Has Psychedelic Properties – The Marijuana Times

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Cannabis is currently not classified or typically thought of as a psychedelic, but some mental health professionals say they would like to change that. It has been suggested that psychedelics such as mushrooms could also treat depression, PTSD, alcoholism, and so on. And psychiatrists also now believe that cannabis has some psychedelic properties that could be beneficial in treating various mental disorders. While this is certainly not news to anyone privy to the vast benefits of cannabis medicine, the study put out by these mental health professionals raises some interesting points.

While attending a recent conference in Londonregarding the science of psychedelics, New York psychiatrist Julie Holland suggested that cannabis medicine could be linked to de-habituation an effect that is experienced by psychedelic drug users. This term is used by some mental health professionals to describe the experience a user might have on mushrooms in which they experience life in a child-like state of wonder, and that things that were once mundane and uninteresting end up becoming enthralling and engaging. According to Holland, some cannabis medicine might cause users to feel the same type of effect, which she believes could be a useful tool in treating mental health issues.

The thing that Im interested in with cannabis is how it does this thing where everything old is new again. That can be very helpful in psychiatry, Holland said in an article appearing in Business Insider.

Holland is currently involved in a Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) study with the goal of determining whether cannabis is an effective treatment for veterans suffering from PTSD.

As with every other much-needed study on cannabis, of course the absurd stronghold of the federal government continually refusing to reclassify the medicine away from its current schedule one designation halts any would-be progress that such research would discover. Despite that absurdity, it is great to see mental health professionals such as Holland being open and vocal about her desire to possibly treat disorders with something other than potentially harmful pharmaceuticals. We need more doctors, nurses, science and medical educators and mental health professionals like Holland to have the courage to come forward and say enough is enough: Cannabis is indeed effective medicine, whether the powers that be like that fact or not.

What are your thoughts on the possible psychedelic properties of cannabis medicine? Do you think there is any merit to these statements? Let us know in the comments.

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Psychiatrists Say Cannabis Medicine Has Psychedelic Properties - The Marijuana Times

Buying a boost: Smart drugs on campus – Emerald Media – Oregon Daily Emerald

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When Alexis got to the University of Oregon her freshman year, she was introduced to Adderall by someone selling it in her dorm. She went on to use it a couple of times a month for long readings and writing essays, as well as during exam periods.

If I needed to get things done quickly or jam a bunch of info into my head, it would be crazy easy, Alexis said.

Alexis, who asked that her real name not be used because its illegal to possess Adderall without a prescription, is just one of many UO students introduced to prescription stimulants when they come to college. A 2016 study conducted by the University of Maryland reported that 61.8 percent of students are offered prescription stimulants at some point during their college career. The same study found that up to one in five college students reported using those prescription stimulants.

These students take and sell the drug despite the legal risks. Its against the law to sell stimulants or possess them without a prescription. In 2005, a UO student was arrested for selling the drug from his dorm room.

Smart drugs

Nootropics, or smart drugs, are establishing themselves in mainstream society, similar to how athletic performance-enhancing drugs like anabolic steroids grew in popularity and notoriety in the past. The dangers of athletic doping are well documented. In the world of cognitive enhancement, the jury is still out on determining whether taking these drugs are worth the possibility of unknown long-term side effects.

In 1957, businessman Peter Drucker predicted that the most valuable asset of a 21st-century institution, whether business or nonbusiness, will be its knowledge workers and their productivity. This prediction seems to have come true. Knowledge workers, workers whose main capital is knowledge, are increasingly sought after as opposed to service and production employees in the information age that we live in. Many jobs are becoming more automated or outsourced elsewhere.

Unlike previous classes of working people who competed based on physical prowess or through their ability to do repetitive menial tasks, knowledge workers require a different set of skills. Brainpower being able to think critically and creatively to solve complex problems has become the differentiating factor required to succeed in knowledge-based jobs.

Best-selling author and entrepreneur Tim Ferriss explains that in business, The difference between completely failing and losing all of your money, and going home with your tail between your legs, making a million dollars, and making a billion dollars is right here [pointing to his head].

With an increased emphasis on critical thinking and problem solving, it makes sense that people are becoming more interested in cognitive-enhancing substances that hold the promise of potentially increasing focus, motivation, mood, attention and even out-of-the-box thinking ability.

Nootropics encompass a wide array of natural and synthetic drugs, dietary supplements, amino acids and other substances that are said to improve some aspect of cognition. Nootropics range from common and well-studied substances like caffeine and nicotine to pharmaceuticals like Modafinil and Adderall.

Most people are already smart drug users on a daily basis, whether they realize it or not. The FDA estimates that 80 percent of adults in the U.S. use caffeine daily. Caffeine can also improve energy, attention and certain aspects of memory.

Caffeine seems to be enough of a kick for most, though stronger stimulants such as Adderall or Ritalin Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder drugs make common appearances as study drugs on college campuses.

Potential Danger

Adderall increases dopamine levels in the brain, hitting the pleasure centers such as the ventral tegmental area and the nucleus accumbens to elevate mood, focus and vigilance.

That 10-page paper thats due tomorrow morning might be enough of a temptation for a student to take Adderall in an attempt to pull an all-nighter and get more done in less time. While Adderall may help in the short run, its side effects can include insomnia and loss of appetite, and consistent use can cause withdrawal symptoms.

For Alexis, the benefits of using Adderall came at a high price.

A side effect Ive had nearly every time Ive used it is a nasty comedown I get a really lonely and depressing feeling for a couple of hours after it wears off.

According to university physician Dr. Anna Hejinian, Adderall is a Schedule II drug the same category as cocaine and methamphetamine. The FDA classifies medications as Schedule II if they have a high abuse potential, leading to possibly severe psychological or physical dependence. Despite the problems with drugs classified in Schedule II, these medications still have effective medical uses, according to the FDA.

The process of filling a prescription for Adderall and other prescription psychostimulants is similar to the opioid painkillers Vicodin and Oxycontin, Hejinian says. In order to get legally prescribed ADHD medications, Hejinian explained that patients must undergo rigorous testing to determine whether they really have ADHD.

Because its so time intensive, the health center doesnt usually prescribe for or diagnose ADHD, Hejinian says.

Its illegal to the point where you could be in jail if you offer these medicines [prescription stimulants] to someone else for their use, she said.

Alternatives

There are other cognitive-enhancing pharmaceutical alternatives to amphetamines, such as Modafinil, a wakefulness-promoting drug (not a traditional stimulant) prescribed to counter fatigue in conditions such as narcolepsy or sleep apnea. While commonly studied in sleep-deprived individuals, recent studies have shown benefits in healthy subjects. Twenty-six percent of students at Oxford University had taken the drug, according to a campus newspaper survey in 2014, and many professionals already use Modafinil in an effort to enhance their performance. Modafinil, a Schedule IV drug, has gentler side effects than ADHD stimulants.

Dave Asprey is an entrepreneur and founder of Bulletproof, a lifestyle brand that sells coffee and supplements engineered to improve performance. He went on CNN and ABC Nightline to publicly discuss the impact of Modafinil in his life. He gives the drug credit for allowing him to work full-time at a startup that sold for $600 million, while getting an MBA from Wharton.

One reason I like [Modafinil] is that it shares many of the benefits other stimulants do, without the addiction or withdrawal, Asprey said. Modafinil is a prescription drug though, so you will need to talk to a physician to obtain it.

Modafinil is compared to the fictional NZT-48 pill that Bradley Coopers character takes in the movie Limitless. In the movie, Coopers character is a disheveled bachelor with writers block who starts taking the pill and is able to quickly finish a novel, learn multiple foreign languages and make millions trading stocks.

A review paper found that Modafinil improves decision making, planning ability and performance on lengthy tasks. Anna-Katharine Brem, a co-author of the study, stated, In the face of vanishingly few side effects in these controlled environments, Modafinil can be considered a cognitive enhancer.

While smart drugs steal the show and gain lots of media coverage, natural substances can also enhance brain performance. Vitamins and minerals are essential for healthy brain function. Vitamin B12 deficiencies can cause cognitive difficulties and memory issues, and can even result in severe depression and paranoia in extremely deficient individuals. Low vitamin D levels can result in as much as twice the cognitive impairment as compared to people with optimal levels, according to a recent study.

Steven Fowkes, an organic chemist and founder of the Cognitive Enhancement Research Institute, said fixing nutritional deficiencies can result in the same effects that a drug delivers.

The first place to start is with B-complex vitamins. See if theres an objective increase in cognitive performance, said Fowkes.

This approach, working from the ground up to improve our neurochemistry, is a safer and potentially more impactful option than taking pharmaceuticals that carry risks.

Asprey said exercise, sleep, and nutrition are bigger levers than drugs.

While popping a pill is much easier than developing a healthy lifestyle to increase your brainpower, it might not be the most effective choice.

An Uncertain Verdict

Smart drugs also carry risks, many of which are not well-studied in humans, and the long-term side effects have not been determined in many of these substances. Smart drug usage certainly presents ethical dilemmas. Some argue that smart drugs, like doping in sports, provide an unfair advantage. People might feel compelled to take smart drugs if their co-workers and classmates are taking them and doing better as a result.

Smart drugs and other cognitive enhancing substances offer the possibility of altering human cognition. A radical leap ahead in human consciousness is possible in the ever-expanding world of nootropics, although weighing the rewards with the risks of taking cognitive enhancers is a necessary component.

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Cyberpunks creator on helping CD Projekt Red stay true to …

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During my conversation with Mike Pondsmith, two people ask him to sign artwork from the Cyberpunk pen and paper game that he created. He tells me it never stops being weird, the fact that people want his autograph, but he gets it. Cyberpunk is cool, its rebellion, its sticking an augmented finger to the system. And its not just an aesthetic.

At core, unless you have the meaning behind the black leather and the neon, you lose what cyberpunk is. Thats the problem with getting Cyberpunk made as a videogame; people dont get it. They think its about action heroes quipping as they take down corporations. Over the years, Pondsmith has made deals with companies to bring Cyberpunk to PC but says hes glad that those deals crashed because now the real deal has arrived. CD Projekt Red, the studio behind The Witcher and upcoming Cyberpunk 2077, get it. Theyre actual fans and they know stuff about Cyberpunk that Ive forgotten.

The futures looking bright then, even through the obligatory shades.

If I could have one person running an RPG campaign for me and my friends, itd be Mike Pondsmith. Hes been living and breathing this stuff for years, and hes a born storyteller. At one point, I mentioned that Id been told he owned a lot of guns and he explained that he liked to fire guns because its important to know how they feel when figuring out combat mechanics. The guns, like the many books that he owns, are part of a library of information to be translated into world-building and systemic game design.

But theyre also weapons, and theyre not the only ones in the Pondsmith home.

I wanted a house that was hard to find. On the web and in life, I dont like to be traceable, so I wanted a place that people couldnt look up very easily. Its in the woods, you wont find it on Google Streetview, and nobody has any reason to come by unless they know Im there.

One day I looked out of the window early in the morning and there was this guy out front. I kept an eye on him and he wasnt moving. I didnt know him so I figure he has no good reason to be here, so I got hold of a katana

Wed been talking for long enough at this point that the casual katana barely registered. Of course Mike Pondsmith would have a katana close at hand in case of intruders, I thought. The day I met him he had a Millennium Falcon stud through his ear. The day before there had been another favoured pop culture reference hanging from the lobe. Like Cyberpunk itself, Pondsmith is nerdy as heck but shot through with a slightly unhinged sense of cool that he carries well, even though his particular cool is either very forward-looking or a couple of decades out of date. In conversation, hes part professor, part excitable enthusiast. He laughs a lot, often at his own lines, but is serious and sincere behind that.

Hed be a great person to have around an RPG table so, yeah, if I could have one person running an RPG campaign for me and my friends, itd be Mike Pondsmith. But if I had to fight one RPG designer with a katana, it would be just about anybody else.

I didnt have to use it but I was prepared to, he says when I ask how the encounter ended. He had just got back from a tour in Afghanistan and had somehow managed to look me up online and wanted to tell me how he and some of the other guys had played Cyberpunk out there, and how much it meant to him.

One of the stories I shared with Pondsmith was far more mundane but it helped me to get to the heart of what Cyberpunk means to him. We met at Gamelab in Barcelona and a couple of weeks earlier, right before E3, my phone had died. I had to buy a replacement in the airport before the flight out to Los Angeles and anyone who has been on the verge of a long trip and finds themselves suddenly without their most-treasured gadget can no doubt sympathise. Without it, I didnt have access to maps, hotel details, contact numbers and emails for appointments, or even the boarding pass for my flight. Its only when Im suddenly without a phone that I realise how much I need it.

I mentioned this to Pondsmith as we were talking about anxieties around reliance on technology and I used my former phone as a convenient example.

But what did you do? He asked.

I bought a new phone. I had to.

Thats cyberpunk. Its not just about the tech, its about the ubiquity of the tech. If augmentations are rare, if they make the people who have them special, thats not cyberpunk. It has to be street level. It has to be everywhere and available to almost everyone.

The phone anecdote might have triggered this central idea about cyberpunk, but before we dug into body horror, the ubiquity of tech, and real world social and political parallels, we spent some time discussing exactly what CD Projekt Red are doing with Pondsmiths fictional future, and how hes contributing to the game.

What happened was, around four years ago they called us up and Id never heard of them. I was imagining a tiny studio out in Poland that had done very little, and then I looked at The Witcher 2 and thought, Wow. This is good. This is really good. So I flew out to see them and realised they were genuine fans of Cyberpunk. What they didnt realise is that Ive worked in design on the videogame side as well as tabletop

At the beginning of the project, I talked to them a lot, every week. For a long time they didnt realise Id worked in digital, but Ive been doing pen and paper for 20 years and digital for fifteen. When I was explaining Cyberpunk to them, I was explaining the mechanics in a way that they understood and that helped them to realise I could contribute more to the actual design.

Now I do a lot more meta-talk to the whole team, to make sure that they get the gag and they know what the touchstones are. From there I got involved more in actual gameplay mechanics; what can we get away with. We had a discussion at one point, for example, about flying cars. I have them in cyberpunk because they are a fast and efficient way of getting characters from one end of a ruined city to another. And trauma teams are there because we dont have clerics.

But what happens to these things in a digital, three- dimensional environment. Flying cars are cool but theyre not there for flying car gun fights. Its not their place in the world. Theyre a convenience in the design and like so many things in Cyberpunk they have a mechanical function rather than just being there because theyre cool.

So a lot of the conversations weve had on the team are not can we do this? We can do just about anything. Instead, its me explaining why I did it in pen and paper, and then we figure out if we need it again, and whether it serves a different purpose in a videogame. I know why flying cars are there in the original but thats not necessarily the same functionality we need in 2077. Everything is taken apart in terms of what it does to the game, how it differs from tabletop, and getting the right feel.

It was news to me that Pondsmith was having this kind of input on Cyberpunk 2077, alongside his work on a new iteration of the tabletop game. The new pen and paper version, coincidentally codenamed Cyberpunk Red before any contact with CD Projekt Red had occurred, will be set in 2020, decades earlier in the timeframe. Because the two games are in the same continuity, theres a back and forth about narrative aspects that need to match in a credible way. Pondsmith has had to tell the 2077 devs that certain characters they might want to use will be dead and forgotten by the time their story begins, although he smiles, saying I do have ways to bring some of them back.

But the tone and meaning of Cyberpunk 2077 is harder to capture than the specifics of individual characters.

One of the things I love about cyberpunk as a genre is that there is a romanticism to it. Theres a sincerity. Even now, cities are romantic. Me and my wife were staring out over the chasm of the city one night and seeing the neon and hearing the sirens, and when youre there, youre aware of this whole manic aspect living underneath you. The addition of these new technologies just gives it a bigger impact.

Its about more than big guns and leather jackets. Walter Jon Williams wrote the book that really got me into this, Hardwired. Its total whack-out fable of doomed romance against desperate stupid odds. You know its not going to work but you really hope that it does, and thats what cyberpunk is all about.

Its constantly evolving though, as a genre and I dont feel any ownership of it. Take Ghost in the Shell. The new movie is not Standalone Complex, which is not the original Ghost in the Shell. Then theres something like Appleseed, which is what we will get if we manage to survive whats going on in Ghost. Theyre different kinds of cyberpunk a lot of the Japanese works have made me feel more about what defines it. Believable technology and a callous universe of people more powerful than you who are so powerful theyre faceless. Its about fighting for your piece of ground so you can have a life. Cyberpunk heroes arent trying to save the world, theyre trying to save themselves.

Im interested in the idea of faceless villains, though Im not entirely sure villains is the right word. Pondsmith uses Blade Runner as an example.

We never see the face of power in Blade Runner. Instead, we see an errand boy, Gaff, but we never see the top level. And Deckard doesnt think about what hes doing, he doesnt really question it. Some power that is tells him to kill replicants, who might well essentially be people, but the whole point when he leaves with Rachel is that he doesnt save the replicants. He saves Rachel and goes away. Thats not a heros tale. Thats somebody saving his skin and the skin of someone he cares about, but its very cyberpunk. That idea of feeling that the chance that we have with each other, and the chance of a better life, is worth incurring the wrath of these unseen and mighty powers.

But Blade Runners cyberpunk isnt Pondsmiths Cyberpunk. He likes Blade Runner though, which is more than can be said for a lot of the sci-fi movies we end up discussing. He likes internal consistency, particularly when it comes to tech and the ideas behind that tech, and its something he thinks writers often sacrifice for a thematic punch, or to move a plot. When it comes to games, hes critical of Deus Ex, though not so much because of any specific aspect, but rather, I think, because its worryingly close to the game Cyberpunk might have become in the wrong hands.

I like a lot of the things that are going on there but the main characters are special because of the technology so its very far from street-level cyberpunk. The tech shouldnt make you a hero, it should just be a part of ordinary life.

This bring us back to my dead phone and the ubiquity of technologies that were so recently unimaginably powerful.

If you lose your phone, or it dies, then you just replace it. Pondsmith says, waving around his own smartphone, which is currently pinging him real-time information about seismic activity somewhere in South America. Im plugged into the planet with this thing. Thats how amazing it is, but the tech is everywhere. It took me about an hour at most to re-establish everything that had been on my old phone on this one when I bought it. Information and preferences are easily transferable.

I think theres a deeper issue though: even if I can replace the phone, I dont control the networks and the satellites that allow the phone to operate. So much of the power isnt in the phone, its in the access that the phone has, and that is not replaceable. Not by me at any rate. If my provider cuts me off from data and telecommunications networks, I own a very expensive brick that can play match-3 games.

Think of it in the context of net neutrality, which is really about corporations not wanting people to have access to other people. Within six to eight years of net neutrality crashing and burning, if that happens, well end up with an alternate net. You might not be able to build it yourself, but somebody will create it and provide ways for you to access it. The upshot of the ubiquity isnt just that you can buy a thing or access it through official channels, its that when those official channels are taken away, or censored or throttled or controlled, somebody will always replace them. People will make alternate forms. It even happens with currency. Look at Bitcoin; its money that the government doesnt necessarily control.

To build his vision of the future, Pondsmith has absorbed knowledge about technology, futurism, politics, social trends, fashion, geology, and just about any other topic you might care to mention. A designers library, he says, should be deep and broad.

Were just having two new bookcases into the bedroom, which will mean every wall contains books, and thats on top of an entire room devoted to books downstairs, and the ones stored in the office. Its paleontology, a hobby of mine, to human history and everything in between. Part of the reading is building knowledge, but its about trying to get a sense of the zeitgeist: what is going on, what is visible, what will give us certain outcomes.

I asked if finding the zeitgeist had become easier now that theres so much data to dig through, or if all the noise made finding a clear signal harder than it had been in the eighties, before information clogged the air that we breathe.

What you have to do is go outside your bubbles. The more dataflow you can stand in, the more you can learn. I hit reddit and twitter, and do a lot of lurking. There are only three places where I let people know who I am, mainly so that I can get a reaction from fans and people who are interested in our work. I can learn a lot by going to a store, looking at the magazines people are reading. I can learn a million things by visiting a toy store. These are the ideas the next generation will grow up with.

The internet is important too, of course. I spend a lot of time trawling for information, checking things and going down rabbit holes. But you expose yourself to a lot of terrible things as well as wonderful things out there. I had a really nice young woman who was my social media person and she almost had a breakdown dealing with it. The biggest advantage you can have out there is to be unflappable. That helps. The most horrible voices are usually the loudest because they have no other place to yell.

All of that noise, the yelling and the disenfranchisement included, often seems symptomatic of a peculiarly modern mania. Does Cyberpunk have to reflect the times we live in, and the geopolitical changes from one edition to the next?

Cyberpunk Red has an entire bunch of sections that say 2020 is closer than you think. I talk about ramifications of what we are doing now. This is my sons reality and future, and unless we start straightening our shit out, its not going to be pretty. There is a strong political undercurrent in Cyberpunk, but the biggest message is simple: if you want a future you have to take it into your own hands and realise that nobody else will build it for you. That may involve political action, hacking, or picking up a gun. But the future doesnt come out how you want it unless you make that change.

Another central tenet of Cyberpunk, Pondsmith tells me, is that even if a cause is doomed, you need to fight for it. Indeed, the Cyberpunk world is full of people striking against what they see as misuse and abuse of power, whether in the form of ecoterrorism or anti-corp hacks and assaults. The line between freedom fighter, survivor and terrorist is blurred.

There are some eerie parallels in things Ive written about terrorist attacks and situations in the real world, but if you follow the trends as you write about the future youre probably going to end up a place that is sometimes painfully familiar. But Cyberpunk is a parallel future rather than a prediction of our future. Terrorism comes about when you have people who want to fight someone but dont have the means to fight them except through these acts. These situations arent new they could reflect 19th century India, mid-20th century Europe or 21st century America.

But whether these futures are parallel or predictive, Pondsmith doesnt think were far from our very own cyberpunk lifestyle.

The thing of it for me is that it all boils down to people and how they use tech. It boils down to tool-use and that is the extension that makes us kind of meta-creatures. You remember things on a much larger level because you have memory devices. At any minute you can get a story and translate it into five languages, then throw graphics behind it. You have access to these insane tools.

Part of whats happening now is that these tools are becoming accessible to more and more people; across history, powerful creative tools have been the promise of the very few, like the printing press and even paper and ink. Benjamin Franklin said the power of the press belongs to those who own one. Well, a whole lot of us own things more powerful than the printing press now.

But how far away is a device transmitting information and providing access to tools from actual body augmentation?

Body horror creates an interesting cultural sliding point. Once we get over the body horror aspect though, well be happy to have it all built-in as long as, once again, its easy to repair or replace. One of the things about the cyberpunk culture is that were not going to get man-machines because we want to turn ourselves into robots; not in terms of jumping fifty feet in the air or punching through a wall. Itll happen because we want more choices, more knowledge and more access.

So no bionic arms then?

I didnt say that, but I certainly wouldnt be first in line. My kids might though. The idea that Im going to cut my arm off all the way to the elbow and replace it with metal is he shudders. But the tipping point is already gone. Old people have artificial hips, my mother had surgery to remove cataracts and now her vision is better than it was before the cataracts.

Eventually the transgressive nature will be reduced. An entire new thing right now is 3d printing to build prostheses for kids that lack limbs. Well, somebody who has a silver-chrome cyberlimb like [Cyberpunk character] Johnny Silverhand might tempt some kid who isnt missing a limb to have their hand removed just so they can have a better one. Like Johnnys. At some point, when that process is easy to do, it wont seem like such a big deal.

Pondsmith introduces me to Aimee Mullins, through the medium of a TED talk rather than in person. Ill leave you with that excellent talk, but first a word about a familiar character.

I think Geralt is a little bit cyberpunk and I hope we can sneak something in 2077 that relates to him without the fans immediately catching on. He does what he needs to do, he doesnt necessarily get any joy out of it he just makes sure that what needs to go down does go down. Its a combination of fatalism and romanticism. Thats cyberpunk.

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Cyberpunks creator on helping CD Projekt Red stay true to ...

Cyberpunk 2077 release date, trailer and news | TechRadar – TechRadar

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Following on from the wild success of The Witcher 3 isnt going to be easy but with Cyberpunk 2077, we think CD Projekt Red might have a pretty good shot at it. In this new IP theyre moving from the gritty, high fantasy world of the Continent to the gritty, science fiction word of a neon cyberpunk metropolis.

This game looks like its going to offer a significant aesthetic refresh from The Witcher 3, but hopefully without abandoning everything we loved about it in terms of gameplay, themes and tone. Of course, at the moment we dont know all that much about Cyberpunk 2077.

The internet is crawling with news and rumors, though, so weve collected everything that's been said about the game here for your convenience and we'll be constantly updating this page as more details emerge.

After an extremely short title reveal trailer, in 2013 we were treated to a more than two minute long teaser trailer although it didn't reveal much about what will be in the actual game.

It did, however, capture Cyberpunk's futuristic setting incredibly well and let us know that when it comes we can expect something dark, dangerous and visually stunning. At the end it also looks like we get a look at the Braindance technology discussed further down.

In the games official teaser trailer its stated that the game will be coming when its ready. But for now it appears that CD Projekt Red is hoping that will be sometime in early 2019.

In an investor call in early 2016 it was suggested that Cyberpunk 2077 would be released before June 2019. It was also said in this call that CD Projekt Red is planning to release two new triple A RPGs before 2021.

It was later clarified in forums that Cyberpunk 2077 would be the first of these games to arrive and work on the second would not start before Cyberpunk 2077 was finished.

Considering The Witcher 3 took around three and a half years to develop, a 2019 release doesnt seem unmanageable for the studio.

As well as a deadline theyve no doubt set for themselves, the studio also has a deadline from the Polish government.

In December of last year they were given a grant of more than $5 million from the government to research new game techniques related to multiplayer, animation and city creation. The sizable sum came with a project deadline attached and if it does relate to Cyberpunk 2077 itll mean the game really does have to be released in 2019. The government said so, which ironically isnt particularly Cyberpunk.

Its going to be bigger than The Witcher 3

It would have been a pretty safe guess to say that Cyberpunk 2077 is going to be a big game, but in an interview with MCV in 2015 visual effects artist Jose Teixeira said its going to be far, far bigger than anything the studio has ever done.

In fact, he said that The Witcher 3 was being treated as a learning experience and that they could do better. To do better, the studio has doubled in size with studio head Adam Badowski saying that after The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077 needs to be even better, even bigger, even more revolutionary than what had originally been planned.

Youll be travelling on more advanced tech than boats and horses

So, we know the game map is going to be intimidatingly big. How will we get around it, then? Well fortunately, moving out of the high fantasy realm gives CD Projekt Red a little more freedom when it comes to creating vehicles.

Dont expect horses and basic boats here a job listing for a Senior Vehicle Artist for the studio said theyd be expected to work on incredibly complex vehicles, planes, bikes, robots and mechanics.

Itll have a big single player story

We dont imagine well shock many people when we say this but Cyberpunk 2077 will take place in the year 2077.

Specifically CD Projekt Red has confirmed itll be set in a place called Night City. Night Citys streets will be huge, filthy, and invested with drug problems. As youd expect from the Cyberpunk genre, therell be a huge wealth gap, where the rich and corporations preside over poverty-stricken citizens, many of whom are driven into gangs.

Desperate for escape, many of the poor residents of Night City turn to an addictive escape known as Braindance which for just a few hours allows them to feel physically and mentally like theyre someone (anyone) else.

According to CD Projekt Red theyre digital recordings of a persons experience. The viewer can stream a braindance directly into his neural system via special brain augmentations, called a BD player. Braindances allow the viewer to experience all brain processes registered, including emotions, muscle movements and all stimuli perceived by the recording person.

Braindance experiences that place you in the lives of the rich and glamorous are naturally sold by corporations. However, much darker and illegal Braindances that can turn those using them into bloodthirsty killers are also distributed on the black market.

In this incredibly dark world youll play a young man thats been raised in the lowest section of society but wants to make something of himself and rise out of the gutter. Like most Cyberpunk protagonists we imagine hell be something of an anti-hero and find himself embroiled in the criminal underworld, manipulated and forced into difficult situations. How Braindances will be used by or on the protagonist is unclear.

The game will be an RPG like The Witcher 3 and videogame character progression will fit in well to Cyberpunks world of physical and mental augmentations.

Its based on the Cyberpunk board games, the creator of which, Mike Pondsmith, has been working closely with the development team to ensure it stays true to the source material and doesnt lose the Cyberpunk at its core.

This contrasts with the studio's relationship with the author of the Witcher novels, Andrzej Sapkowski, who has always been ambivalent about the games.

But there will be multiplayer elements

It was confirmed years ago that the game would have multiplayer elements but what exactly theyll be is unclear. It was said, though, that the game would mainly focus on single player.

Considering some of the grant CD Projekt Red received from the Polish government was to go towards creating new techniques that included multiplayer experiences were expecting something exciting and refreshing.

Combat inspired by the original tabletop RPG

We know that the designer of the tabletop RPG Cybperunk on which Cyberpunk 2077 is based is heavily involved in the creation of the game. We hope his involvement extends to the game's combat because the combat system he created in his own game was fairly revolutionary for the tabletop genre.

Rather than involving drawn out and long turns, it was fast, brutal, gritty and overall perfectly suited to the spirit of Cyberpunk.

A big part of Cyberpunk combat involves upgrading your body with new abilities and robotics which would be perfectly in line with a video game character development system like those created by CD Projekt Red.

In Pondsmith's game bodily enhancement has to be carefully considered it's a balancing act where every benefit has a drawback. When a player makes robotic additions to themselves they reduce their humanity and empathy leading to an uncontrollable state of cyberpsychosis. This has the potential to be a really interesting system if it's adapted for the game and could be used in a similar manner to excessive consumption of combat-enhancing potions in The Witcher.

Keep checking back here for all the latest Cyberpunk 2077 news

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CD Projekt RED will make Cyberpunk 2077 feel authentic – TweakTown

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CD Projekt RED are big fans of the original Cyberpunk 2020, and have conscripted original Cyberpunk designer Mike Pondsmith to preserve authenticity

CD Projekt RED is working with original board game designer Mike Pondsmith to ensure their new Cyberpunk 2077 magnum opus stays true to the original.

Cyberpunk 2077 is the biggest project Polish games developer CD Projekt RED has ever worked on--and that's saying a lot since the studio is known for the massive sprawling The Witcher game series. But Cyberpunk 2077 is something different altogether, and rerepsents a much greater opportunity for the company to flex its might and talent. We know Cyberpunk 2077 will have insane next-gen level technology with massive living, breathing cities with flying cars and real-time AI, and that CD Projekt RED has received a $5.6 million grant from the Polish government to help fund their vision for the game.

Despite the massive next-generation tech barrier, CD Projekt RED wants to ensure Cyberpunk 2077 is as authentic to the original source material as possible. The studio has been working with original Cyberpunk 2020 board game designer Mike Pondsmith to ensure the game exemplifies the unique techno-punk universe he helped make back in the late 80s and early 90s. Pondsmith told Rock, Paper, Shotgun that CD Projekt Red "gets cyberpunk" and that the studio is passionate about the fictional series. "They're actual fans and they know stuff about Cyberpunk that I've forgotten."

"At core, unless you have the meaning behind the black leather and the neon, you lose what cyberpunk is. That's the problem with getting Cyberpunk made as a videogame; people don't get it. They think it's about action heroes quipping as they take down corporations."

Read Also: Cyberpunk 2077 is more ambitious than planned

Pondsmith goes on to highlight how he's worked with the Polish studio to help guide their progress through the massively ambitious game, and shape its high-tech world.

"What happened was, around four years ago they called us up and I'd never heard of them. I was imagining a tiny studio out in Poland that had done very little, and then I looked at The Witcher 2 and thought, "Wow. This is good. This is really good." So I flew out to see them and realised they were genuine fans of Cyberpunk.

"At the beginning of the project, I talked to them a lot, every week. For a long time they didn't realize I'd worked in digital, but I've been doing pen and paper for 20 years and digital for fifteen. When I was explaining Cyberpunk to them, I was explaining the mechanics in a way that they understood and that helped them to realize I could contribute more to the actual design.

"Now I do a lot more meta-talk to the whole team, to make sure that they get the gag and they know what the touchstones are. From there I got involved more in actual gameplay mechanics; what can we get away with."

As we've previously reported, Cyberpunk 2077 will indeed have flying cars and large, next-generation city-scapes with impressive AI. Pondsmith highlights that he helped the team adapt key features of the board game into video game form, and give ideas to shape the scope of the project.

"So a lot of the conversations we've had on the team are not "can we do this?" We can do just about anything. Instead, it's me explaining why I did it in pen and paper, and then we figure out if we need it again, and whether it serves a different purpose in a videogame. I know why flying cars are there in the original but that's not necessarily the same functionality we need in 2077. Everything is taken apart in terms of what it does to the game, how it differs from tabletop, and getting the right feel."

Since Cyberpunk 2077 is CDPR's most ambitious game, the studio says it needs a lot of time to make it. The project is expected to release by 2021 alongside another AAA RPG (which could be another Witcher game), but we won't have any reveals or showcases this year.

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CD Projekt RED will make Cyberpunk 2077 feel authentic - TweakTown

RoboCop at 30: how its cyberpunk vision of the future became a reality – iNews

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Thirty years on from the release ofRobocop, applied futurist Tom Cheesewright notes thatthe films vision of cyborgsecurity and the privatisation of public life has become a startling reality

Talk to people about cyborgs, and even 30 years on from its arrival in cinemas, RoboCop remains a common point of reference.

Strutting the streets of Detroit in his shiny metal hide, Officer Murphys robotic reincarnation really stuck in peoples minds, as did the rest of Paul Verhoevens vision: rampant consumerism and the privatisation of public life.

But how does this vision stack up against todays reality? Is it already here, yet to come, or perhaps totally unfeasible?

If you want to know about the privatisation of public life, and particularly public spaces, ask any skateboarder.Large swathes of our cities have been turned over to private property developers, and are now policed as such.

Try to skate in the wrong place, and you might not get a warning shot from an over-zealous cyborg. But you could beshut down by a security guard on a Segway.

Theres no physical fusion of biology and technology here, but Id argue its still a cyborg.

The sci-fi vision of cyborgs as machine and human in the same body were driven by the technology of the Cold War era, when the term was coined.

Scientists knew that the human bodys frailty was a weakness in environments like outer space or a nuclear fallout zone, but our minds outstripped the power of any computer.

If we could find a way to closely connect the human mind to physical might, the result might be unstoppable.

The physical might of machines hasnt moved on that far, but computers are now much closer to human capabilities.

Weve also developed much better interfaces between the two.

The result is computers we can control with a single spoken command, phones that respond to the slightest touch or swipe, and self-balancing scooters that only require us to lean in the direction we want to go.

We are all cyborgs now. We just dont recognise it. In our minds, all cyborgs look like RoboCop.

This more subtle blending of human and machine represents the future of security today.

Researchers around the world continue to develop exoskeletons for the human body to enhance our physical strength.

Imagine citiessurveilled by roaming drones its already happening in Dubai.

But why put a human in harms way when they could be sat in the safety of a control room, remotely piloting a drone?

This is increasingly the reality of modern warfare, and witha long tradition of military technology making its way into law enforcement, it wont be long until these techniques are implemented on our streets.

Imagine citiessurveilled by roaming drones its already happening in Dubai. There wont be one operator for each drone; maybe one for everyfive or every10.

Most of the time they will be entirely autonomous, roaming the streets, taking pictures, and answering questions. Only when there are criminals to be caught will the humans take over.

This fits with the changing picture of work in a broader sense.

Replacing humans takes real artificial intelligence, something that is a little way off.

RoboCops world showed us what might happen if automation and globalisation arent countered

But with some intelligent automation as software companies are now calling it a much smaller amountof humans can achieve a lot more.

Science fiction is an important part of imagining the world we might one day live-in, and considering the risks and opportunities.

RoboCops world showed us what might happen if the effects of automation and globalisation arent countered.

Rising violent crime follows a growing gap between rich and poor as robots take more and more work something the Sutton Trust warned about just last week.

The technology may be more subtle and sophisticated than the clunking armour of 1980s imagination. But the issues driving tomorrows security challenges remain very real.

Tom Cheesewright runs Book of the Future.com, where he uses his knowledge to give a view of the future

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Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) Needle Moving 0.00% – Evergreen Caller

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Shares ofTargeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) aremoving on volatility today0.00% or 0.00 from the open.TheTSXV listed companysaw a recent bid of 0.05 and66000shares have traded hands in the session.

Investors and traders are most likely gearing up for the next round of company earnings reports. Investors have the ability to follow sell-side analysts who regularly cover certain companies. Investors may be tuning in to see how analysts revise estimates heading into earnings season. After the reports, investors may be interested in how the actual results impact the stock price in the following days or weeks. Companies posting large surprise factors with either a beat or miss could see accelerated stock price volatility in the short-term.

Now letstake a look at how the fundamentals are stacking up for Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V). Fundamental analysis takes into consideration market, industry and stock conditions to help determine if the shares are correctly valued. Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. currently has a yearly EPS of -0.11. This number is derived from the total net income divided by shares outstanding. In other words, EPS reveals how profitable a company is on a share owner basis. 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.

Another key indicator that can help investors determine if a stock might be a quality investment is the Return on Equity or ROE. Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) currently has Return on Equity of -124.73. ROE is a ratio that measures profits generated from the investments received from shareholders.

In other words, the ratio reveals how effective the firm is at turning shareholder investment into company profits. A company with high ROE typically reflects well on management and how well a company is run at a high level. A firm with a lower ROE might encourage potential investors to dig further to see why profits arent being generated from shareholder money.

Another ratio we can look at is the Return on Invested Capital or more commonly referred to as ROIC. Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) has a current ROIC of -108.54. ROIC is calculated by dividing Net Income Dividends by Total Capital Invested.

Similar to ROE, ROIC measures how effectively company management is using invested capital to generate company income. A high ROIC number typically reflects positively on company management while a low number typically reflects the opposite.

Turning to Return on Assets or ROA, Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) has a current ROA of -95.05. This is a profitability ratio that measures net income generated from total company assets during a given period. This ratio reveals how quick a company can turn its assets into profits. In other words, the ratio provides insight into the profitability of a firms assets. The ratio is calculated by dividing total net income by the average total assets.

A higher ROA compared to peers in the same industry, would suggest that company management is able to effectively generate profits from their assets. Similar to the other ratios, a lower number might raise red flags about managements ability when compared to other companies in a similar sector.

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Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) Needle Moving 0.00% - Evergreen Caller

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Needle Action Activity Spotted in Edap Tms SA (EDAP) – Stock Talker

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Shares ofEdap Tms SA (EDAP) aremoving on volatility today1.25% or $0.04 from the open.TheNASDAQ listed companysaw a recent bid of $3.24 and21107shares have traded hands in the session.

Investors might be looking for a way to boost profits as we move deeper into the second half of the year. Finding that next big winner may take a lot of research and number crunching with so many stocks trading around all-time highs. Finding that gem that everyone else missed can be an exhilarating feeling. On the other side of the coin, nobody wants to be stuck with that loser that drags down the portfolio. Knowing when to cut losses can play a significant role in longer-term portfolio stability. Investors may get too attached to a specific stock, and let emotions get involved in the decision making process. Keeping emotions out of stock picking may be tough, but it may be a smart play.

Taking a deeper look into the technical levels ofEdap Tms SA (EDAP), we can see thatthe Williams Percent Range or 14 day Williams %R currently sits at -65.79. 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.

Edap Tms SA (EDAP) currently has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of -24.56. 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.

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, Edap Tms SAs 14-day RSI is currently at 51.81, the 7-day stands at 50.53, and the 3-day is sitting at 70.92.

Currently, the 14-day ADX for Edap Tms SA (EDAP) is sitting at 21.82. 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.

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Needle Action Activity Spotted in Edap Tms SA (EDAP) - Stock Talker

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Infinitely Flexible 3D Printing with Ultrasonic Manipulation? – ENGINEERING.com

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3D printing is an exciting technology in its own right, but, as it works today, it is normally used to fabricate individual components and not functional objects. At most, hundreds of parts in an assembly can be consolidated into a single 3D-printed item, but that item still cannot function on its own.

Progress is being made to change additive manufacturing (AM) technology into something even more powerful, however. In the future, it may be possible to fabricate complete functional objects in a single manufacturing process. Think of it: your smartphone could be produced in one piece in one automatic process.

One company has demonstrated a possible route to that ideal future. Using a unique ultrasonic technique, Neurotechnology, based out of Lithuania, may be able to 3D print a wide variety of objects, including circuits. ENGINEERING.com spoke to Osvaldas Putkis, research engineer and project lead for the companys Ultrasound Research Group, to learn more.

Neurotechnology is focused on developing algorithms and software for biometric applications, such as fingerprint, face, eye and voice recognition. Since launching its first fingerprint identification system in 1991, Neurotechnology has begun exploring other technologies, beginning research into artificial intelligence (AI), computer vision and autonomous robotics in 2004.

While Neurotechnologys core business is in the fields of biometry, computer vision and AI, it is always looking for opportunities to research and develop new technologies that sometimes can be outside the main companys focus, Putkis said. Ultrasonic manipulation seemed an exciting research area with an unused potential and, with the hiring of key personnel who have expertise in ultrasound, an Ultrasound Research Group was created three years ago.

Ultrasonic manipulation? No, its not a sleazy method for picking up strangers at a bar from the dirt bags that brought you those pickup artist guides. It involves using ultrasonic waves to grab and move objects.

A rendering of Neurotechnologys ultrasonic manipulation technique. (Image courtesy of Neurotechnology/YouTube.)

Typically, according to Putkis, most of the research and development in ultrasonic manipulation has been dedicated to liquid media for for cell sorting, cell patterning, [and] single cell manipulation. Applied research on manipulation in air, Putkis said, concentrates on container-less processing and analysis of chemical substances by levitating the samples.

After establishing the Ultrasound Research Group in 2014, the company developed a working prototype, finally releasing footage of its ultrasonic manipulation technique this past June. The process uses a computer with computer vision and an array of ultrasonic transducers, each of which can be controlled individually to grab, move and rotate components by changing the ultrasonic waves they emit.

In the demonstration video embedded above, the system has been set up to position and solder electronic components on a printed circuit board (PCB). Soldering is performed using an onboard laser that fuses the pieces onto the PCB, and is guided by the vision system. Altogether, there is no physical contact made with the objects being moved and soldered, opening up a number of possibilities.

Neurotechnologys ultrasonic manipulation prototype 3D printer. (Image courtesy of Neurotechnology/YouTube.)

"Ultrasonic manipulation can handle a very large range of different materials, including metals, plastics and even liquids," Putkis said."Not only can it manipulate material particles, it can also handle components of various shapes. Other noncontact methods, like the ones based on magnetic or electrostatic forces, can't offer such versatility."

This range of material manipulation, not seen with other technologies like magnetic or electrostatic techniques, means that the technology can print with elements that have a variety of shapes and mechanical properties. This includes liquids, such as conductive ink, and solids, like electronic components. These elements can range from a couple of millimeters in size to submillimeter particles. And ultrasonic manipulation can do this without causing any damage to the elements or introducing electrostatic forces into the process.

Ultrasonic manipulation can control a wide variety of substances, shapes and sizes. (Images courtesy of Neurotechnology/YouTube.)

By altering the ultrasonic profile of the process, the precision of object movement and placement can become highly refined. With ultrasonic waves of 40 kHz, its possible to attain accuracies of within tens of microns. Even higher frequencies result in even more precise movement.

Putkis explained that there may be weight restrictions with the ultrasonic transducers, but that this may not always be the case when the density of the elements is taken into consideration. [Pa]rticle dimensions should be in a sub-wavelength region of the ultrasonic waves used, Putkis said. In terms of weight, it is usually the density of the material that is the determining factor. You will need to create very similar pressure amplitude in order to levitate a 1-millimeter diameter or a 2-millimeter diameter plastic sphere. While the gravity force is bigger for a larger sphere, a larger sphere also has a larger surface area, increasing pressure force respectively. With our semisphere levitator shown in the video, we can levitate materials as dense as solder metal (approx. 8000 kg/m3).

The technology is also already fairly automated. The camera is capable of determining the PCBs position and orientation, making it possible to know where a component should be positioned. The circuits used in the companys demonstration are not overly complex and do not have many elements. Therefore, the trajectories can easily be calculated, according to Putkis.

Neurotechnology has already filed a patent for the technology and is continuing to develop its capabilities. At the moment, the system can only assemble simple electronics, so the Ultrasound Research Group intends to expand the platform.

[O]ur plans now are to develop and demonstrate capabilities of the technology to print/deposit other materials or components, Putkis explained. As our main expertise is in ultrasound, we are willing to cooperate with companies from the 3D printing industry in order to incorporate the technology in 3D printing systems.

If we are successful in adding the capability of printing plastics and improving the current prototype for electronic assembly, it would already be a powerful printer that can print some of the electronic devices, Putkis added. Another application could be to use ultrasonic manipulation just for component handling and integrate it to existing printing technologies of plastics or metal, in this way also creating a more universal printer.

To make the platform as flexible as possible, Putkis noted one specific challenge. The biggest challenges are finding methods for dispensing and soldering material and components that can work for a wide range of different components and materials in order to make full use of the handling versatility of ultrasonic manipulation, he said.

It would be interesting to see Neurotechnology partner with 3D printing companies already focused on electronics 3D printing. Two immediately come to mind: Voxel8 and Nano Dimension. Voxel8 has developed a fused deposition modeling desktop 3D printer that is capable of printing plastic parts with conductive silver ink traces, making it possible to manually embed electronic components to create functional objects. Nano Dimension, in contrast, relies on an inkjet printhead and photocurable resin to produce PCBs.

In both cases, electronic components must be manually inserted. Its not impossible to imagine incorporating an array of ultrasonic transducers into either platform in order to automatically move the components throughout the printbed as the fabrication process is taking place.

Facebook also recently scooped up a company, Nascent Objects, that was using EnvisionTECs digital light processing technology to 3D print functional electronic goods. Although we havent heard from the company in some time, the acquisition is an indicator that this field is a potentially highly valuable one. We may still be years away from being able to 3D print a complete cell phone in a single printing process, but even the steps along the way will be exciting ones, as Putkiss research shows.

To learn more about Neurotechnology, visit the company website.

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Infinitely Flexible 3D Printing with Ultrasonic Manipulation? - ENGINEERING.com

Professor Has Had Enough Of Political Correctness – The Liberty Conservative

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A Columbia professor is castigating one of the academic lefts most cherished concepts: that of white privilege, according to The Atlantic.

In a period where professors and minority students wield this termdesigned to create guilt for the so-called privileged, to shut down debateColumbia Professor and African-American John McWhorter appeared at the Aspen Ideas Conference on Thursday to deny the common leftist trope that campuses are repositories of racism; indeed, according to him, college campuses are perhaps the least racist spots on earth.

Thus the idea that any [minority] student is undergoing a constant litany of constant racist abuse is not true.

And for whites who accept their built-in immorality because of their race, they are putting themselves in a box they can never escape from:

The idea is you are to learn that youre a privileged white person; you are to learn it over and over; really what youre supposed to learn is to feel guilty about it; and to express that on a regular basis, understanding that at no point in your lifetime will you ever be a morally legitimate person, because you have this privilege.

Regarding his own race, McWhorter pulls no punches, stating that the concept of white privilege is designed to comfort them. It is a dangerous form of a security blanket that also shortchanges their education:

To be a black student who learns that their purpose, that something special about them, is that they can make a loud noise and make white people guilty, I dont think thats an education.

Although efforts have been made in the past to attach immoral labels to students with unpopular ideas, McWhorter regards white privilege as something new on the horizon that is chilling the free speech of students:

I think that now, more specifically, the problem is, youre a bad person and you should not speak, thats what is new.

White privilege is ultimately a dead end for everyone, according to McWhorter. White students are trapped in a guilt they can never transcend, and minorities are forever oppressed. As a result, this behavior eschews flexibility in the way students and faculty can discuss these topics freely on college campuses.

To demand of colleges that they must provide so-called safe spaces to protect minority students from so-called racist ideas is more political theatre than productive debate:

Today the idea is that you walk out of the room, you cant hear it, because the space isnt safe. Thats a theatrical gesture. It should be used for auditions.

In a period where terms are used as political weapons that require no empiricism to back up what are in essence empty platitudes, McWhorterwith his demands that minority students embrace logic and debaterepresents an old-fashioned, nearly extinct breed of intellectual who takes his mission to broaden the minds of his students seriously.

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Professor Has Had Enough Of Political Correctness - The Liberty Conservative

Conservatives must eschew political correctness – Republican Journal

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It happened slowly, like the proverbial frog in a water-filled pot that didnt know the heat was turned on until it was too late. Political correctness, the desire to be accepted and a wish not to offend anyone has led even staunch conservatives to become wishy-washy people pleasers.

Those on the liberal side have no compunctions about voicing their beliefs. To their credit, there is no doubt where liberals stand on any topic. Conservatives, on the other hand, have vacillated to the point that its difficult to ascertain the difference between them and their liberal counterparts.

Conservatives dont push back much nowadays. And Im not talking about conservative politicians, either, but rather everyday Americans, the run-of-the-mill conservative people who just want to go about their daily business without turmoil and strife. Conservatives are more likely to apologize for things they neednt apologize for rather than stand strong in their convictions. But giving in at every turn can only lead to a loss of whatever it is we might support. Heres an example.

I live in a rural area and, not too long ago, had no neighbors except for a working poultry farm. With no one to complain, I operated an active shooting range. Then people from urban settings began moving to the country and houses began popping up in otherwise wild settings.

Without exception, all of my new neighbors are anti-hunting and except for one lone soul, all dislike firearms. It didnt take me long to figure this out and consequently I pared down activity at my shooting range. This was a courtesy gesture on my part. Still, it pays to keep the shooting eye sharp and I occasionally do a bit of target practice, although far less than in the past.

And, of course, I am well within my legal rights to do so. My place sits far off the road with no one very close to me and only woodlands behind and on either side. So it came as a surprise when a neighbor called and asked me if I was OK. Puzzled, I asked why she would think otherwise. I heard a gunshot, she said. I told her that the gunshot was me shooting my muzzleloading rifle, which had remained loaded since last deer season. The easiest way to unload a muzzleloader is, of course, to fire it.

That call left me with an uneasy feeling, but the real reason for the call still eluded me. Than, about a week later, someone else a distance away fired several shots. Immediately, the phone rang. It was the same neighbor with the same disingenuous question: We heard a shot. Are you OK?

It was than that I comprehended the reason for the call. The neighbor wasnt concerned about my well-being, but rather, was registering her displeasure with hearing gunfire. This time I gave the reply that I should have given in the first place. Why shouldnt I be OK? Well, she replied, We thought it was a rifle shot.

So what if it was? I said.

I went on: Whoever shot, unless they are barred from owning a firearm, has every right to shoot their rifle. Under the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, citizens are allowed to possess and use firearms. Furthermore, I dont want you calling me every time someone, including me, touches off a gun.

My neighbor doesnt like me any more, but at least she now knows where I stand on gun rights.

My experience typifies the political-correctness mindset. Using subterfuge (are you OK?), liberals achieve their goals in an innocent-sounding manner. But where does it end?

For instance, the city of Belfast has declared Oct. 9 is no longer Columbus Day, but rather, Indigenous Peoples Day. This may sound nice and fuzzy to some, but it is simply rubbish. No amount of political correctness will change the fact that on Oct. 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus made landfall in the New World. We conservatives have two choices. They are, either go along with the upside-down politically-correct nonsense, or continue celebrating Columbus Day as Columbus Day.

Even such mundane statements as posting a Trump sign or flying the American Flag brings conservatives under attack.

But it is Christians who fare the worst. Many people who profess Christ as their savior are unwilling to state their beliefs publicly. And that marks the beginning of the end of religious freedom.

So, my conservative friends, know that your beliefs and God-given rights are slowly being eroded. And worst of all, you are partially to blame because you allowed it to happen. Its not too late, of course, but from now on conservatives must get a backbone and stand up to political correctness. It is our only hope.

Tom Seymour is a freelance magazine and newspaper writer, book author, naturalist and forager. He lives in Waldo.

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Conservatives must eschew political correctness - Republican Journal