Edap Tms SA (ADR) (EDAP) Reaches $2.85 After 6.00% Up Move; Tide Point Capital Management LP Upped Its … – Key Gazette

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June 6, 2017 - By Peter Erickson

The stock of Edap Tms SA (ADR) (NASDAQ:EDAP) is a huge mover today! About 61,845 shares traded. Edap Tms SA (ADR) (NASDAQ:EDAP) has declined 15.92% since June 6, 2016 and is downtrending. It has underperformed by 32.62% the S&P500.The move comes after 5 months positive chart setup for the $84.73 million company. It was reported on Jun, 6 by Barchart.com. We have $3.02 PT which if reached, will make NASDAQ:EDAP worth $5.08M more.

Tide Point Capital Management Lp increased Arcelormittal Sa Luxembourg (MT) stake by 85.13% reported in 2016Q4 SEC filing. Tide Point Capital Management Lp acquired 3.83 million shares as Arcelormittal Sa Luxembourg (MT)s stock declined 17.23%. The Tide Point Capital Management Lp holds 8.33M shares with $60.82 million value, up from 4.50 million last quarter. Arcelormittal Sa Luxembourg now has $21.17B valuation. The stock declined 2.55% or $0.54 reaching $20.65 on the news. About 10.27M shares traded or 56.08% up from the average. ArcelorMittal SA (ADR) (NYSE:MT) has risen 67.93% since June 6, 2016 and is uptrending. It has outperformed by 51.23% the S&P500.

EDAP TMS S.A. is a holding company engaged in developing and marketing the Ablatherm and Focal One devices. The company has market cap of $84.73 million. The Firm operates two divisions: High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) and Urology Devices and Services (UDS) (including lithotripsy activities). It has a 18.68 P/E ratio. The Firm is developing HIFU technology for the treatment of certain other types of tumors.

Tide Point Capital Management Lp decreased Univar Inc stake by 132,651 shares to 1.13 million valued at $32.19M in 2016Q4. It also reduced Golar Lng Ltd Bermuda (NASDAQ:GLNG) stake by 1.03 million shares and now owns 970,820 shares. Textron Inc (NYSE:TXT) was reduced too.

Among 15 analysts covering Arcelormittal (NYSE:MT), 12 have Buy rating, 1 Sell and 2 Hold. Therefore 80% are positive. Arcelormittal had 38 analyst reports since July 21, 2015 according to SRatingsIntel. Cowen & Co downgraded it to Market Perform rating and $4 target in Tuesday, February 23 report. The stock of ArcelorMittal SA (ADR) (NYSE:MT) has Hold rating given on Tuesday, February 9 by ING Group. The rating was initiated by Berenberg with Buy on Wednesday, October 14. The stock of ArcelorMittal SA (ADR) (NYSE:MT) earned Underweight rating by JP Morgan on Monday, April 18. The firm has Underperform rating by Jefferies given on Wednesday, January 13. The stock of ArcelorMittal SA (ADR) (NYSE:MT) earned Outperform rating by Macquarie Research on Friday, May 26. The stock of ArcelorMittal SA (ADR) (NYSE:MT) has Outperform rating given on Wednesday, April 13 by Credit Suisse. The firm has Overweight rating by JP Morgan given on Friday, March 31. The firm has Buy rating by Jefferies given on Wednesday, April 20. The company was upgraded on Friday, October 9 by JP Morgan.

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Shoosmiths advises PD Neurotechnology on 1.34m investment – Scottish Legal News

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Stuart Murray

Shoosmiths has advised P D Neurotechnology (PDN) on its 1.34 million funding for the development of itswearable medical technology.

PDN has received funding of 1m from the founders and angel investors with a follow-on funding commitment of 340,000 from the National Bank of Greece (NBG), 1.34m in total. The funding will see the continued development of PDNs wearable medical technology for continuous monitoring and treating of movement disorders which is anticipated to assist in the treatment of chronic diseases like Parkinsons disease.

Shoosmiths corporate partner Stuart Murrayand solicitor Alexander Lamley advised PDN on the UK legal aspects of receiving the funding that involved a complicated structural arrangement to deal with exchange controls and NBG investment criteria.

Nikolaos Moschos, president of the board directors at PDN, said: This funding will ensure the continued development of our innovative wearable medical technology that will significantly benefit sufferers of debilitating movement disorders and illnesses such as Parkinsons disease. The team at Shoosmiths has provided effective, commercial advice with an efficient and proactive service that has ensured the timely securing of this funding.

Mr Murray added: We are extremely pleased to have assisted PDN on this significant investment into the development of their innovative medical product and wish them all the best for the future.

deals, shoosmiths June 6, 2017

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Shoosmiths advises PD Neurotechnology on 1.34m investment - Scottish Legal News

Positive Media Coverage Very Likely to Affect Stryker (SYK) Share Price – Chaffey Breeze

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Positive Media Coverage Very Likely to Affect Stryker (SYK) Share Price
Chaffey Breeze
The Company offers a range of medical technologies, including orthopedic, medical and surgical, and neurotechnology and spine products. The Company's segments include Orthopaedics; MedSurg; Neurotechnology and Spine, and Corporate and Other.
Stryker Corporation (SYK) Surges to 52-Week High, Is Now Top ...KL Daily

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Positive Media Coverage Very Likely to Affect Stryker (SYK) Share Price - Chaffey Breeze

Louisiana Republican who supports instant death penalty for radicalized Muslims blames political correctness – Salon

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Rep. Clay Higgins is standing by a recent Facebook post callingradicalized Muslims as heathen animals and saying Americans should kill them all, telling Salon that the real problem seems to be political correctness.

We are a world at war, the Louisiana Republican said. The enemy is radicalized Islamic jihadists. The terrorists certainly take advantage of the politically correct madness that consumes the West. They revel, that many in the western world are frightened to speak freely. Ive never been accused of being politically correct. I call things the way I see them. The meaning of candid speech is frequently mischaracterized or misunderstood. This is about prioritizing national security and protecting American lives.

Every measure must be taken to eliminate radical Islamic terrorism and the threat it poses to the free world, he added. My only concern is protecting the people that live in my district, my state, and my country. We must stand strong against radical Islamic terror. The fate of the free world will be determined by the courageous, not by the intimidated.

Higgins became famous because of aweekly news segment called Crime Stoppers, one in which he would discuss local crimes and issue direct, no-nonsense ultimatums to the suspects. They were incredibly popular, even if his strong languageeventuallygot him in trouble, and he has ridden that reputation for frankness all the way to a political career.

The videos would frequently insult the intelligence and moral character of the criminals he was calling out and were replete with references to Higgins own Christian faith. In a particularly controversial video, Higgins called out individual members of the Gremlins street gang by name, referring to them as animals and calling one an uneducated, 125-pound punk thats never won a fair fight in your life.

Several family members of the individuals called out in the video took public exception to Higgins language.

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Louisiana Republican who supports instant death penalty for radicalized Muslims blames political correctness - Salon

Cruz Slams ‘Political Correctness’ After London [VIDEO] | The Daily … – The Daily Caller

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During a Monday interview on Fox News, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) slammed tendencies toward political correctness after terrorist attacks, arguing we have to be clear-eyed about the threat we face abroad.

Cruz told Neil Cavuto that he appreciated the Trump administrations hard stance against terrorism.

He addedthat theObama administration was aware of communicationsbetween radicalized agents and people who would go on to commit terror, such as the Boston Marathon bombers and the Fort Hood shooter, but chose not to act on that information.

With terror attack after terror attack the government has had the communications, intercepted the communications, and it knew about the threat before it occurred but the administration was unwilling to act because of fears of political correctness, Cruz claimed.

He also explained how the Department of Homeland Security during the Obama years underwent a purge to alter or delete over 800 records to remove references to radical Islam or the Muslim Brotherhood.

Listen, that doesnt make any sense, he asserted, to be ignoring the red flags we seeweve gotta be clear-eyed about the threat we face abroad to prevent horrific attacks like the ones weve seen in the UK.

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Cruz Slams 'Political Correctness' After London [VIDEO] | The Daily ... - The Daily Caller

Trump slams ‘political correctness’ and gun control activists after London attacks – Washington Examiner

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President Trump called for an end to political correctness when discussing terrorism following Saturday night's attack in London that left seven dead and almost 50 injured.

"We must stop being politically correct and get down to the business of security for our people. If we don't get smart it will only get worse," Trump tweeted.

He then slammed London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who had tried to calm his city early Sunday morning with a statement that said there would be more police on the streets in the coming days and there's "no reason to be alarmed."

"At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is no reason to be alarmed!'" Trump tweeted.

Two terrorist attacks took place in London on Saturday night. In one, terrorists drove a van at about 50 miles per hour into a crowd of people on London Bridge. At about the same time, multiple people were stabbed in a nearby part of London.

Police announced they shot and killed all of the suspects, who were wearing explosive vests. They did not have time to detonate those bombs. At least one innocent bystander was shot by police in the confusion, police said.

Trump poked at Democrats and other gun control activists Sunday morning as well, noting their silence in the wake of the attacks.

"Do you notice we are not having a gun debate right now? That's because they used knives and a truck!" he tweeted.

Not long after firing off that series of tweets, Trump left the White House for his Virginia golf course. While the White House wouldn't confirm Trump was golfing, he appeared to be dressed for the links, according to a press pool report.

His comments stirred up more outrage from critics on Twitter, but Khan himself couldn't be bothered to respond

Khan "is busy working with police, emergency services and the government to coordinate the response to this horrific and cowardly terrorist attack and provide leadership and reassurance to Londoners and visitors in our city," a spokesman said.

"He has more important things to do than respond to Donald Trump's ill-informed tweet that deliberately takes out of context his remarks urging Londoners not to be alarmed when they saw more police including armed officers on the streets."

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Trump slams 'political correctness' and gun control activists after London attacks - Washington Examiner

London a reminder that deadly political correctness perpetuates terrorism – The Hill (blog)

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A toxic and deadly political correctness has enveloped Western Europe and enabled an unending wave of terrorist attacks. Refusing to utter the words radical Islamic extremism, opening the door to millions of half-vetted refugees and decrying the concepts of borders and assimilation have resulted in a culture in crisis a culture without democratic, freedom-loving identity and constantly under murderous attack from cancers within.

Seven dead in London. Twenty-two dead in Manchester. Twelve in Berlin. Eighty-seven in Nice. Forty-nine in Orlando. Thousands dead in the Middle East. All in the last year alone.

This is the reality we live in, and yet far too many have chosen to bury their heads in the sand of ignorance.

The fact that last Ramadan the Muslim holy month during which ISIS called for all-out war on infidels an Islamic terrorist attack occurred once every 84 hours. The fact that far-left Chancellor Angela Merkel admitted mistakes in admitting millions of refugees into her country. And the fact that 65 percent of all people convicted of terrorism or terrorism-related offenses in the U.S. were foreign-born, pointing to a clear, inextricable link between immigration and terrorism.

These are facts, in the face of which fictitious falsehoods are embraced.

To be sure, most immigrants are good and most Muslims are peaceful. But responsible leaders must nevertheless acknowledge the radical Islamic extremists that seek to cross our borders and kill our people.

America and Europe face a choice a choice between realism and idealism. While the American people chose the former on Nov. 8 in the election of Donald TrumpDonald TrumpGOP rep: Trumps tweeting very ill advised Arab nations risk gas insecurity over rift with Qatar After Saturdays attacks, the British election is more volatile than ever MORE, Europe and the establishment political classes in American society consistently choose the latter.

Angela Merkel chose idealism when she lectured President Trump at the NATO headquarters just over a week ago, saying it is not isolation and the building of walls that make us successful. The American courts have chosen idealism in striking down Trumps revised travel pause from seven countries where vetting proves impossible, despite the action being well within Trumps Article II powers. And Congress has chosen idealism in its refusal to allocate money for building a border wall along our southern border.

In stark contrast, President Trump has embraced realism full throttle. In addition to being maligned for his executive order on travel and his border wall, he was mocked by the severely out-of-touch chattering class for a slew of spot-on tweets in the aftermath of the London attacks, warning that [w]e must stop being politically correct and get down to the business of security for our people. And he appropriately chastised London Mayor Sadiq Khan for suggesting there is no reason to be alarmed. This is the same London mayor who previously suggested that terrorism is just part and parcel of living in a big city.

Trumps realistic take was nevertheless shunned and rejected with flashy headlines.

"Donald Trumps ugly tweets on London are a step too far even for him," read the Telegraph.

Other headlines followed suit.

The Panic President.

Trump criticized for tweet on London mayor after bridge attacks.

We must stop being politically correct and get down to the business of security for our people. If we don't get smart it will only get worse

At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is "no reason to be alarmed!"

Meanwhile, the twisted truth is that the London mayor, not President Trump deserves criticism for his soft, idealistic approach to terrorism.

Prime Minister Theresa May, for her part, took a tough, self-critical tone in acknowledging that the United Kingdom has shown far too much tolerance of extremism in our country.

But the time for words is over. The time for action is now. The words of European leaders ring hollow, especially contrasted with the actions of a president willing to defy political correctness in protecting the American citizenry.

Realistic, bold, unwavering action is not just advisable, but indispensible to protecting the homeland. Its easy to dismiss terrorism and point to its rarity, until someone you know and love becomes a victim of it. Our children, our brothers, our sisters, our mothers, our fathers will perish in a world of idealism.

Kayleigh McEnany (@KayleighMcEnany)is a graduate of Harvard Law School. She completed her undergraduate degree at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and studied politics at Oxford University.

The views expressed by contributors are their own and are not the views of The Hill.

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London a reminder that deadly political correctness perpetuates terrorism - The Hill (blog)

Political correctness has strangled policy | Letters – Sun Sentinel

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In the London Bridge terror attack, seven were left dead and 48 wounded, according to reports. ISIS takes credit while the media speculates about home-grown terrorists and the Trump travel ban.

What is clear is that the West is playing defense because the declaration of war has come only from radical Muslims, while political correctness has strangled policy and rhetoric for fear that moderate Muslims might be offended. Can anyone imagine our 1940's population not using the word "Nazi" for fear of offending Germans?

The Brits have capitulated. Sharia law reigns and police tiptoe through neighborhoods populated by locals and foreigners whose origins are unknown and unquestioned. The same is true in Paris, Brussels and a dozen other key European cities. And those liberals in America who support political correctness want open borders and sanctuary cities. These are invitations to repeat the London attacks here.

Washington will feel differently when the late news features radical attacks whose victims include the relatives of our most liberal representatives. You can bet on that.

Richard Klitzberg, Boca Raton

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Political correctness has strangled policy | Letters - Sun Sentinel

Rep. King: ‘It’s Time to Put Political Correctness Aside’ | Fox News … – Fox News Insider

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In the wake of another deadly terror attack in the United Kingdom, Rep. Peter King (R-NY) says it's time to put political correctness aside and get serious about the threat of radical Islamic terror.

King, a member of the House Homeland Security Committee and chairman of the House Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee, told Shannon Bream on "America's Newsroom" that all leaders should follow the lead of President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May and label these attacks "Islamist."

He said there are many counterterrorism actions we must take, but he prioritizes getting surveillance and intelligence on the Muslim community to prevent attacks before they happen.

"I don't know why anyone in the community who wants to stop terrorism would be opposed to that," King said. "We're not talking about breaking and entering, we're not talking about doing anything without warrants."

He said the reality is that we are locked in a war with radical Islamists who want to kill us, and the sooner we acknowledge that the better.

"It's time to put political correctness aside," King said. "That's why I was so pleased yesterday when Prime Minister May used the term 'Islamic extremism.' She used the word 'Islamist,' because that's where the threat it coming from."

CNN Host: Trump 'A Piece of S--t' for His Response to London Attack

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London Mayor: British Capital 'One of the Safest Cities in the World'

Army Ranger Blasts London Mayor For Refusing to Mention 'Radical Islam'

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Rep. King: 'It's Time to Put Political Correctness Aside' | Fox News ... - Fox News Insider

Trump blasts London mayor, political correctness after terror attacks – USA TODAY

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British authorities said on Saturday there are reports of multiple casualties following a major incident on London Bridge. (June 3) AP

President Trump(Photo: Evan Vucci, AP)

WASHINGTON President Trump responded to the terror attacks in London by taking aim at Londons mayor, political correctness and gun control.

In a series of early morning tweets, the president derided and misrepresented Mayor Sadiq Khan's attemptto calm Londoners after the third terror attack in Britain in less than three months.

At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is "no reason to be alarmed!" said Trump.

In responding to the attacks, Khan told Londoners theres no reason to be alarmed by an increased police presence over the coming days while vowing of the terrorists that we will never let them win.

We must stop being politically correct and get down to the business of security for our people. If we don't get smart it will only get worse, Trump said on Twitter. On Saturday night, police said sevenpeople died and at least 48 were injured after a van plowed into pedestrians on London Bridge and assailants went on a stabbing rampage at nearby Borough Market.

In a final tweet, Trump also seemed to blast the gun control debate in the United States. Do you notice we are not having a gun debate right now? That's because they used knives and a truck! said Trump.

Britain has stricter gun laws than in the U.S. and prohibits semi-automatic rifles. In 2011, the U.K. had0.07 gun homicidesfor every 100,000 people; the U.S., by contrast, had 3 gun homicides for every 100,000.Further, the U.S. permits individuals on its terror watch list equal gun rights, including purchasing high-capacity weapons like the one Omar Mateen used last year to kill 49 people at an Orlando night club.

Trump's criticism of the mayor drew fire from Republicans in the U.S., including Doug Heye, a strategist and former top aide to House Republican leadership.

"I can't imagine Theresa May tweeting like this to the mayor of Orlando or San Bernadino," said Heye.

London police say Youssef Zaghba lived in East London, like his two accomplices in the deadly rampage. USA TODAY

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British counterterrorism investigators searched two homes Monday and detained "a number" of people in the investigation into a van and knife attack in the heart of London that left seven people dead and dozens hurt. (June 5) AP

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A major incident was ongoing in central London on Saturday night, with reports of a van hitting pedestrians on the London Bridge and stabbings in a nearby area. Time

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Police say the three male attackers were wearing fake suicide vests. Video provided by Newsy Newslook

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President Donald Trump says Americans are renewing their resolve to protect their country and their allies from a "vile enemy." Speaking publicly for the first time since the latest London attacks, Trump said "this bloodshed will end." (June 4) AP

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People in the UK have responded to the deadly London Bridge attack with sorrow and distinctly British humor, hailing a man pictured walking away from the mayhem holding a pint of beer as a tongue-in-cheek symbol of defiance. (June 4) AP

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Terror struck at the heart of London on Saturday night as attackers killed six people in a series of vehicle and knife attacks before police shot them dead. (June 4) AP

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A 19-year-old student nurse believes she owes her life to a taxi driver who warned her about the attack in London Bridge on Saturday. Rhiannon Owen was using an ATM when a taxi driver shouted at her "You have to run! They've got a knife!' (June 4) AP

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Haiwen Xu is a street performer from Exeter, U.K. who traveled to London after the London Bridge terror attack to play her handpan. USA TODAY

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Ahmadiyya Muslim Community members gathered at London Bridge on Sunday to show solidarity according to spokesman Usman Khan. USA TODAY

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UK Prime Minister Theresa May has strongly condemned the recent terror attacks in London and Manchester, saying tougher measures are needed as "terrorism breeds terrorism" and attackers copy each other. (June 4) AP

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Just hours after two violent incidents occurred in London, President Donald Trump doubled down on his call for a travel ban on social media. Susana Victoria Perez (@susana_vp) has more. Buzz60

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London is on high alert following a terrorist incident Saturday night, which police say killed at least seven people and injured 48. Time

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British authorities said on Saturday there are reports of multiple casualties following a major incident on London Bridge. (June 3) AP

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London police say they are dealing with an incident on London Bridge. (June 3) AP

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Third London attacker identified by British police

More detained in London Bridge attack probe

What to know about the London Bridge attack

12 arrested in connection to London Bridge, borough market attack

Trump: U.S. 'will do everything to help U.K.'

Raw: Man flees London attack while holding beer

London attack leaves 6 dead; Police shoot 3

London eyewitness: 'I was so scared, i just ran'

Street performer travels 200 miles to London to play 'healing instrument'

Members of international Muslim group show solidarity London Bridge

UK PM: We must turn minds away from violence

Trump accused of politicizing London attacks on Twitter

Theresa May responds to London Bridge attack

Multiple casualties reported in London incident

Raw: Police respond to incident on London Bridge

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Trump blasts London mayor, political correctness after terror attacks - USA TODAY

International grifter gets 5 years in prison for Denver credit card cloning scam – The Denver Post

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A 27-year-old Romanian with a crime record trailing through Europe and the Middle East was sentenced to five years in prison Wednesday for his role in a credit card cloning scam in Denver.

A jury convicted Laurentiu Urziceanu on Jan. 19 of 22 felony counts including possession of a fraud device, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. He was acquitted of one count of bulk cash smuggling.

Urziceanu and an accomplice cloned credit cards of customers at two Denver banks using sophisticated electronic devices, cameras and computers, said Tim Neff, a prosecutor inthe U.S. Attorneys Office in Denver.

Initially afraid that he would be returned to Romania upon his arrest in Chicago, Urziceanu sought political asylum by claiming that he was a gypsy who was the target of persecution in his homeland. His temporary stay in the U.S. will be behind bars.

Urziceanus arrest happened because of an observant Denver Greyhound bus teller, Neff said at Urziceanus sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court in Denver. The teller apparently believed Urziceanu might be a terrorist.

On Jan. 25, 2016, when Urziceanu tried to send fraud devices in a package through Greyhound, the teller noticed he seemed unusually hurried and his claim that the package contained a toy and sweaters was dubious. A bomb squad was calledand when they examined the contents of the box, they discovered seven pin-hole cameras and credit card skimming devices that wereplaced inside ATMs to steal credit card numbers.

Special Agent David Lauber of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security resealed the package and sent it to Chicago. When Urziceanu, using the alias Brazovics Balazs Peter, of Italy, retrieved the package, federal agents arrested him following a chase through the crowded streets of downtown Chicago, Neff said. At the time, had a forged Hungarian drivers license in his possession.

The tiny pin cameras were used to record bank pin numbers from more than 100 bank customers.

Urziceanu and his accomplice had allegedly stolen credit card information from 19 Wells Fargo Bank customers, court records indicate. They cloned credit cards and used them to withdraw $6,600 from bank accounts. The pair was in Denver only three days before going to Chicago, Neff said.

At one point, Urziceanu went to a Boulder post office on Jan. 25, 2016, and mailed a box of money to his girlfriends mother, Domnica Iovan, in Chieti, Italy.

While in Chicago, he had sent another box containing $22,000 in cash hidden in a speaker box to a family member named Ionescu Ecaterina in Rome, Italy.

Urziceanu entered the country on foot illegally near Rio Grande City, Texas, on Jan. 7, 2015, court records indicate. Neff said the international griftercame to America with larceny in his heart. Urziceanu was arrested in Texas on an immigration hold, but paid a $15,000 bond and fled the state, court records say.

The Rome Crime Squad arrested Urziceanu on April 28, 2011, outside the S. Paolo IMI Bank in Rome after he wascaught installing equipment that taped transmissions in an ATM. That July he was sentenced to from one to six months in prison.

Neff said Urziceanu was later arrested in Israel in a similar case but was not convicted of that crime.

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International grifter gets 5 years in prison for Denver credit card cloning scam - The Denver Post

B.o.B Talks Conspiracy Theories About 9/11, Snapchat, Cloning, Chemtrails, The Illuminati & More (VIDEO) – AllHipHop (blog)

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(AllHipHop News)In early 2016, B.o.B became one of the most prominent faces of the so-called Flat Earth movement when the southern rapper used his Twitter feed to question the idea our world is round.

His support for the flat Earth concept even led to a back-and-forth with famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Bobby Ray recently spoke with HotNewHipHop about other conspiracy theories such as Snapchat secretly gathering peoples facial scans, human cloning, UFOs,geoengineering, chemtrails, fluoride, the Illuminati, and 9/11.

I feel like [9/11] is an inside job. The evidence that has surfaced over the years I feel like there wasan insurance policy taken out on the building for terrorist attacks, ironically, said B.o.B. Its just a lot of differentthings that dont add up, so I definitely feel like its an inside job.

It was some of the conspiratorial reactions to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon that first introduced a teenage Bobby to theories about false flag operations and secret societies.

Besides being a vocal contrarian, B.o.B is also the creator of music projects such asThe Adventures of Bobby Ray,Strange Clouds,Underground Luxury, Psycadelik Thoughtz,andEther.

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B.o.B Talks Conspiracy Theories About 9/11, Snapchat, Cloning, Chemtrails, The Illuminati & More (VIDEO) - AllHipHop (blog)

Evangelicals Who Link Evolution and Racism Forget Christianity Was Used to Defend Slavery and Segregation – Patheos (blog)

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David Whitney of the Institute on the Constitution believes he knows whyRichard Collins III was murdered on the University of Marylands campus in May:

Evolution is also the basis of racism, [and] many assert that racism played a role in the motivation for this murder, Whitney said. You see,evolution is essentially racist. Sowhere did Sean Urbanski learn racism? He learned it in his classes on evolutionat the local public high school that his parents sent him to and his parents funded that school by the payment of their property taxes.

This statement should be surprising, but it is not. Prominent creationist Ken Ham is well known for arguing that evolution is the root of racism, and that the solution to racism is belief in biblical creationism.

Shortly before coming upon Whitneys words, I read an Atlantic article taking on a series of myths about Robert E. Lee. I found the articles discussion of Lees Christianity an interesting counterpoint to Whitneys claims:

The war was not about slavery, Lee insisted later, but if it was about slavery, it was only out of Christian devotion that white southerners fought to keep blacks enslaved. Lee told aNew York Heraldreporter, in the midst of arguing in favor of somehow removing blacks from the South (disposed of, in his words), that unless some humane course is adopted, based on wisdom and Christian principles you do a gross wrong and injustice to the whole negro race in setting them free. And it is only this consideration that has led the wisdom, intelligence and Christianity of the South to support and defend the institution up to this time.

Lee had beaten or ordered his own slaves to be beaten for the crime of wanting to be free, he fought for the preservation of slavery, his army kidnapped free blacks at gunpoint and made them unfreebut all of this, he insisted, had occurred only because of the great Christian love the South held for blacks.

Lee claimed that slavery was Christianand his argument was a common one for his time. Whites inthe antebellum South used scripture to back up their defense of slaveryand this wasnt just limited to verses telling slaves to obey their masters. Southern whites argued that the black race was subject to the curse of Ham. They based this claimon a passage from Genesis chapter 9:

20Then Noah beganfarming and planted a vineyard.21He drank of the wine andbecame drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent.22Ham, the father of Canaan,saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.23But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces wereturned away, so that they did not see their fathers nakedness.24When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him.25So he said,

Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brothers.

26He also said,

Blessed be theLord, The God of Shem; And let Canaan behis servant. 27May God enlarge Japheth, And let him dwell in the tents of Shem; And let Canaan behis servant.

Southern whites argued that as a result of this incident the descendants of Ham were condemned to serve the descendants of Shem and Japheth, forever. The descendants of Ham, they argued, werethe black race. The descendants of Japheth were the Jews, and the descendants of Shem were the Europeans. Slavery, then, was not only passively biblical but actually explicitly commanded by God.

I should note that this belief predated even the idea of evolution. In other words, the curse of Hamwas not based on evolutionary ideas about race.

Nor did the use of the Bible to defend racialdiscrimination or racial segregation end there. During the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s, many white southern pastors preached that God had commanded the separation of the races. These individuals tended to argue that different races should not intermarry, andthat God had different purposes for different races. And here, again, their concept of races was rooted inthe Bible,notevolutionary ideas.

Have a look at this excerpt from a 1960 radio address by Bob Jones:

What does God teach about the races of the world? If you will go to the seventeenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, you will find where Paul preached a special sermon on Mars Hill.

Paul tells us in his sermon on Mars Hill, God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands. Now, the statue of the Grecian goddess, Athena, was in the Parthenon; and Paul said that God did dwell in buildings made with hands. Neither is worshipped with mens hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things.

Now, noticethis is an important versethe twenty-sixth verse of the seventeenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth (in some of the best original manuscripts, the word blood is not there, but it is not important anyhow, because the thoughts are the same). And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth. . . . But do not stop there, . . . and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation. Now, what does that say? That says that God Almighty fixed the bounds of their habitation. That is as clear as anything that was ever said.

Pastors like Bob Jones explicitlypreachedthat God had createdseparate races, giving each its own boundary and roleand they used the Bible to back up their claims. Trumpetingthese passages, Jonesvehemently opposed both interracial marriage and school desegregation.

Here, then, is the central problem faced byevangelicals like Whitney: If racism stemmed from evolution, as they claim,we should not see Christians base racist ideas on the Bible, eitherin recent generations or in thedecades before the birth of evolutionary science. And yet, we see just that. If evangelicalsaccept that racism is part of the human condition, and understand that a variety of ideasfrom evolution to Christianityhave been used to justify racism,they grow closer to reality.

Of course, they also lose a favorite anti-evolution talking point.

As an aside, both young earth creationism and evolution holdsthat humans are descended from agroup of early ancestors. Creationist Ken Ham is fond of using the one blood terminology quoted by Jones to argue that young earth creationism is anti-racist. To the extent that Hamis able to persuade his followers to reject racist ideas, great! Im just not sure Hams were all descended from the same people rhetoric is as original (or as different from that ofevolutionary scientists) as he thinks.

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Evangelicals Who Link Evolution and Racism Forget Christianity Was Used to Defend Slavery and Segregation - Patheos (blog)

Katy Perry’s Musical Evolution in 5 Acts – Radio.com Music and Entertainment News

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We trace Perry's evolution from Christian beginnings to "Swish Swish." June 6, 2017 10:00 AM

By Hayden Wright

For nine years, Katy Perry has been one of pop musics most powerful forces but she was far from an overnight success. The Roar singer toiled on the Christian pop circuit for years before transitioning to the mainstreamand heralding the dawn of one of pop musics brightest careers. Perrys fifth studio album,Witness drops Friday but lets take a look at the chapters that brought her to prominence.

Christian Pop Beginnings: Katy Hudson, 2001.

For most artists, a self-titled debut album sets the blueprint for everything that comes next. Think ofMadonna orHarry Styles. That conventional wisdom couldnt be further from the truth for Katy Perrys first full-length album, a contemporary Christian record under her legal name, Katy Hudson.Katy Hudsonruns the gamut from the overtly devotional (Faith Wont Fail) to the convincingly secular (Naturally) but it was hardly a launchpad for superstardom. Instead, Perrys Christian roots (and pastor parents) supply levels of irony, conviction, and context for all her future projects.

A Subversive Debut:One of the Boys, 2008.

In our desensitized times, its easy to forget how bold and shocking the declaration I kissed a girl (and I liked it) sounded on FM radio.Well never look at cherry Chapstick the same way again.One of the Boys was a reaction againstKaty Hudson as much as it was a declaration of intent: Perrys cheeky power pop delights on tracks like Hot n Cold while Thinking of You showcased her range. On the record, Perry left her wholesome image behind and asserted herself as a burgeoning pop powerhouse.

The Mainstream Juggernaut:Teenage Dream, 2010.

Teenage Dream was the moment everything went Technicolor for Katy Perry. Single after single hit number one on theBillboard Hot 100 chart and she earned a GRAMMY nomination for Album of the Year. Commercial performance aside,Teenage Dream is a diverse yet cohesive collection of top-drawer pop confections. Firework set the gold standard for empowerment anthems; California Gurls hit the airwaves with irresistible bubblegum force; Last Friday Night spawned Perrys most delightful video to date (and how about that sax solo?). The albums lower-key moments Teenage Dream and The One That Got Away accessed something yearning and relatable in legions of pop listeners. An album with one of these tracks would be a big dealTeenage Dream had all five and more.

Breaking the Mold: Prism, 2013.

After the explosion ofTeenage Dream, Perry waited a few years to follow it up.Prism feels like an album tailor-made for Katy Perry fans, like Lady GagasArtpop or RihannasAnti. Though it contained big, broad hits like Roar and Dark Horse, most ofPrism plays to Perrys base of KatyCats. It marked a major key change in the singers stage presence, beginning with thePrismatic World Tour and culminating at the 2015 Super Bowl Halftime Show. Perrys supersized production values incorporated new elements of nostalgia like Missy Elliotts show-stealing appearance.

Next Up:Witness, 2017.

Perrys fifth studio album will always have an asterisk next to itits technically her fourth, given how far shes come sinceKaty Hudson. Her purposeful pop promises a new dimension to the artistry weve come to expect, informed by the 2016 presidential election and subsequent resistance efforts. On Bon Appetit and Swish Swish, its clear thatWitness wont be a joyless political album but a fresh restatement of the Katy Perry brand.

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Photo Series Shows Kids Enjoying Childhood Without Technology – Collective Evolution

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Do you remember a tech-free childhood? For the most part, I do, with the exception of television. I am thankful I didnt grow up during the era of iPads and iPhones, and everything that comes with them easy access to streamed movies and TV shows,YouTube, games, andendless social media feeds. I didnt have adevice to distract meat the fancy restaurant. When I was bored, my parents told me to read, to go outside, to play with my sister.

I was a nanny for a long time as a young adult, during the emergence of iPhones, iPads, and the social media hype. I can tell youthat I saw firsthand its effects on childrens desire to go outside and play, to interact with their siblings, and to fill the void of boredom with books, board games, or even a tree outsiderather than a screen.

While there is certainly a lot of opinions on todays technology and our children, and I respect parents choices for their children, and I do believe iPhones, iPads, social media, and more are more than just unavoidable, but also beneficial in many circumstances. However, I alsobelieve in the simplicity of life; in the power of getting dirty in nature; in using your creativity to make up games with your sibling; in getting lost in a book.

It seems New Zealand photographer and mother of four Niki Boondoes too. In a series called Childhood in the Raw, she documented her childrens everyday lives, showcasing the joys of a tech-free world.

This project came into being with our decision to educate our children alternatively, at home, Boon told HuffPost.

As one might assume, there have been a lot of questions and criticism from friends, family, and strangers regarding the familys lifestyle. Boon, her husband, and their children a 12-year-old daughter and three sons, ages 7, 9, and 13 live in a rural environment without modernelectronic devices like TV and smartphones.

In the beginning, the photos served as a visual document, to record things that the children were doing in a day, to reassure both others and ourselves that there was learning taking place, Boon said.

But as time went on, I became frustrated that the pictures werent really telling the story well enough for me. It just wasnt with enough depth, she continued.

So I spent many hours and late nights trying to teach myself how to take better pictures, ones that depicted what I was seeing in front of me, and tell the story the way I saw it and things just evolved from there.

Boons tech-free childhood, in which she grew up on a farm with extended family, sparked her desire to give her children a similar experience.

Like all parents we would love our children to be strong in who they are, confident, free thinkers, proactive, independent, resilient, empathetic and happy, said Boon. I hope that, living with the land that we have, that they also gain a healthy respect for the earth, and for the animals and plants that live with us on it.

Boon hopes, if anything can be taken away from the series, it is that her children have the opportunity to look back on it and smile.

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Photo Series Shows Kids Enjoying Childhood Without Technology - Collective Evolution

CrossCode Developer Reflects At The RPG’s Six Years Of Evolution – Siliconera

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By Joey Chiu . June 6, 2017 . 1:00pm

Radical Fish Gamess CrossCode feels like the type of indie game that you wish there was more of out there. As Lea, a stranger in a strange land who just lost her voice as well as her memories, log into the MMO-game-within-the-indie-game CrossWorlds to solve the mystery of her amnesia. Take an energy-ball-shooting mechanic like the egg-fling from Yoshis Island, add it to a NieR: Automata-like super-slick combat system, sprinkle in Zelda-style puzzle-solving, and mix it well in a top-down world with vibrant graphics and music that evoke 16-bit bliss. Thats CrossCode.

Siliconera met with Felix Klein of Radical Fish Games during BitSummit and got to talk about CrossCodes beginnings, its eclectic influences, and the development teams own continuing journey.

Could you please give a short introduction?

Felix Klein, Co-founder: I am Felix, also known as Lachsen, of Radical Fish Games. Were a bunch of developers from Germany, and we worked on CrossCode since the end of 2011 essentially. We are finally in Japan, presenting the game at BitSummit.

What was the origin of CrossCode?

CrossCode began long before its own development in 2011. We were all working with RPGMaker 2000, created our first prototype. It was top-down, more like a puzzle game where you could throw balls that were bouncing on walls. It quickly turned out that RPGMaker 2000s not really up to the task, there were lots of limitations, and we dropped that eventually.

I picked it up again sometime later, and I tried to develop it as a Nintendo DS homebrew title. That worked much better, but C++ is such a pain to work with, and I lost motivation. But then, HTML5 came around, and I really got in love with HTML5 for some strange reason.

A lot of people hate JavaScript, I love JavaScript, I dunno why, it just speaks to me. So I decided to try it again, this time in HTML5, and it worked. So we started with ImpactJS, thats an HTML5 engine, modified the engine, a lot of people joined the team, so we are now a team of 12 to 14 people, with 2 people working full-time, and now over this year we have created a pretty decent game. Its not finished yet, but we are getting pretty close to it.

What were some of the driving inspirations behind CrossCode?

A lot of different inspirations. You could say CrossCode is taking Yoshis Island, then you make it top-down instead of side-view, and then you turn it into an RPG. Thats more or less CrossCode. We have a big love for Terranigma, a Super Nintendo game that was actually released in Germany and not in the United States.

Also Devil May Cry, Kingdom Hearts, a little bit of the combat system is inspired by that. Xenoblade Chronicles is a big inspiration because we like the mix of JRPG with more open-world scenarios and free-roaming with quests, and a little bit of Valkyrie Profile because of the animations.

That is a wonderful myriad of influences and inspirations. What then is perhaps one singular element that you would have separate CrossCode from the rest of the indie RPG pack?

Thats a difficult one. Theres several things in CrossCode that are nice to point out as far as the abstract goes, but what I like to say is that its a nice mix of Zelda-type action-adventure with an action RPG. You actually dont have this too often.

On the other hand, you have puzzle-heavy action adventures, or combat-heavy action RPGs. We actually try to mix the whole thing, and we think it works really nice, because you actually have battles that have very puzzle-heavy mechanics. You actually use the puzzle mechanics in combat, and on the other hand you have puzzles that are really fast paced, and actually also need some shooting, it mixes those two things and is actually surprisingly unique. You dont see it too often.

Have there been any elements of the game that were either dropped or changed over the years of development?

There have been a few featured ideas that we had early on that we also dropped pretty early on in the game. There have been some features that we thought we would like to add them, but we werent 100% sure it would work out. But, in the end, they all actually worked out, stuff like party members.

We have not been 100% sure if we would manage to create party members, but it worked well enough so we added them. Theyre not extremely relevant for gameplay, theyre more for the atmosphere, but its actually pretty fun to have party members running around. In CrossCode, youre playing a network game inside a game, so not having parties would be a little bit weird. You dont play an MMO by yourself usually.

So that worked out, but otherwise we actually have a very fixed set of features. We dont adapt things too much. We did a lot of experiments in the beginning, like the technical demo, released that, got some feedback. Then we released the first demo, the feature set was actually surprisingly stable. We do small stuff like come up with some mini-games, and other small quest ideas which are based on the mechanics that we already implemented for other things. We try to reuse mechanics to use them in a different way to get some new content, but we dont invent entirely new mechanics. We try to avoid that.

This isnt your first public showing of CrossCod?

No, not entirely. We had a two year break not showing much. When we did the Indiegogo campaign, we went to SXSW, and presented it. We havent been well-known so people probably missed it back then. But, yeah, we have been there, then presented at some kind of Indie Booth, it wasnt Indie Mega Booth, it was something else.

And then a few months later, after the Indiegogo campaign, we were at Gamescom in Germany. We actually had 2 booths, one in the consumer area, one in the press area, it was- Oh my Gosh- it was so exhausting. 5 days, from 10 to 20 oclock (10am to 8pm on a 12-hour clock), 5 days in a row We kinda survived that, but then wed had enough events for some time.

But now since were getting closer to release, now we plan to show up in some more events again, show the game a bit more, and when we got the invitation to go to Japan, we definitely wanted to do that. I have been here before, actually the first time I worked on HTML5 games was on an internship here in Japan. It was in Tokyo, they actually gave us a trust to do some kinda Farmville clone based on HTML5 instead of Flash.

We never really finished that, but it was more like an experiment. But thats when I realized that HTML5 was ready to work on games. Right when I came back to Germany, a few months later, I started CrossCode, and now 6 years later, Im back again showing CrossCode in Japan. This is awesome.

Do you have any closing thoughts for fans and players looking forward to CrossCodes release?

I just really hope that we can surprise you people with some really interesting twists in the story. I hope that the story will be received well in the end, that we can surprise some of our players.

Video game stories from other sites on the web. These links leave Siliconera.

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New study identifies energy metabolism adaptations linked to soft shell turtle evolution – Phys.Org

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June 6, 2017

Around 250 million years ago, terrestrial-bound turtles began to explore the aquatic environments, and with it, a profound, new ability first developed.

Breathable skin, made possible by the loss of their hard shells. Losing the hard shell is a feature that evolved independently in three turtle lineages during the Late Cretaceous, providing greater swimming speed and maneuverability.

And the loss of hard shells at different evolutionary branch points resulted in adaptive changes because of changes in respiration. They could maintain aerobic respiration for longer periods of time, and sustain deeper dives.

Now, scientists Tibisay Escalona, and Agostinho Antunes from the CIIMAR research institute in Porto, Portugal, and Cameron Weadick from Sussex University in Brighton, United Kingdom have traced the origin of these adaptations to different genes that are part of the mitochondrial respiratory complex in soft shelled turtles.

"It's reasonable to hypothesize that turtle mitochondrial DNA-encoded proteins may have undergone adaptive evolutionary changes associated with the loss of shell scutes and the invasion of highly aquatic eco-physiological niches," said the authors.

Mitochondria, which are passed along solely from mothers to offspring, are known as the powerhouses of the cell, responsible for aerobic respiration and 95 percent of the cell's energy currency in the form of ATP.

The research team investigated patterns of evolution in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) protein coding genes across 53 Cryptodiran turtle species (representing a total of 10 families), testing for adaptive or divergent patterns of mtDNA evolution associated with the evolution of soft-shells.

The researchers identified positively selected sites that occurred in the mitochondrial-encoded proteins of the oxidative phosphorylation system byusing various models and mapped these mutations onto the three-dimensional structures of the proteins, and predicted the severity of these structural changes on respiratory function.

They've shown that subtle amino acid changes can have large functional effects and saw the largest changes effecting complex one, the first and the largest domain of the OXPHOS pathway. Complex I, is responsible for an estimated 40 percent of the proton current that drives ATP synthase.

"Our data supports the notion that the adoption of highly aquatic lifestyles in soft-shelled turtles was associated with altered patterns of selection on mitochondrial function. Our analyses thus revealed that positive selection strongly affected mtDNA evolution along two (Trionychidae and Carettochelyidae) of the three lineages associated with the evolution of soft-shells, and that positive selection targeted multiple mtDNA genes in both cases," said the authors.

However, they did not see this adaptation in leatherback sea turtles. Why not? "This suggests that the evolution of a soft-shell in leatherbacks may have been linked to thermoregulation, not respiration, enabling the species to regulate heat gain and loss," said the authors.

Their findings highlight the valuable role of mitochondrial in the larger context of mitochondrial protein biochemistry, human diseases and turtle ecology.

Explore further: How to protect cells from selfish mitochondrial DNA

More information: Molecular Biology And Evolution (2017). DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msx167

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New study identifies energy metabolism adaptations linked to soft shell turtle evolution - Phys.Org

Theocrat Blames Evolution for Racist Murder – Patheos (blog)

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A couple weeks ago a University of Maryland student who was a hardcore racist murdered a black student from another school. David Whitney from the Christian Reconstructionist group Institute on the Constitution naturally blames it all on the teaching of evolution.

As in all public schools, evolution is inculcated and it teaches that there is no Creator God and that everything in the universe came into existence by chance and mistake, accident and is wholly without purpose and without meaning of any kind, Whitney preached. He was taught that mankind, including himself, was nothing more than a long compilation of mistakes and mutations and chance occurrences.

We should not be surprised then if Sean, with that background and education, concluded that life is meaningless, without any purpose at all, he continued. Or, if there is a purpose in life, it would be to advance and further the process of evolution; a process in which the strong destroy the weak and indeed, ultimately, that is the purpose for existence. Survival of the fittest therefore has some rather dastardly consequences which we see in the murder committed by a secular humanist of a Christian young man.

Evolution is also the basis of racism, [and] many assert that racism played a role in the motivation for this murder, Whitney said. You see, evolution is essentially racist. So where did Sean Urbanski learn racism? He learned it in his classes on evolution at the local public high school that his parents sent him to and his parents funded that school by the payment of their property taxes.

Riiiiight. Thats why every other modern nation in the world, where the teaching of evolution is not the least bit controversial like it is here, has far lower rates of violent crime, particularly murder. And obviously all of those religious wars that killed millions of people before Darwin wrote On the Origin of Species were still the fault of evolution somehow. Cause and effect seems to be a very elusive concept to the wingnut mind. I mean, the murder rate among evolutionary biologists must be huge, amirite?

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Theocrat Blames Evolution for Racist Murder - Patheos (blog)

Solution: ‘Darwinian Evolution Explains Lamarckism’ – Quanta Magazine

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Our May Insights puzzle was inspired by recent discoveries of some rare, intriguing patterns of inheritance that hark back to Jean-Baptiste Lamarcks theory of evolution and its emphasis on the inheritance of acquired characteristics. Elementary textbooks often present Lamarcks theory as a failed 19th-century rival to Charles Darwins theory of evolution by natural selection. But reality, as usual, is far more complicated. There is indeed a great deal of evidence that most acquired characteristics are not inherited, but as the new findings have shown, this proscription is not absolute. The famous verkalix study, for example, showed that men who were exposed to a poor food supply between the ages of 9 and 12 were found, two generations later, to have conferred a measurably lower risk of diabetes and cardiovascular death to their grandchildren. Adaptive Lamarckian inheritance does seem to be possible, and epigenetic mechanisms for it have been found. These mechanisms modify DNA in ways that differ from those of heredity.

But at a deeper level this kind of inheritance can be naturally selected for in the traditional Darwinian way, provided certain environmental conditions are satisfied. So Darwinian natural selection remains the fundamental basis of evolution and can produce Lamarckian inheritance: The theories are not rivals after all! Using simple models, our puzzles show how natural selection can sustain Lamarckian inheritance. The requirement is that environmental conditions, such as famines, follow patterns that persist across several generations and are repeated over long stretches of evolutionary time.

Imagine there exists an animal that has a new generation every year. Every normal individual has an average of 1.6 surviving offspring in a normal year, which can be defined as the animals fitness (lets call itf), after which the animal dies. During a famine year,ffalls to 1.3.Now suppose there are a bunch of smaller individuals whosefvalues are 1.5 in normal years but 1.35 in famine years: Their smaller food requirement helps them survive famines better. How long would a famine have to last for the small individuals to do better than normal ones? How many famine years before small individuals make up 90 percent of the population?

The basic mathematics of natural selection is simple. For every group, you just multiply the fitness numbers across multiple generations. You then find the ratio between the numbers you obtain for the different groups. This gives you their relative populations, assuming that the initial numbers were the same. (Note that these numbers dont signify the actual populations of each group, but they indicate their relative success. If f is larger than 1, then the product may grow extremely large after many generations. In the real world, there are many checks on the population of a species, so at equilibrium, the population is actually stable. What does change are the relative ratios between the populations of the different groups, which are accurately reflected in the above calculation.)

For Question 1, assuming we start from a normal year, we have to find a positive integer n such that 1.5 x 1.35n > 1.6 x 1.3n. You can do this analytically using logarithms or by setting up a spreadsheet and reading off the values. After two years of famine, the smaller individuals already have a population over 50 percent. (If you want to bookend the famine with normal years on either side, then it requires four years of famine for the small individuals to be ahead of the normal ones a year after the famine is over.)

As Ty Rex noted, for smalls to make up more than 90 percent of the population, the number of famine years needs to be greater than [log(9) + log(1.6/1.5)]/log(1.35/1.3) ~ 59.9. So, 60 famine years are needed for smalls to make up 90 percent of the population.

Suppose there exists an initially normal mutant group of individuals called Epi2s, whose germ cells are affected by a year of famine in such a way that their progeny changes to the small type for two generations before they revert back to normal in the third generation, through epigenetic mechanisms. Consider a 13-year period that starts and ends with normal years but has a one-year famine, two two-year famines and a three-year famine in between. Which of the three groups (normals, smalls, Epi2s) will be most successful? Are there famine patterns in which Epi2s overwhelm the other two groups over the very long term?

As a couple of commenters noted, there is an ambiguity here: What happens when Epi2s that have changed to the small type encounter a year of famine? Is their status reset and do they continue to be smalls for another two years, or do they continue on their original timetable and revert to normals two years after the original famine year? Most commenters assumed the former. I had the latter in mind, because otherwise the Epi2s behave very much like smalls in extended famines. In any case, the choice of the assumption does not change the answer to this question. As Ty Rex noted, if we start with equal populations, the ratios between the normals, smalls and Epi2s become 85.5 to 83.8 to 86.1, assuming Epi2s reset, so the Epi2s do best by a small margin. If there are no resets, then Epi2s do even better, their relative ratio going up to 87.4. With no resets, Epi2s are adapted to famines that are three years long, so the pattern NFFFNFFF gives them an even larger advantage over the other two groups. With this pattern, Epi2s will make up 90 percent of an initially evenly divided population in 329 years.

Lets add another type of animal to the above: the Epi1s, which like the Epi2s switch to small progeny after a famine, but in this case the progeny revert back to normal after just one generation. Over a period of 20 years, can you come up with a famine-year schedule such that all four types of animals (normals, smalls, Epi1s and Epi2s) exist in virtual equilibrium over this time period?

For this question, note that the numbers of the normal and the small groups are only affected by the number of famine and nonfamine years and not their temporal arrangement. So we have to find a positive number of nonfamine years n such that 1.6n1.320-n is as close as possible to 1.5n1.3520-n. This happens for seven nonfamine and 13 famine years, which gives a relative ratio of 813 to 845 for normals to smalls. How do the years need to be arranged to equalize the numbers of Epi1s and Epi2s? As noted above, without resets, Epi2s are best adapted to famines that last three years, and similarly, Epi1s are best adapted to famines that last two years. So our 20-year pattern needs to have famines of both these durations. The pattern NFF NFFF NFF NFFF NFF NFN meets all the conditions mentioned and gives relative scores of 809 for Epi1s and 817 for Epi2s on the above scale, which are both within 0.5 percent of the number for normals. This seems to be the best approach to virtual equilibrium.

So what these simple models teach us is that it is possible to come up with environmental conditions that will lead natural selection to favor epigenetic inheritance across generations if the selecting factor (here, famine) occurred frequently enough in an animals evolutionary history in the right pattern. Furthermore, there can be patterns that maintain different groups of the species at relatively constant numbers, ready to take advantage of a change in climate, rendering the species as a whole more stable and prepared for several different eventualities.

As I discussed in the puzzle column, scientists have found molecular mechanisms that can implement these transgenerational changes by suppressing the activity of certain genes through the attachment of methyl groups (DNA methylation) or through changes in the configuration of the protein that packages the DNA (histone modification). Transgenerational inheritance is even easier in small organisms that do not go through a germ cell stage, such as bacteria. These organisms can use even more efficient mechanisms that have allowed the evolution of the spectacular DNA-cutting system called CRISPR, which is currently revolutionizing genetic engineering. This system uses bits of DNA called transposons or jumping genes that can jump around from one location to another in genomes. Its amazing what natural selection can achieve in evolutionary time!

Thanks to all who participated in this Insights puzzle. I enjoyed reading your comments and especially my dialogue with Josh Mitteldorf. The Quanta T-shirt goes to Ty Rex. Congratulations!

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Solution: 'Darwinian Evolution Explains Lamarckism' - Quanta Magazine