Learning in the Sky: Collaborative Robots Embrace Cloud Computing – Machine Design

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C2ROis a new innovative startup company that launched in October of 2016 out of the startup incubator TandemLaunch. Its mission is to introduce a new way for robots to collaborate via cloud computing. The C2RO developed a robot-agnostic software platform that streams in real-time data processing to provide cloud server-based artificial intelligence (AI) -enabled software solutions. This helps the robots by augmenting their perception and collaboration capabilities.

The software increases the intelligence and autonomy of the robots. It enables collaboration between several different robots to perform complex tasks. The robots connect via the software and their sensor data processes in real time in the cloud. This increases the way robots share knowledge, work in a joined network, enhance their sensor perception, and even helps robots that have limited sensing and computational resources.

[C2RO has] developed a software platform that connects robots in the cloudand processes their sensor data in real timein a secure and reliable manner, said Soodeh Farokhi, the companys founder and technology lead, who holds a Ph.D. in cloud computing. Using our software-only solution, robots can share knowledge using the latest advancements in artificial intelligence and computer vision algorithms.

The C2RO platform uses the machine learning and vision systems of robot one to help teach other robots via its cloud connected software platform.

Cloud robotics was coined in 2010 to describe network-connected robots using parallel computation and data sharing. The interconnection with other computer hardware and environments enable data sharing, and these environments are customizable based on customers needs. Connecting robots to the cloud dramatically enhances their efficiency and capabilities because it opens up possibilities for collaboration and collective learning.

C2RO offers a Multi-Robot Collaboration module, which connects multiple robots (regardless of type or manufacturer) so they can work together. There are two main benefits to collaboration: efficiency, such as when multiple robot vacuums are used to clean a large area; and complementary sensing, such as when drones and land robots combine their sensors and viewing angles in a search-and-rescue scenario.

Connected robots also tend to be lighter and cheaper, since they do not require expensive processors or memory localized on board the robot. Inexpensive robots can be made smarter with C2ROs product because intensive processing and computation is partially offloaded onto the cloud platform, which can process the data in real time due to our patent-pending technology.

Speaking with Farokhi, engineers will see benefits from working in the cloud. Programming robots becomes an easier task, even for those without expertise in machine learning or software engineering, because all of the modules have been pre-programmed into the cloud as a software-only solution. According to Farokhi, All the user has to do is install a package on his/her robot, and the platform has a dashboard that acts like an app store or marketplace in a way that the user can choose the modules they want for a monthly, subscription-based fee for each module per robot.

Cloud-based robotic networks can be measured by its response timethe total time it takes from when a request is made by a user until a response is received. Response time is in turn determined by two factors: latency and processing time. Processing time is the amount of time a system takes to process a given request, while latency is the delay incurred in communicating a message.

Soodeh Farokhi

According to Farokhi, the C2RO platform tackles the twin problems of processing time and latency. We have brought down the processing time of any request to mere milliseconds using our parallel computing technology, he explained, and to address latency, we have partnered with PubNuba telecommunication providerproviding a speedy connection, heighten security, and less network delays. PubNub is a data stream network company headquarter in San Francisco.

C2RO has also collaborated with Indiana Universitys School of Informatics and Computing. Professor Geoffrey Fox serves as a technical advisor for the company. With regard to C2ROs software platform, It will allow my cuddly robot, vacuum cleaner, high-speed lawnmowers, and even any smart home devices to share backend services and generate new ideas by linking their data together, Fox said. Our intelligent systems engineering department is uniquely positioned to support C2RO.

C2RO is currently signing up users for its beta release.

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Learning in the Sky: Collaborative Robots Embrace Cloud Computing - Machine Design

New Cloud Computing and IT Outsourcing Requirements in the Financial Sector – JD Supra (press release)

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On 17 May, 2017 the Luxembourg Financial Regulator (CSSF) published four new circulars concerning cloud computing and IT outsourcing. The new regulations will immediately affect credit institutions, professionals of the financial sector, payment service providers, and electronic money issuers (Entities). The four CSSF circulars, which came into effect on the date of their publication, introduce new rules and replace existing requirements set out in existing circulars.

This circular addresses the obligations that Entities must meet when their IT infrastructure uses or will rely on a cloud computing infrastructure.

The circular applies to the partial or full transfer of the activities and does not make many differences between an external provider and an internal provider within a group of companies.

The CSSF defines the term of material activity as any activity that, when not properly performed, reduces the ability of an Entity to meet regulatory requirements or continue its operations, and any activities that are necessary for the sound and prudent risk management.

Three different IT service models are described:

For each of the above service models, the CSSF provides an interpretation of the levels of control on the systems and the software that an Entity must respect when applying such model.

Within these service models the CSSF differentiates four different cloud types:

An Entitys outsourcing of IT matters will qualify for particular regulatory treatment, if it meets specific criteria set out by the CSSF and will be excluded from the scope of other existing regulations relating the Entitys central administration, accounting organization, internal governance and risk management (e.g. Circulars 12/552 or 17/656).

The criteria that the CSSF uses to define the specific regulatory treatment are:

If the above criteria are fulfilled an Entity must obtain the CSSFs prior approval (if a material activity is concerned). In case a Luxembourg based professional of the financial sector is used, an Entity must only file a prior notification to the CSSF.

Once the outsourcing is implemented, all the changes to the set-up and the service providers as well as the in-sourcing must be notified to the regulator before an Entity enacts them.

Entities under the supervision of the CSSF that would like to offer cloud computing services or related operating services to their clients must submit a program description to the CSSF to obtain its prior approval.

This circular amends the requirements applicable to credit institutions, investment firms and professional lenders. The amendments introduce Circular 17/654 and clarify that Circular 05/178 is repealed.

In addition, the amendments clarify that every time specific infrastructures are used or changed, authorized entities must observe data protection and professional secrecy rules.

The circular clarifies the conditions for the use of other group entities that are not authorized by the CSSF. The systems of such group entities may be used under the condition that no confidential information is stored in a readable manner on those systems. If this is the case, the supervised entity must inform its clients and, if required, collect their consent.

This circular aligns the IT outsourcing requirements for professionals of the financial sector other than investment firms, payment service providers and electronic money issuers to those applicable to credit institutions and investment firms. It copies the wording of the relevant sections of Circular 12/552 to ensure consistency and ease further alignments.

Finally, the circular introduces Circular 17/564 and clarifies that professionals of the financial sector that offer IT services to their clients, may use the infrastructure of a third party or sub-delegate a part of their services only with the prior consent of the concerned clients.

This circular amends Circular 06/240 and is applicable to all credit institutions and professionals of the financial sector. One important clarification of this circular consists of providing that only the production environment should contain confidential data, whereas the test and development environment(s) (that as per applicable regulation may be accessed by third parties) should not contain confidential data.

As the four circulars came into effect on the date of their publication, the Entities auditors are expected to pay particular attention to the new requirements when carrying out their audits.

Entities supervised by the CSSF will have to carefully study the new circulars and analyze the impact on their existing administrative organization and IT infrastructure, because if affected, theymust be aligned to the new requirements. Therefore, changes may need to be implemented at multiple levels:

As service providers located outside of Luxembourg will be required to accept contractual provisions that they have never been requested to comply with before, (for instance, amendments to certifications and controls), the time to implement the changes should not be underestimated.

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New Cloud Computing and IT Outsourcing Requirements in the Financial Sector - JD Supra (press release)

FinDEVr London: Preparing for the Dark Side of Quantum Computing – GlobeNewswire (press release)

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June 08, 2017 08:00 ET | Source: ISARA Corporation

WATERLOO, Ontario, June 08, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Many technology-driven sectors will be affected by the advent of universal quantum computing which experts say will happen by 2026, or sooner, but the financial industry has particular reason for concern. ISARAs CEO, Scott Totzke, is among the featured speakers at the upcoming FinDEVr show, the premier international event for FinTech developers taking place in London on June 1213. Totzke will discuss the impact of the quantum threat on the financial industry, and provide recommendations for mitigation.

A quantum computer could be used to stage an attack on the cryptography behind the encryption and authentication used today across banking institutions and in FinTech development. Without the appropriate quantum-safe protections, traditional cybersecurity standards will become vulnerable.

Any technology that relies on public-key cryptography, including blockchain, is at risk in the quantum age. Businesses and financial institutions cannot afford to ignore the threat of quantum computers to the cryptography those solutions rely on, said Totzke.

Details:

What: Why (And How) You Should Make Your FinTech Security Quantum Safe Today

When: Monday, June 12th, 14:10 pm

Where: Tobacco Dock, The Dock, Tobacco Quay, Wapping Lane, London, UK

Who: Scott Totzke, Co-Founder and CEO, ISARA

Totzke will also lead the roundtable discussion topic, We're all in it together: Making global FinTech crypto-agile, on Tuesday, June 13th, at 12:30 pm. For more information please visit, http://london2017.findevr.com/.

About ISARA:

ISARA Corp. is the largest organization in the world focused on developing quantum safe cryptographic solutions for easy integration into commercial products to protect against emerging security threats. For more information, visit https://www.isara.com/.

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FinDEVr London: Preparing for the Dark Side of Quantum Computing - GlobeNewswire (press release)

Experts: Trump’s Comey Firing ‘Possibly Lawful, But Awful’ – NBCNews.com

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WASHINGTON FBI Director James Comey's Senate testimony Thursday certainly lived up to the hype.

The ousted FBI Director flatly accused President Donald Trump of firing him after he refused to drop an investigation that put too much pressure on the White House, and then lying about it and defaming the FBI.

But did Trump's actions break the law?

"I don't know. That's Bob Mueller's job to sort that out," Comey told members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, referring to the special counsel recently appointed to look into Russia's meddling in last year's election and its potential ties to Trump's campaign.

Legal experts are divided. While many agree that Comey's testimony suggests Trump acted inappropriately, they point out it would be much harder to prove he acted illegally since obstruction of justice requires proving Trump's intent never an easy task.

And since presidents are charged not in a court of law, but in Congress through the impeachment process, the question may be as much a political one as a legal one.

The stakes are enormous since, as the old Washington adage goes "it's not the crime but the cover-up" that tends to ensnare politicians.

Richard Nixon resigned after the House Judiciary Committee approved articles of impeachment for obstruction of justice. And Bill Clinton was successfully impeached for obstruction (along with a second count for perjury), even though an independent criminal investigation later declined to bring any charges against him for the underlying scandals around Whitewater and Monica Lewinsky.

Comey, who knows Mueller well and earlier sought his approval on what he could say publicly during Thursday's congressional hearing, suggested his fellow former FBI director is already investigating whether Trump obstructed justice.

"I'm sure the special counsel will work towards to try to understand what the intention was there and whether that's an offense," Comey said during the hearing.

Related: James Comey, Donald Trump and the Russia Investigation: A Timeline of Events

But Joyce Vance, who was the Obama-appointed U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama until earlier this year, called Trump's actions "possibly lawful, but awful."

"His conduct indicates clearly here that he believes that he is above the law," she said. "You can't imagine Obama or Bush or any other president in our lifetime making these kind of requests directly to the attorney general, let alone the director of the FBI."

But are his actions obstruction?

"Maybe they're obstruction, maybe they're not technically illegal, maybe they're just completely inappropriate," she said.

John Lauro, who has been on both sides of obstruction cases as a former federal prosecutor that now runs a white collar criminal defense firm, was more definitive.

"Without a doubt in mind, it's not obstruction of justice," he said. "This doesn't even come within the zone of what obstruction is."

Legally, obstruction charges hinge on proving a person acted with "corrupt intent" to prevent the government from learning something.

"It's a very very high bar," Lauro said of proving someone's intentions. "It's a very very difficult statue to get convictions on."

Related: James Comey Testimony: Here Are 9 Key Moments from the Hearing

But Jens David Ohlin, a professor and dean at Cornell Law School, said the bar is completely different in this case, because it's set by Congress, not by the courts

"Would he be convicted? I don't know, but that's not the right question to be asking. He's not going to get prosecuted," Ohlin said. "The more relevant question is, is this the type of obstruction of justice which is so corrupt that the House should take the extraordinary measure of impeaching the president, and for the Senate to convict him and remove him from power?"

"It sounds like this is a person who is using his authority to stop an investigation," Ohlin added.

Many Democrats have already accused Trump of obstructing justice in firing Comey, but Republicans have, who control both chambers of Congress, have not.

Trump's defenders were quick to note that, according to Comey, Trump never ordered him to stop his investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, but simply said he hoped it would be resolved favorably.

Comey testified that he took that to be a direction from his superior, but Trump's camp has and will dispute both Comey's recollection and interpretation.

"Mr. Comey's testimony also makes clear that the President never sought to impede the investigation into attempted Russian interference in the 2016 election," Marc Kasowitz, the president's longtime lawyer who is now representing him this matter, told reporters on Thursday. "Consistent with that statement, the President never, in form or substance, directed or suggested that Mr. Comey stop investigating anyone."

Meanwhile, Republicans like House Speaker Paul Ryan and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie say, essentially, that as a former businessman with no government experience, Trump can't have acted with improper intent because he didn't know any better.

While ignorance is not often a successful defense, it could be here, according to Michael Wildes, a self-professed "very proud Democrat" who served as both a federal prosecutor and mayor in New Jersey.

"Trump is not a career politician," Wildes said. "It represents a naivete."

David Shapiro, a former FBI special agent who now teaches at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, agreed.

"The case may be significantly weaker than I expected," Shapiro said after reviewing Comey's prepared testimony made public on Wednesday.

Former FBI Director James Comey speaks during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Washington. Andrew Harnik / AP

But Joshua Dressler, the Frank R. Strong Chair in Law at Ohio State University, thinks the facts around Comey's firing present a compelling circumstantial case against Trump.

"Put those dots together and you have a perfectly reasonable interpretation is that that was done with the corrupt intent to obstruct justice," he said. "There is now what you would call a prima facie case enough evidence that a judge would say that a reasonable jury could convict this person of obstruction of justice."

Dressler moved in the opposition direction of Shapiro. A few weeks ago, he was skeptical, but said, "Today's testimony strengthened my feelings that in fact this may have constituted legally speaking obstruction of justice."

Related:

Steve Ryan, who once directed federal investigations against the mafia and served as general counsel to the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, guessed Mueller would not move ahead with charges even though the case "certainly has a Limburger smell about it."

But he said Comey's testimony raises other serious questions, like who else did Trump demand loyalty from?

"I can't imagine that that question won't be asked of any Department of Justice nominee that comes forward. You'd have to be deaf, dumb and blind to not have that question on the FAQ," he said.

And as Wildes said, there is still a long way to go.

"This is only the investigation of the investigation," he said. "It's only the beginning."

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Experts: Trump's Comey Firing 'Possibly Lawful, But Awful' - NBCNews.com

Donald Trump hasn’t tweeted in a very long time – CNN

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The last time Trump sent out a tweet was 8:17 a.m. on Wednesday. It said this: "Getting ready to leave for Cincinnati, in the GREAT STATE of OHIO, to meet with ObamaCare victims and talk Healthcare & also Infrastructure!" Between that moment and the time of this posting, roughly 37 hours have passed. That, according to calculations made by the one and only Philip Bump of the Washington Post, is the fifth-longest Twitter outage for Trump since he announced his candidacy in June 2015. To pass the fourth longest drought, Trump will need to stay away from Twitter for 2,312 minutes -- 38 total hours, or until 10:17 p.m. Thursday -- which looks doable. To break his all-time longest tweet drought, according to Bump, Trump would need to not tweet until 6:14 a.m. tomorrow.

What's fascinating about the past droughts is that they almost always have corresponded with slow news moments. Trump's longest break from Twitter, for example, came over the 2016 Thanksgiving Day weekend -- soon after he had been elected. The second longest was earlier that same month, the weekend after the election when Trump was, almost certainly, worn down from the just-concluded campaign.

If ever there was a time when you might expect Trump to take phone in hand and offer his own counter-narrative, this past 37 hours was it. And yet, nothing.

Theories abound to explain it.

The most common one is that someone took Trump's phone away, ensuring that he simply lacked the ability to tweet. I doubt it. He's the President of the United States. He's made clear -- in the face of much criticism -- that he isn't going to stop tweeting. I'm not sure anyone is in a position to simply tell the President to stop doing something and have him actually listen.

Or maybe Trump's staff, as they had hoped to do, successfully distracted the President over these past 37 hours -- keeping him from thinking too much, and therefore tweeting too much about the situation. But how is that even possible given that we know Trump is an absolutely avid news consumer and there has been so much (and so much bad) Trump news over that period of time?

The short answer is we don't know why Trump hasn't tweeted since 8:17 a.m. Wednesday. But with every passing minute of Trump Twitter silence, he edges closer to his own personal best (worst?).

One other thing we know: Silence isn't Trump's natural state. So when the drought breaks -- and it will break -- look out.

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Donald Trump hasn't tweeted in a very long time - CNN

Donald Trump is destroying America’s standing in the world and may end up destroying the world – Salon

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During his recent announcementaboutthe United Stateswithdrawalfromthe Paris climate agreement which makes our nation the third in the world to not be part of the accord, along with Syria and Nicaragua President Donald Trump repeatedly insistedthathis decision had to do with simple fairness. It was the same kind of sentiment that he frequently conveyed during his presidential campaign: The rest of the world has been disrespecting, mistreating and, worst of all, laughing atus for years.

At what point does America get demeaned? asked the president. At what point do they start laughing at us as a country? We want fair treatment for its citizens and we want fair treatment for our taxpayers. We dont want other leaders and other countries laughing at us anymore, and they wont be.

Like candidate Trump, President Trump seems to hearsnickering voicesin his head (presumablyforeign, non-English voices) and believes they are laughing at him and his country. In Trumps paranoid mind, every nation on the planethastaken advantage of America in one way or another, and the Paris agreement is just the latest example of this abuse.Ironically, the insecure man who constantlydemands respect from the rest of the worldis actually in the process of driving his countrys reputation into the ground, and the Paris exit is simply the latestembarrassment.

It is often said it is easier to destroy than to create, and over the past months Donald Trump has proven this maxim correct when it comesto governing. Trumps presidency has been like a violent wreckingball demolishing everything in sight. And nothing has been more grievously damaged by Trump than the United States credibility in the world. Americas global image has collapsed in record time, and with the presidents decision to pull out of the Paris agreement, the most powerful country in the world is well on its way to becoming an international pariah. As the former president of Ireland, Mary Robinson,declared,The U.S. reneging on its commitment to the Paris Agreement renders it a rogue state on the international stage.

As Americas standing in the world crumbles, many people will no doubt recall how Republican politicians regularly claimed during the previous administration that the country was no longer respected under the leadership of President Barack Obama. As with mostRepublican positions,this was flat-out delusional, and polling revealedthat the countrys global image steadily improved under Obama after having fallen to historic lows during George W. Bushs presidency.

One of the most vocal proponents of this fallacious line of attack was, of course, a conspiracy theorist named Donald Trump, who was convinced that everyone was laughing at his country because it had twice elected a Muslim foreigner as president. Today that unhinged man-child is making the world feel somewhat nostalgic for George W. Bushs America. According to Pew Research Center, countries around the world have almost no confidence in Trump(compared to theirhigh confidence in Obama), and the freshman presidenthas turnedthe U.S. intoalaughingstockthat can no longer be trusted by its allies, asGermanys Chancellor Angela Merkelindicatedlast week.

Of course, President Trump continues to maintain that he is restoring the countrys status in the world after the U.S. has been mistreated (and laughed at!) for so many years. For example, he claimed in his exit speech that the Paris agreement gives other countries an economic edge over the United States and handicaps the United States economy in order to win praise from the very foreign capitals and global activists that have long sought to gain wealth at our countrys expense. Not only that, continued Trump, but the nations that are asking America to stay in the agreement (that is, the rest of the world) are countries that have collectively cost America trillions of dollars through tough trade practices and in many cases lax contributions to our critical military alliance. Like most of his speeches, this one was full of falsehoodsand exaggerations, and the president cited industry-funded studies and misinterpreted other onesto make his harebrained case.

The great irony of Trumps begrudging speech (and his parochial worldview in general) is that America has long been the worlds leading imperialist force. If any country qualifies as a bully that has treated other nations unfairly over the past halfa century, it is the United States. This is evidencedby the many overseas coupsthat have been orchestrated by the U.S. government,often to serve the interests of American business,withthe classic case involvingthe United Fruit Company and Guatemala. The majority of Americans have not benefited personally from U.S. foreign policy; it has been themultinational corporations and the power elite, as C. Wright Millsonce called the countrys political and corporate establishments, that have benefited from such interventions.

Consider Americas economy, which Trump claims has been losing for decades because other countries have treated us horribly, stealing our jobs and thenlaughing at us to add insult to injury. This view is so facile and childishit seemsunworthy of comment. But, alas, it is espoused bya very powerful man. Itgoes without sayingthat American workers have suffered over the past 40 years due to numerous factors, including globalization andcorporatetrade deals; that doesnt mean the United Stateshas been losing to other countries. In fact, American businesses have done exceedingly well over the past three decades, as havethe top 1 percent of earners. Only working- and middle-class Americans have been losing in any real sense of the word and not because foreign governments are so cunning and inconsiderate but because of our capitalist economy.

In addition to arguing that the Paris agreement is designed to hurt Americaseconomy, Trump bitterly complained that it was unfair to the U.S. ascompared withthe fate of less-developed countries like China and India. China will be able to increase these emissions by a staggering number of years, said the president, claiming that the Chinese will be allowed to build hundreds of additional coal plants. The president then declared that the agreement doesnt eliminate coal jobs; it just transfers those jobs out of America . . .and ships them to foreign countries. This, in typical Trumpian fashion, is extremely misleading. China isactuallyin the process of canceling projects to build coal plants, and its coal consumption has declined since 2013, but such pesky facts are unwelcome in Trumps reactionary, zero-sum worldview.

Once again, the irony here is that America has contributed more than any other country in the worldto climate change and is responsible for nearly a third of the excess carbon that has built up in the atmosphere.In cumulative terms, we certainly own this problem more than anybody else does, saidclimate scholar David G. Victor to The New York Times. Furthermore, Americas per capita carbon emission is more than double that of China (and about eight times that of India).If one were truly interested in fairness, as Trump has claimedto be, thenthe U.S. would be doing much more than it agreed to in the Paris accords.

Withdrawing from the Paris agreement not only erodes Americas credibility and standing in the world, but is an importantstep toward dooming the planet or more accurately dooming the human species. It is somewhat fitting that the United States, under the leadership ofa vulgar and self-absorbedman who epitomizes the ugly American, may end up ensuring the collapse of human civilization. During the election campaign, many speculated that the narcissistic Trump was running for president because he had realized in old age that he would quickly be forgotten after he died. Whether that was true,Trumpwill doubtless be remembered now as the man who signaled the end of the American epoch and perhaps the human era as well.

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Donald Trump is destroying America's standing in the world and may end up destroying the world - Salon

Tell Your Senators: Don’t Let Donald Trump Take Our Cuba Policy Backwards – The Nation.

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Abipartisan group of senators has introduceda bill that would guarantee Americans the right to travel to Cuba.

Eric, 3, waves the V sign while posing in front of the Cuban and United States flags in Havana, Cuba, March 25, 2016. (Reuters / Ueslei Marcelino)

In late May, the conservative media outlet The Daily Caller reported that President Donald Trump was planning to make good on his campaign promise to terminate the Obama administrations opening of engagement with Cuba. Just two and a halfyears after the United States finally took steps to end more than a half-century of hostility and restrictions on trade and travel, President Trump wants us to go backward.

Luckily, theres some momentum pushing back. Lawmakers in Congress recently reintroduced the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act (Senate Bill 1287). The bipartisan bill now has 55 cosponsors and would guarantee Americans the right to travel to Cuba.

We need to expand, not contract, our engagement with Cuba. As Peter Kornbluh reported at The Nation, the economic impact of increased restrictions on travel would be dramatic: He cites a study that says the travel industry alone could lose $3.5 billion and over 10,000 jobs. And the damage goes far beyond that, as Kornbluh writes:

Trump is threatening to undermine years of concerted effortinside and outside of governmentto establish a civil, peaceful coexistence with an island neighbor after more than half a century of intervention, embargoes, and assassination plots. At stake is a model of responsible US foreign policyto be emulated, not repudiated.

1. The Nation is partnering with theLatin America Working Group to demand that senators cosponsor the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act. Click here to join us by writing to your senators today.

2. To have an even greater impact, call your senators about the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act. You can reach them at 202-224-3121 or find their direct numbers here. Follow our script below or craft your own message.

SCRIPT: I am calling to urge you to co-sponsor the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act. Currently co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of fifty-five senators, the bill would guarantee Americans the right to travel to Cuba.

Public opinion polls show that 81 percent of Americans support free travel to Cuba. A recent letter to Congress signed by 46 travel agencies stressed the economic benefits of free and increased travel to the country, claiming that it would lead to them hiring more American workers. They also asserted that tightening restrictions on travel, as the Trump administration is threatening to do, would lead to significant layoffs.

I hope that youll make a commitment to co-sponsoring the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act.

3. Read and share Peter Kornbluhs latest at The Nation, Trump Threatens to Rescind Obamas Cuba Engagementand Activists Fight Back. In it, he cites studies on the economic impact of restricting travel to Cuba and lays out the importance of resisting this wrongheaded change. Already read it? Share the article on Facebook or Twitter.

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Tell Your Senators: Don't Let Donald Trump Take Our Cuba Policy Backwards - The Nation.

Vladimir Putin, Hillary Clinton and the true cause of Donald Trump’s legitimacy crisis his own actions – Salon

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On Wednesday Voxs Ezra Klein publisheda long pieceabout the current crisis in our government. He wrote that our president lacks legitimacy, our government is paralyzed, our problems are going unsolved. I would say that legitimacy, the first of those issues,is the source of all the others.

Donald Trumps legitimacy problem is not just a matter of losing the popular vote. Other presidents have assumed office after such an outcome. In 1824 John Quincy Adams became president after the election decision was thrown to the House of Representatives. In 1876 Rutherford B. Hayes became president after losing the popular vote to Samuel Tilden by more than 250,000 votes although corruption was so rife in that election its fair to say no one will ever know for sure who got the highest tally. In 1888 Benjamin Harrison won 233 electoral votes to Grover Clevelands 168, but lost the national count by about 90,000 votes. It didnt happen again for 112 years when George W. Bush was installed by the Supreme Court after a virtual tie in Florida and a dubious vote count. And then just16 years later, it happened again.

Throughout that last 16 years questions have been raised about our democracy, including the workings of the anachronistic Electoral College, the fact that every locality and state seems to have a different system, andthe way Republicans have systematically disenfranchised voters whom they believe would be likely to vote for their opponents. There has been underlying doubt about the integrity of Americas electoral system simmering for a long time. This year it has come to a boil.

For at least a year weve been aware of social-media propaganda and foreign actors hacking the systems of various arms of the Democratic Party in order to influence the presidential campaign. The experts tell us that the Russian government has directed a number of similar cyber operations around the worldand that this one was their most sophisticated. Evidently, the idea was to sow chaos and undermine Americans already sorely tested faith in our electoral system.

According toa highly detailed investigative reportby Massimo Calabresi of Time, the evidence suggests that Russias President Vladimir Putin had a particular ax to grind against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for what he termed a signal she sent in 2011, which he claimed sparked protests against him. The extent to which Putin truly favored Donald Trump is still unknown, and the question of whether there was any collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government is now the focus of various investigations of Congress and a Justice Department special counsel. The odd behavior of Trumps close associates as well as his obsession with shutting down the investigation certainly raise suspicions. But at this point it is pure speculation to think about what kind of deal might have been made.

This weeks story byThe Intercept,reporting on an National Security Agency document that showed evidence the Russian military had made serious attempts to infiltrate voter information rolls around the country, suggests, however, yet another way the goals of Donald Trump and the Russian government were the same. Former FBI counterterrorism officer and cybersecurity expert Clinton Watts (best known for his quip follow the bodies of dead Russians in testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee) raised some additional questions ina piece for the Daily Beast this week.He believes that the main objective of this operation was not to alter the vote count but rather to instill more doubt about the process.

Wattswrote, I noticed a shift in Kremlin messaging last October, when its overt news outlets, conspiratorial partner websites, and covert social-media personas pushed theories of widespread voter fraud and hacking. He cited aReuters articleindicating that a Kremlin-backed think tank report drafted in October and distributed in the same way, warned that Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was likely to win the election. The think tank also advised it would bebetter for Russia to end its pro-Trump propaganda and instead intensify its messaging about voter fraud to undermine the U.S. electoral systems legitimacy and damage Clintons reputation in an effort to undermine her presidency.

Its interesting to note that at the same moment the operation shifted in that direction, Trump himself was relentlessly flogging exactly the same accusation, saying in every rally from October on that Clinton and her campaign had rigged the system in her favor. Over and over againhe would suggestthat the outcome was predetermined:

When the outcome is fixed, when the system is rigged, people lose hope they stop dreaming, they stop trying

He routinely told his followers stories likethis:

One of the reasons Ive been saying that the system is so corrupt and is so rigged, is not only what happens at the voters booth and you know things happen, folks.

He passed alongtweets like this:

Trumpeven made bizarre accusations that Hillary Clintons campaign chairman John Podesta rigged the polls by oversampling and notoriouslyrefused to saywhetherhe would abide by the results if Clinton won. It was obvious that Donald Trump was planning to challenge her legitimacy.

In fact, Trump did more to create mistrust and doubt in the U.S. electoral system than the Russian governments highly developed hacking and misinformation campaign. Whether they were working together is still unknown but they were definitely rowing in the same direction. As much as the president likes to whine and complain about the Democrats being sore losers, the irony is that Trump himself played the greatest role in undermining the legitimacy of his win.

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Vladimir Putin, Hillary Clinton and the true cause of Donald Trump's legitimacy crisis his own actions - Salon

Donald Trump Proposes Covering Mexican Border Wall With Solar Panels – Futurism

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In BriefAccording to sources, U.S. President Donald Trump has pitchedthe idea of building a wall along the Mexican border using solarpanels, which would generate clean power for the surrounding area.The announcement has proven extremely divisive. Trumps Solar Wall

President Trump has proposed using solar panels in the construction of a wall along the 3,200 kilometer (1,988 miles) border separating Mexico and America a key point in his election campaign. According to three individuals who have direct knowledge of the meeting with Republican leaders, Trump claimed he wanted to cover the wall segments with solar panels so theyd be beautiful structures.

Trump cited the walls economic benefits as well as its environmental ones. Thomas Gleason, managing partner of Gleason Partners LLC, the company that proposed the design, told Business Insider that each solar panel on the wall would produce 2.0MWp per hour of electricity, and, because of this, the wall would pay off the cost of its construction in 20 years through the energy it sells.

The cost of solar panels has decreased rapidly over the last nine years, from around $8 per watt in 2009 to roughly $1.50 per watt in 2016, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association, and Gleason believes the cost will continue to diminish over time.

While the bottom of the wall would still be built out of stone, the solar panels situated on the Mexico-facing side would be double tiered, with the upper layer moving to capture maximum sunlight.

Though any wall between Mexico and the United States is likely to still be controversial, one equipped with solar panels would have benefits on both a small and large scale. It would provide those on both sides of the border, which is currently underserved by electricity companies, with greater access to power. On a larger scale, it would contribute to the amount of electricity the U.S. generates from clean energy sources, which would in turn contribute to fighting climate change.

Opinions on the proposal are split.

Wunder Capital CEO Bryan Birsic told Business Insider, While we would prefer a different location and purpose for a large solar installation, we strongly support all additional generation of clean power in the U.S.

Meanwhile, Nezar AlSayyad, a UC Berkeley professor of architecture and planning, told The Guardian that the wall was still indefensible and that trying to embellish it with a technical function or a new utility is a folly. Political theorist Langdon Winner was even more outspoken in his criticism: Im wondering what the solar electricity would be used for? Electrocuting people who try to climb the wall?

Although the wall itself is controversial, any move by the U.S. government to promote solar energy is positive as it would lessen the countrys own carbon footprint and help the world combat climate change.

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Donald Trump Proposes Covering Mexican Border Wall With Solar Panels - Futurism

Creditors seek to force bankruptcy of Tinley Park firm – Chicago Tribune

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Creditors of a Tinley Park real estate brokerage who claim they are owed hundreds of thousands of dollars are trying to force the firm into bankruptcy.

Oak Park Avenue Realty Ltd. is an affiliate of Mack Industries, also based in Tinley Park, which filed for Chapter 11 restructuring in late March. Oak Park Avenue wasn't included in that bankruptcy filing.

Mack Industries built its business purchasing homes that had been foreclosed on, fixed them up and then found renters for them. Homes were also sold to investors, and Mack in turn would guarantee them a steady income stream by finding renters.

Owners of the homes are owed at least $433,000 by Oak Park in unpaid rents and security deposits collected by the firm from renters, according attorney Brian Jackiw, who is representing them in the petition, filed May 31, seeking involuntary Chapter 11 for the company.

Locally, one creditor, from Orland Park, is owed $153,000, and other property owners are from Frankfort and New Lenox as well as states, including California, Colorado and Virginia. Jackiw said he is being contacted by other property owners who may join the case.

A call left for Oak Park seeking comment was not immediately returned.

Forcing the company into bankruptcy could result in assets being identified that could be sold off to repay Oak Park's creditors, Jackiw said.

He said the investors he so far represents own, collectively, about 125 properties, mainly single-family homes.

Are the amounts as far as unpaid rents owed cover a specific time period?

Jackiw said some of the creditors are owed two months' rent and some are owed for four months. He said Oak Park would generally send property owners monthly account statements showing information, such as how much rent was collected and what management fees were charged by the company, but that, in most instances, Oak Park stopped sending out those reports about two months ago.

In connection with Mack Industries' bankruptcy, allegations of fraudulent financial transactions have been aired against Mack and its founder and chief executive, James K. "Mack" McClelland, who is an owner of Oak Park Avenue Realty.

American Residential Leasing, the largest unsecured creditor in the case, had asked the court to name a receiver a request since approved by the judge to oversee Mack's operations, alleging there have been "several million dollars' worth of potentially fraudulent" fund transfers and distributions among Mack insiders and affiliated companies.

Separately, lender Colony American Finance sued McClelland individually, alleging he owes more than $19 million to the company for defaulting on a December 2015 loan agreement, the proceeds of which were used to buy and rehab properties. In its complaint, filed just weeks after Mack Industries' Chapter 11 filing, Colony American states $9.8 million was advanced to McClelland for rehab work and alleges that some of that money was "misappropriated, misapplied and converted" for other uses.

The trustee in the Mack bankruptcy case recently won court approval to hire a forensic accountant who spent years as an FBI special agent investigating money laundering and fraud schemes.

In explaining in a court filing the need to bring on someone with specialized skills, the trustee noted a "complex history of opaque financial and business dealings" among Mack, its numerous subsidiaries and company principals.

mnolan@tribpub.com

Twitter @mnolan_J

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Creditors seek to force bankruptcy of Tinley Park firm - Chicago Tribune

Vikki Lindemuth favors appointment of trustee to handle husband’s bankruptcy – Topeka Capital Journal

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Saying her husband, Kent Lindemuth, had interfered with attempts to sell properties to help resolve the Lindemuth bankruptcy case, Vikki Lindemuth supports a federal judges appointment of a trustee to direct his part of the couples bankruptcy.

Appointment of a Chapter 11 trustee to take control of Kent Lindemuths interests will stop Kent from disrupting the debtors business operations, Vikki Lindemuth said in a response to U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Bergers preference to appoint the trustee.

Berger gave the parties 20 days to respond to the plan to appoint a trustee. He issued the decision May 25 rather than ordering liquidation to repay debts.

Berger also has issued an order granting Vikki Lindemuths motion to sever the couples joint bankruptcy case. The Lindemuths are in the middle of a divorce.

Kent Lindemuth hasnt responded to the judges plan to appoint a trustee for him. His wife, however, said appointing a trustee on his behalf will restore and preserve the confidence of the debtors creditors, vendors, lessees, potential lessees and others that the reorganized debtors will be able to meet their continuing obligations under their respective plans.

As part of the Lindemuths bankruptcy reorganization plan, James B. Lloyd, who has power of attorney, has managed the debtors businesses based on the bankruptcy reorganization plans.

But Kent Lindemuth has progressively undermined Lloyds authority by representing to the debtors vendors, lessees, potential lessees, and others that he is in control of the debtors businesses and properties, Vikki Lindemuth wrote in support of appointing a trustee.

Vikki Lindemuth contends six automotive and moving and storage businesses owned by Kent Lindemuth havent paid all the rent owed on the Lindemuth property they occupy ostensibly because they didnt have sufficient income. The rent shortfalls have caused the debtors to default on some real estate taxes, Vikki Lindemuth said.

However, income from two of the moving and storage businesses was more than enough to make their rent payments, Vikki Lindemuth said.

She also contended Kent Lindemuth has actively interfered with Lloyds attempts to market and sell some properties to reduce past taxes owed, debt and preserve the debtors remaining assets.

Kent Lindemuths pending federal criminal charges have been widely publicized, and have caused great consternation among the debtors creditors, vendors, lessees, potential lessees, and everyone else who is or may become involved with the debtors business operations, Vikki Lindemuth wrote.

Some current lessees are questioning whether to extend their leases, and the Lindemuths have lost opportunities to lease some property, Vikki Lindemuth said.

Berger scheduled June 22 as the date he would appoint a Chapter 11 supervisory trustee for Kent Lindemuth.

Kent Lindemuth is charged with 107 counts of bankruptcy fraud, six counts of money laundering, two counts of receipt of firearms, and one count each of perjury and receipt of ammunition.

Lindemuth, 65, is scheduled to face trial beginning Sept. 12 before U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree in Topeka.

Contact reporter Steve Fry at (785) 295-1206 or @TCJCourtsNCrime on Twitter.

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Vikki Lindemuth favors appointment of trustee to handle husband's bankruptcy - Topeka Capital Journal

Bankruptcy fraud earns Pepperell man 18 months | Boston Herald – Boston Herald

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A Pepperell man who hid up to $4 million from bankruptcy court, then fled to Canada on a rented snowmobile as the law closed in on him, was sentenced to 18 months in prison yesterday.

Cyril Gordon Lunn, 69, appeared in U.S. District Court in Worcester, where Judge Timothy Hillman imposed the sentence.

Authorities said Lunn, a Canadian citizen, ran a real estate and construction business from 1985 until 2001 and in that time squirreled away between $3 million and $4 million in cash that he kept in safe deposit boxes. When Lunn declared bankruptcy in 2001, he failed to tell authorities about the cash.

The scheme unraveled in 2004 when he testified about transferring the money in a Canadian civil suit.

On March 30, 2005, Lunn failed to check in with federal probation officers. Investigators discovered that two days prior to that scheduled check-in, Lunn had left the Caza Manor Motel in Ayer where he was living.

Then, cops in Presque Isle, Maine, were called by the owner of the Sled Shop.

An individual who identified himself as Cyril Lunn had failed to return a snowmobile, snowmobile suit that had been rented on March 28, according to an ICE report on file at U.S. District Court in Worcester. The rental agent was concerned that Lunn, who appeared to be snowmobiling alone, may have been involved in an accident or fallen through some ice.

Using cash, Lunn had paid $205 to rent the 2002 Ski Doo, snowsuit and helmet, another $500 to cover the deposit, and he bought a $36 pair of gloves. Before he left, Lunn asked the shops owner for directions to the border trail, the report states.

Agents later discovered that on March 28, 2005, Lunn had rented a snowmobile on Presque Isle, ME and illegally entered Canada without inspection via a remote snowmobile trail, the report states.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police recovered the snowmobile, and helmet, on March 31, 2005, in Perth, New Brunswick. It was in good working order and was returned to the shop.

Canadian authorities said the U.S. requested Lunns extradition to face charges of bankruptcy fraud in November 2012. In 2014 the court issued an arrest warrant. Lunn was arrested in New Minas, Nova Scotia, but was granted bail and fought his extradition through the Canadian court system. He lost and was returned to Worcester in July 2016.

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Bankruptcy fraud earns Pepperell man 18 months | Boston Herald - Boston Herald

Mesothelioma Cancer: 12 Essential Facts – Asbestos News

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The Asbestos Mesothelioma Link

Unlike most cancer, mesothelioma is almost always caused by just one source: asbestos exposure. The National Cancer Institute reports that up to 80% of all mesothelioma cases are caused by asbestos exposure. However additional causes of the disease are just guesses and include such exotic factors as exposure to a mineral in Turkey called zeolite and previous infection with the Simian monkey virus. Exposure to radiation may make the development of mesothelioma more likely.

For most of the twentieth century, asbestos was heavily used in the manufacture of all types of insulation, flooring, ceiling tiles, pipe fittings, plaster, caulking, roofing, and other construction products. Any industrial facility or power plant (including naval engine rooms) that generated heat probably had pipes, tanks and other fixtures insulated with asbestos. Some sort of asbestos product was at virtually all construction job sites up to 1985 or so.

Asbestos is a fibrous material that when disturbed, emits fibers into the air which can be inhaled by any nearby worker: a miner, a construction worker, a ships crewman working around the ships pipes and boilers, plumbers, carpenters, auto mechanics, workers in the oil business, in power plants, in chemical plants the list goes on. The list also includes family members of workers that brought home asbestos fibers on their clothing and shoes from the job site.

Mesothelioma is not just lung cancer. It begins in the lining of the chest or abdominal cavities and can impact the organs contained in or near those places: lungs, heart, reproductive organs. The mesothelium is a tissue lining for cavities in the upper body. In the pleural area, the area around the lungs, it is a double tissue with the inner portion (the visceral layer) lining the lungs themselves and the outer portion (the parietal layer) lining the chest wall.

There are three types of mesothelioma: as with the pleural area the disease can impact the lining around the heart and in the abdominal cavity. Mesothelioma is a condition of uncontrolled cell growth that causes the mesothelium layers to thicken and often results in fluid accumulating between the two layers. These cancer cells can be either malignant or benign.

Pleural mesothelioma impacts the lining of the chest cavity around the lungs. When both the inner and outer membrane layers (the mesothelium) thicken and retain fluid in the area between, pressure is put on the lungs and shortness of breath develops. Other symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include a persistent cough, chest pain, hoarseness and perhaps trouble swallowing. The more general symptoms for mesothelioma are fever, weight loss and fatigue, which explains why the initial appearance of mesothelioma symptoms are often misdiagnosed as pneumonia or some other common pulmonary problem.

Pleural mesothelioma is by far the most common form of the disease, accounting for about 75% of all cases. It is, however, a disease of the membranes surrounding the lungs. If the rogue cells are malignant and pass into the lungs, the lung cancer that results is secondary to mesothelioma. Nevertheless, lung cancer that develops as a result of mesothelioma is often referred to as asbestos lung cancer or mesothelioma lung cancer.

Pericardial mesothelioma impacts the membrane that surrounds the heart. This form of the disease is the rarest: less that 10% mesothelioma diagnoses are for the pericardial variant. One of the issues with pericardial mesothelioma is that medical researchers are unsure how asbestos fibers get into the tissue around the heart. In the case of pleural mesothelioma they are inhaled. How they migrate to the pericardial area is something of a mystery. One theory holds that they break up into smaller pieces after inhalation and somehow are carried to the pericardial area in the bloodstream.

In any case, the impact of asbestos fibers on the pericardial mesothelium is the same as in the pleural area. They cause inflammation which eventually leads to the uncontrolled growth of cells cancerous cells. As the membrane thickens, fluid buildup occurs and pressure is put on the heart. The symptoms can include an irregular heartbeat and little or no stamina, along with chest pain. Because these characteristics are also symptomatic of heart disease, the diagnosis for mesothelioma is often overlooked initially.

This form of the disease impacts the membrane that lines the abdominal cavity, the peritoneum. It is also unclear how this form of the disease develops. The theory for pericardial mesothelioma that tiny asbestos fibers travel through the bloodstream is also applicable for the peritoneal variety. It is also quite possible that asbestos fibers work their way to the abdominal wall through the digestive tract and that they are introduced to the body through eating or drinking.

Asbestos fibers travel through the air like dust and pollen. They could certainly find their way to consumable items on a jobsite. Regardless of the source, the impact of asbestos on the peritoneal membrane is the same. Over time they act as an irritant which results in prolonged inflammation, eventually leading to the development of uncontrolled cancerous cell growth.

Fifteen to twenty percent of all mesothelioma cases are peritoneal. The fact that it is more common than pericardial mesothelioma would suggest that the causal theory based on ingestion makes sense. Lung cancer can also be a secondary development of peritoneal mesothelioma; in addition one of the rare forms of peritoneal mesothelioma can impact the testicles. The membrane within the scrotum is an extension of the peritoneal mesothelium.

Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma usually begin with abdominal pain as the fluid buildup caused by the mesothelioma cells begins to impact the abdominal cavity. It can also be accompanied by shortness of breath and a cough, although these symptoms are less common. What peritoneal mesothelioma does share with other types of the disease is a lag of some months between manifestation of the symptoms and a diagnosis.

Mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose and there are a number of reasons for it. One is that the symptoms mimic those of much more common diseases. Another is that mesothelioma cancer itself does not result in tumor development; that occurs only after the disease has fully developed and metastasized into a nearby organ. But perhaps the most difficult factor is the reality that it takes years and often decades for those asbestos fibers to do their work.

In the case of pleural mesothelioma, the fibers are inhaled and slowly work their way through the lung wall into the mesothelium as the body tries to rid itself of this irritant. Once lodged in the membrane around the lungs, the fibers slowly create a situation where they trigger the development of malformed cancerous cells that begin the process of thickening the membranes which in turn begins the fluid accumulation process.

The result is a remarkably lengthy period of latency for the disease. By the time the symptoms appear the shortness of breath, fatigue and fever many years will have elapsed since the asbestos exposure. The patient may be a Navy veteran that spent four years on a ship three decades ago. The asbestos exposure will be long forgotten and the symptoms mirror indications of other more common diseases. The fact that mesothelioma is most often shrouded in a lengthy latency period means that it usually isnt diagnosed until it has had time to fully develop as a malignant threat. The common latency period for mesothelioma is twenty to fifty years and twenty to thirty years for asbestosis.

If mesothelioma is in an early stage it can be treated with surgery in combination with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. For pleural mesothelioma a pleurectomy removing the diseased pleura or an extrapleural pneumonectomy, which removes a lung in addition are the two likely options. Peritoneal mesothelioma, when treated surgically, involves removal of the peritoneum in addition to adjacent malignant tissue.

Whether or not surgery is viable chemotherapy and radiotherapy are employed to slow or halt the disease. Efforts generally focus on slowing or stopping the growth of the cancerous cells. There are a number of approaches to this concept. One chemotherapy drug called cisplatin that is used for mesothelioma treatment has at its core molecules of platinum, which has proven to damage the DNA in certain types of cancer cells, resulting in their inability to reproduce. This sort of targeted chemotherapy does less damage to surrounding healthy cells than some more general formulations of anti-cancer cell agents.

Another chemotherapy drug approved by the FDA for mesothelioma treatment is pemetrexed, a medication that targets enzymes vital to certain types of cancer cells. This is another successful approach to narrowing the focus of chemotherapy and limiting collateral damage; however some mesothelioma cancer cells have shown resistance to pemetrexed. For that reason, mesothelioma clinical trials have recently been completed that utilize cisplatin and pemetrexed in combination. The result was a significant extension of survival time for many of the participants. Radiotherapy remains an adjunct form of mesothelioma treatment used to target certain types of malignant cells. It is also used to treat symptoms such as pleural effusion which can have a debilitating effect on the patient.

Practitioners working on mesothelioma cancer are faced with the difficult combination of a disease that is usually fully developed when diagnosed and that is a diffuse spread of cancer cells that are not gathered in the form of a tumor, often creating a situation where surgery isnt a viable option. In addition, its initial symptoms are often readily assumed to be the result of some more common problem such as a pulmonary illness or heart problems.

In order to achieve some pattern of early diagnosis, people who know they have been exposed to asbestos must consult with their doctors and seek some preliminary tests to ensure that there are no signs of the disease. CT and MRI scans can today detect thickening of the mesothelium membrane in some cases. If diagnosis can be made before the physical symptoms appear, the doctor may have some chance of bringing growth of the cell mass to a halt before it is too late.

The toxic nature of asbestos has been evident to some since the 1930s. By 1985 enough people had become sick from asbestos exposure that the relationship between asbestos and mesothelioma was incontrovertibly established. For years, asbestos companies and industrial giants that manufactured products using asbestos denied the health problems associated with it.

By the end of the 1990s the courts had ruled that people who suffered from an asbestos-related disease were entitled to liability compensation from asbestos companies who mined the material and corporations that used it to make consumer and construction products. The result has been over one hundred bankruptcies and the establishment of several trusts holding billions of dollars to compensate people who can prove personal damage or damage to a deceased family member as the result of asbestos exposure.

While the lethal nature of mesothelioma cancer has drawn a lot of the attention given to asbestos toxicity, there are several other afflictions that can be attributed to the material. One of the most common and most harmful is asbestosis. This disease is the result of scarred lung tissue that has been damaged by asbestos fibers. It is a permanent, progressive, restrictive lung illness also known as pulmonary fibrosis. Asbestosis causes shortness of breath, reduced lung capacity and chest pain.

The most common affect of asbestos exposure is pleural plaques. These are smooth, raised strips of fibrous tissue that develop on the pleura. One third to one half of individuals with significant asbestos exposure will develop this condition. They are not pre-malignant and are not believed to lead to further health problems. They will calcify however, and show up on X-rays as an indication of asbestos exposure. Pleural thickening can also be a benign condition that is caused by the presence of asbestos fibers, leading to chest pain and possible pleural effusion.

Historically the treatment of mesothelioma has been palliative. However if the disease is diagnosed early enough, pleural or peritoneal surgery is possible. An important part of this decision making process, along with the stage of the cancer, is the health of the patient. But oncologists have gotten more aggressive in recent years about performing partial resections on mesothelioma malignancy and using powerful forms of chemotherapy to treat it. In virtually all cases radiotherapy and chemotherapy are recommended for both post-operative and non-surgical treatment.

The use of targeted chemotherapy is an example of how researchers are approaching mesothelioma today along with a number of other cancer types. Cells that can be programmed to attack or compromise cancer cells and then introduced into the afflicted area have become a common strategy for cancer treatment. Methods of targeting radiotherapy have also been introduced, in order to minimize the destruction of healthy cells adjacent to cancerous cells.

In general, researchers are looking for combinations of radiotherapy and chemotherapy that work best with certain types of mesothelioma cells (there are two) and in certain stages of the disease. Because there are so many late stage diagnoses, palliative care is still an important component of mesothelioma research. The National Cancer Institute sponsors many clinical trials for mesothelioma treatment, with nearly one hundred under way as of June 2010.

Asbestos has affected the health of tens of thousands of people that we are aware of; there is a massive additional population of individuals who were never diagnosed or were exposed and died at a time when asbestos-related industries were in the throes of professional denial.

The courts have slowly come to the realization that this has been a national tragedy of sorts and that there is a large class of people who worked around asbestos, and their families that also suffered as a result, who are entitled to compensation. Asbestos companies have been forced to take financial responsibility to a degree uncommon in product liability law. Today there are trust funds established by these companies that hold billions of dollars to pay for claims against those companies for lives damaged or ruined by asbestos.

There are still many thousands of asbestos and mesothelioma claims to be filed because of the fact that mesothelioma has such a long latency period. Workers who were exposed to asbestos products on the job site daily during the 1970s may only now be showing the symptoms of asbestos toxicity. If you or a family member may be one of those individuals, it is important to both your health and your financial well being to confirm any potential asbestos health problems with your doctor.

If your physician detects asbestos damage, a mesothelioma lawyer with expertise in the field can obtain fiscal damages for you. If youd like to discuss this possibility, fill out our simple form or give us a call and well put you in touch with an experienced professional who can talk you through the details of your case and go over your options. There will be no financial obligation on your part; that will fall to the asbestos companies if yours is a viable case.

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Mesothelioma Cancer: 12 Essential Facts - Asbestos News

Mesothelioma – NHS Choices

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Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops in the lining that covers the outer surface of some of the body's organs. It's usually linked to asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma mainly affects the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), although it can also affect the lining of the tummy (peritoneal mesothelioma), heart or testicles.

More than 2,600 people are diagnosed with the condition each year in the UK. Most cases are diagnosed in people aged 60-80 and men are affected more commonly than women.

Unfortunately it's rarely possible to cure mesothelioma, although treatment can help control the symptoms.

This page covers:

Symptoms of mesothelioma

What causes mesothelioma?

How mesothelioma is diagnosed

Treatments for mesothelioma

Outlook for mesothelioma

Links to more information

The symptoms of mesothelioma tend to develop gradually over time. They typically don't appear until several decades after exposure to asbestos.

Symptoms of mesothelioma in the lining of the lungsinclude:

Symptoms of mesothelioma in the lining of the tummyinclude:

See your GP if you have any persistent or worrying symptoms. Tell them about any exposure to asbestos you may have had in the past.

Mesothelioma is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos, agroup of minerals made of microscopic fibres thatused to be widely used in construction.

These tiny fibres can easily get in the lungs, where they get stuck, damaging thelungsover time.It usually takes a while for this to cause any obvious problems, with mesotheliomatypically developing more than20 yearsafter exposure to asbestos.

The use of asbestos was completely banned in 1999, so the risk of exposure is much lower nowadays. However,materials containing asbestos are still found in many older buildings.

Read more about asbestos and people at risk of exposureand avoiding exposure to asbestos.

If your GP suspects mesothelioma, they will refer you to a hospital specialist for some tests.

Anumber of different tests may need to be carried out, including:

These tests can help diagnose mesothelioma and show how far it has spread.

The best treatment for mesothelioma depends on several factors, including how far the cancer has spread and your general health.

As mesothelioma is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, treatment is usually focused on controlling the symptoms and prolonging life for as long as possible.This is known aspalliative or supportive care.

Possible treatments include:

You'll alsoprobably have treatment for your individual symptoms to help you feel as comfortable as possible. For example, regularly draining fluid from your chest may help your breathing and strong painkillers may helprelieveyour pain.

Sometimes, a procedure is carried out to stop the fluid coming back again by making the outside of the lungs stick to the inside of your chest (pleurodesis), or a tube is put in your chest to drain the fluid regularly at home. Your doctors should discuss these treatments with you.

Unfortunately the outlook for mesothelioma tends to be poor. This is because it doesn't usually cause any obvious symptoms until late on and it can progress quite quickly once it reaches this stage.

Overall:

There arecurrently around 2,500 deaths from mesothelioma each year in the UK.

If you'd like tofind outmore about mesothelioma, the following organisations can providefurther information, advice and support:

Cancer Research UK

Macmillan Cancer Support

British Lung Foundation

Mesothelioma UK

GOV.UK - mesothelioma payments

Page last reviewed: 02/03/2016

Next review due: 01/03/2019

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Mesothelioma - NHS Choices

Mesothelioma Patients May Have Another Treatment Option With FDA Expanded-Use Approval of Lung Cancer Drug – MesotheliomaHelp.org (blog)

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In September, MesotheliomaHelp reported that Italian researchers found the response to ceritinib (Zykadia), an anti-cancer drug, was nearly immediate in non-small cell lung cancer patients who were previously treated with chemotherapy and crizotinib (Xalkori). Now, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted approval for expanded use of the drug to include the first-line treatment of NSCLC patients with ALK-positive tumors, opening the door for another treatment option for mesothelioma patients.

Ceritinib, marketed as Zykadia by Novartis, is intended for the treatment of metastatic NSCLC in patients who express the abnormal anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene. Approximately 3%-5% of people with NSCLC may test positive for the ALK fusion gene. There is a potential that the marker is also present in certain pleural mesothelioma cases making it a new treatment option for the cancer.

In a May 26 press release from Novartis, the company reports that of the 376 patients in the study, those receiving Zykadia as first-line treatment realized a 16.6 month progression-free survival versus 8.1 months in patients treated with pemetrexed-platinum chemotherapy first-line regimen.

Todays approval represents the next step in the development of Zykadia as a treatment option for ALK-positive metastatic NSCLC, bringing this important medication to a patient population where a need still exists, said Bruno Strigini, CEO, Novartis Oncology.

Pleural mesothelioma patients and oncologists keep a close eye on research and breakthroughs that impact NSCLC patients. Although the two cancers have some differences, including the structure of the tumors, patients often follow a similar treatment protocol.

At Novartis, we are tireless in our pursuit of developing novel medicines to treat lung cancer, and the first-line approval of Zykadia for ALK-positive metastatic NSCLC illustrates our commitment to cancer patients, said Strigini.

Close to 3,000 patients are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year in the U.S. Although survival has improved in recent years, there is still no cure for the asbestos-caused cancer.

To find out if you may be a candidate for Zykadia, talk to your medical professional. Visit the Novartis website for more information.

Nancy is a blog and content writer with more than 20 years of professional experience. Nancy has been writing about mesothelioma and cancer for close to eight years.

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Mesothelioma Patients May Have Another Treatment Option With FDA Expanded-Use Approval of Lung Cancer Drug - MesotheliomaHelp.org (blog)

A Breath Test for Mesothelioma? – Surviving Mesothelioma

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Researchers in Belgium say a breath analysis tool could provide the next big breakthrough in the effort to diagnose malignant mesothelioma earlier.

The team, made up of scientists from Ghent and Antwerp Universities, says the technique looks very promising and fits well within the aims of the National Cancer Moonshot research initiative established by President Obama.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare, lung-related cancer linked to asbestos exposure.

Although scientists have identified several compounds or biomarkers in blood or lung fluid that seem to be overproduced by mesothelioma tumors, these markers are not reliable enough to use as stand-alone diagnostic tools. Instead, they are currently used in conjunction with other diagnostic tools such as imaging tests.

The most notable mesothelioma biomarker is the protein mesothelin, which forms the basis of the MESOMARK blood test. Other mesothelioma biomarkers include fibulin-3, osteopontin, and SMRP. They are all used to help identify mesothelioma after symptoms develop.

Doctors believe that one of the best ways to improve outcomes for mesothelioma patients is to identify mesothelioma in its earliest stages, when therapeutic interventions are most likely to be effective.

Although blood and serum biomarkers are limited in their ability to do this, the Belgian researchers believe that compounds in the exhaled breath of mesothelioma patients may be a viable alternative.

Breathomics is a technique for analyzing volatile organic compounds in the breath that are produced by biochemical processes. Measuring the concentration of these compounds can provide key information about the possible presence of lung cancer or pleural mesothelioma.

This method seems very promising in the early detection of diverse malignancies, because exhaled breath contains valuable information on cell and tissue metabolism, writes Ghent University researcher Sabrina Lagniau in a new article in Oncotarget.

According to the article, research that focuses on breath-based biomarkers in pleural mesothelioma is still in its early stages, but the few studies that have been done show encouraging results.

On the plus side, breath analysis is simple, non-invasive, fast, and inexpensive. On the down side, the research team says it may be more difficult with this method to tell one type of cancer from another. Research to help distinguish VOCs from one type of cancer from VOCs produced by people with another type is ongoing.

We believe a breathomics-based biomarkers approach should be further explored to improve the follow-up and management of asbestos exposed individuals, states the report. Rigorous studies on large patient cohorts and appropriate controls will determine the clinical validity and utility of breathomics in the diagnosis of mesothelioma.

Source:

Lagniau, S, et al, Biomarkers for early diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma: Do we need another moonshot?, May 17, 2017, Oncotarget, Epub ahead of print

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A Breath Test for Mesothelioma? - Surviving Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma Victims Center Now Urges a Roofer/Insulator With Mesothelioma to Call About Why It Is Necessary to … – PR Newswire (press release)

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NEW YORK, June 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mesothelioma Victims Center says, "We are urging a roofer or insulator with mesothelioma to call us at 800-714-0303 to ensure they have the nation's top mesothelioma attorneys working on their financial compensation claim; family members calling on behalf of a loved one too ill to act on their own are also encouraged. When people hear the word 'mesothelioma' they typically think of a Navy Veteran, shipyard worker, or power plant worker. In reality, a roofer and especially an insulator could have been heavily exposed to asbestos.

"Because a mesothelioma financial compensation claim for roofers or insulators can get complicated, by the fact there could be a limited number of defendants to pay the claims, we are urging workers in this category to aim high when it comes to hiring the most skilled and capable attorneys to assist.

"If a roofer or insulator with mesothelioma would like to receive the best possible financial compensation they will need to hire some of the nation's highest caliber full-time mesothelioma attorneys as we would like to discuss anytime." http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

Prior to 1980, most US residential and commercial roofing products contained asbestos as did insulation. A roofer's greatest exposure to asbestos most likely occurred during a roof tear off for replacement. For a roofer to do a roof tear off, typically the weather conditions would have to be dry, which is the perfect circumstances for asbestos fibers to become airborne.

Unfortunately for insulators, they would install insulation in dry conditions and in enclosed areas more often than any other worker. Of all work groups, insulators had similar exposure to asbestos as did shipyard workers an Navy Veterans (US Navy Veterans are the number one group of workers exposed to asbestos). While seldom mentioned, insulators should have an annual chest x-ray if they were involved in commercial or industrial insulation jobs prior to 1980.

Vital tip on hiring a lawyer for a roofer or insulator who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma from the Mesothelioma Victims Center:

The State of Minnesota has an excellent website devoted to roofing or siding products that could contain asbestos: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/asbestos/homeowner/roofside.html

According to the CDC, the states indicated with the highest incidence of mesotheliomainclude Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland,New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia,Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana, Washington, and Oregon.

However, based on the calls the Mesothelioma Victims Center receives a roofer or insulator with mesothelioma could live in any state including New York, Florida, California, Texas,Illinois, Ohio, Iowa,Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina,Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia,Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada,Arizona, Idaho, or Alaska.

High-risk work groups for exposure to asbestos include US Navy Veterans, power plant workers,shipyard workers, oil refinery workers, steel mill workers,manufacturing/factoryworkers, pulp or paper mill workers, plumbers, electricians, auto mechanics, machinists, miners, construction workers, insulators, rail road worker, roofers, or firemen. As a rule, these types of workers were exposed to asbestos in the 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, or 1980's. US Navy Veterans make up about one-third of all US Citizens who are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year. http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

The Mesothelioma Victims Center says, "When it comes to obtaining the best mesothelioma settlement, the quality of the attorney matters, as we would like to explain anytime at 800-714-0303. Please don't shortchange yourself when it comes to mesothelioma financial compensation." http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

For more information about mesothelioma please refer to the National Institutes of Health's web site related to this rare form of cancer: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mesothelioma.html

Media Contact:

Michael Thomas 800-714-0303 161308@email4pr.com

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mesothelioma-victims-center-now-urges-a-rooferinsulator-with-mesothelioma-to-call-about-why-it-is-necessary-to-have-the-nations-top-attorneys-working-on-the-compensation-claim-300470777.html

SOURCE Mesothelioma Victims Center

http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

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Mesothelioma Victims Center Now Urges a Roofer/Insulator With Mesothelioma to Call About Why It Is Necessary to ... - PR Newswire (press release)

Creating a Better Economy with Data Science – Stanford Social Innovation Review (subscription)

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We believe in the power of information. We also believe in markets and capitalism as a force for good. The two are inexorably linked, because markets dont work well without open access to reliable data and information, and the insights and perspectives they drive. Within the impact investing world, this is doubly so because of the desirethe needto generate both financial and social returns.

As long-time practitioners in the space, we know that the soft underbelly of the impact investing movementwhich for the purposes of this article also includes mission-related, sustainable, socially responsible, and environmental social and governance (ESG) investingis the measurement, modeling, and demonstration of actual social impact. The world of philanthropy has suffered from a similar shortcoming. Hundreds of billions of dollars flow every day into companies, projects, products, and investment vehicles dedicated to making the world a better place; yet it is still highly challenging to measure many of the social, environmental, and economic benefits these investments produce.

How should we optimize for both impact and financial return? Where can capital generate the greatest beneficial outcome? What actions can companies and investors take today to maximize the odds of successful impact outcomes tomorrow? The lack of reliable, meaningful, data-driven insights relating to performance is materially hampering progress, and making it difficult to build the models we need to refine cost-benefit analyses and inform decision-making about capital allocation. And by making it harder to account for impact success, it is also constraining the flow of additional resources into the sector.

Lest we get too despondent, we should remember that traditional financial accounting has had more than 500 years to evolve since Franciscan friar Luca Pacioli first invented double entry bookkeeping back in 15th-century Venice. And even now, financial performance measurement can still be as much art as it is science. Nonetheless, there is little doubt that measuring and recording impact and philanthropic outcomes with the same discipline we use to assess financial performance is a prerequisite to driving a more just form of capitalism at scale.

One of the most widely held views in the impact sector is that there is actually a surfeit of data relating to impact performancethat the real problem is too much data, and what the field really needs is universal standards and metrics to drive data convergence and enhance the value of available data. There is some truth to this, and organizations such as the Sustainable Accounting Standards Board (SASB) are leading the charge of standards for disclosure on material sustainable issues across industries. But in our experience, there are still two more fundamental challenges facing the impact (and philanthropic) space: actual access to data and knowledge of how to process it to produce the desired outcome.

The Challenge of Data

Currently, impact data ranges from anecdotal, unrepresentative stories from idiosyncratic experiences and situations, to mega-scale government databases focused on highly specific themes and impenetrable to most human beings. But even in areas where data is readily available and accessible, there are challenges.

Take environmental issues. Government agencies, corporations, ESG data vendors, nonprofits such as the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), and rating companies have amassed vast quantities of comparable, specific performance data on all sorts of issues ranging from greenhouse gas emissions to water consumption. Yet impact investors still find it difficult to pinpoint how to most efficiently allocate capital to produce both a cleaner, healthier environment and the desired financial outcome. Its a similar situation in the realm of corporate governance, leadership, and ethics. Thanks to the US Securities and Exchange Commission disclosure requirements, and the work of organizations such as Institutional Shareholder Services, BoardEx, and others, we are replete with excellent data and analysis on a wide range of traditional corporate governance metrics, such as board share of ownership, percentage of independent directors, and board diversity. Even so, defining how these things combine to ensure that a company is well run, maintains a high standard of leadership integrity, and produces outstanding long-term results is not obvious.

When it comes to tracking social issues, the picture is less encouraging. Here, standards and metrics abound, yet reliable, consistent, meaningful performance data is scarce. And when it does exist, it is either incomplete, inconsistent, or difficult to access. How do you know, for example, whether a company really pays a fair wage? Or treats its employees and customers with respect? Or helps the communities where it operates become stronger so that working families can build a better future? The answer is, you dont. Typically, whatever information is available relates either to company policies (such as promoting gender pay equity or supporting the health of workers), or specific and overt actions by individual (usually highly proactive) companies. Actual system-wide performance data is rare, and analysis and insights on outcomes is even rarer.

Technology and the demand for greater transparency are helping. The pool of customer sentiment and product quality data from social media, for example, is vast and growing in utility. Employee pay and opinion data provided by crowdsourced websites such as GlassDoor (a JUST Capital partner) is also increasing rapidly. Information on community health, county-level economic and income conditions, local environmental conditions and pollution vectors, job quality and labor conditions, and myriad other aspects of socio-economic conditions around the country is becoming more widely available. Many companies are taking the lead on making data available. All this is raw material for impact-oriented data science exploration.

Enter Data Science

Notwithstanding the difficulties of collecting relevant performance data, the real problem becomes taking existing raw data and converting it into interpretable and actionable informationthat is, doing the hard work of data science, and extracting real meaning from the data.

This is no cookie-cutter task. Take the problem of low wages, for example. How can we most effectively raise pay above living wage levels to produce the greatest beneficial impact for those at the bottom of the wage pyramid? Data science for impact cant simply collapse performance into a single reductive metric (such as the number of workers not paid a single universal wage threshold in relation to profitability), as this could miss important contributing factors (like geographic location or workers family situations) and lead to impractical and potentially ineffective solutions (such as raising pay of all workers by a fixed dollar amount). In truth, living wage levels are calculated at local levels, and have to take into account all sorts of things particular to the specific circumstances of individual workers if they are to carry real meaning. What data science can do is enhance predictive power by injecting the much-needed human dimension; for example, beyond simply raising wages, what specific combinations of actions can a company take, and in which communities, to generate the most enduring positive impact on the lives of their employees and their families. Now thats a real data challenge!

In our work in this area, we seek to use data and data science to shine a light on how companies can best address the real priorities of the American people, including: investing in building healthier communities, optimizing both social outcomes and financial performance, alleviating the pressures on the working poor, addressing environmental stresses while generating jobs, and isolating which social impact metrics are most powerful in predicting future business performance. But this is just the beginning. The sector desperately needs both data and data science to make impact investing more outcome driven. By collecting and making disparate performance data more readily accessible, the industry can help provide the necessary raw ingredients. And by crowdsourcing the best data science talent, we can turn those raw ingredients into truly valuable analyses that hopefully bend the curve of capitalism in the right direction.

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Creating a Better Economy with Data Science - Stanford Social Innovation Review (subscription)

Important meeting for our nation’s future | Deniliquin Pastoral Times – Deniliquin Pastoral Times (registration) (blog)

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A meeting that could play a significant role in the future of Australias food and fibre production will take place in Canberra this month.

On Friday, June 16 the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council (MINCO) will discuss the suite of projects that could be used to recover additional water under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

Wakool Rivers Association chairman John Lolicato said this could be a ground-breaking meeting for our nation, especially rural communities.

The adverse impact the Basin Plan is having on rural communities is starting to get some recognition, and I expect will be highlighted further in socio-economic reports to be delivered this year, Mr Lolicato said.

To stop any further damage it is imperative that water recovery comes from efficiency and complementary projects.

The MINCO recognised this at its March meeting in Mildura, and it must continue to be the focus at this months meeting.

The June ministerial council meeting will discuss projects, known as sustainable diversion limit adjustment mechanism projects, and make a final determination on these by the end of the year.

Our nation, in particular regional communities that rely on food and fibre production, need all states to approach the SDLs with a commitment and willingness to agree on an implementation schedule that will recover additional water without further social and economic damage, Mr Lolicato said.

At its March meeting the ministerial council agreed to a pathway to implement the Basin Plan that included reaching the water recovery target of 2,750 gigalitres using the SDL adjustment mechanism, and recovering the additional 450GL, referred to as up water with neutral or improved socio-economic outcomes.

We firmly believe the additional 450GL should be taken off the table because there is little scientific proof that it is needed for the environment, Mr Lolicato said.

There is no evidence to show it is needed, so why would we try to recover it? It doesnt make sense.

Mr Lolicato said ministers also need to recognise an indisputable fact attempting to squeeze large volumes of water through the Barmah and Millewa chokes trying to deliver the original 2,750GL will continue to collapse the river banks in the mid-section of the Murray and Edward Rivers, and the suggestion of an additional 450GL would be sheer madness.

The compensation which would have to be paid to landholders under this scenario would be astronomical, let alone the cost to rehabilitate the damage to the river and adjoining environment, Mr Lolicato said.

We trust ministers will accept this reality and take a balanced, common-sense perspective at the June meeting.

We mustnt forget that communities were promised a plan that delivered the so-called triple bottom line, which gave equal prominence to social, environmental and economic outcomes.

Unfortunately to this point the environmental aspect has been the primary consideration, to the detriment of rural communities.

Lets hope this months meeting is another step towards delivering what our communities were promised.

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Important meeting for our nation's future | Deniliquin Pastoral Times - Deniliquin Pastoral Times (registration) (blog)