Marchers Rally For Free Press, First Amendment In Metro Detroit – Patch.com


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Marchers Rally For Free Press, First Amendment In Metro Detroit
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They carried signs, chanted this is what democracy looks like and said in interviews that President Donald Trump and his administration have demonized the media and waged war against the First Amendment. The protest outside the printing plant on ...

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Marchers Rally For Free Press, First Amendment In Metro Detroit - Patch.com

Dash Is Now the Fourth Biggest Cryptocurrency with $200m Market … – Finance Magnates

Privacy focused cryptocurrency Dashs recent rally is still going strong and it is now carrying the project to never-before-seen heights. Dash is now the fourth biggestcryptocurrency in circulation by valuation with a totalmarket capitalization of $200 million.

Since we last reported on the rally ten days ago, Dashs price continued to climb from around $19 to over $28 right now. And over the last week alone, theexchange ratehas jumped by about 28%. The move is supported by strong trading volumes as well, as about $4.5 million worth of buying and selling of Dashs cryptocurrency has taken place just over the lastday much higher than its previously typical daily volumes.

Dashs recent price and volume growth is largely attributed to its recent software launch of Sentinel, which sets the foundation for its decentralized payments system Evolution. In addition the company has made several key integrations with new partners recently.

On ThursdayDashsigned a business partnership with digital payments platform BlockPay that allows people to pay for goods with the cryptocurrency.

Headquartered in Munich, BlockPay is popular particularly in Europe and Latin America for enablingPoint of Sale (PoS) transactions at no cost to the merchant and low fees for the consumer. It boasts a team of over 50 representatives in 36 countries, each working on securing the platform implementation in hundreds of convenience stores, grocery marts, gas stations, supermarkets, hotels, and ecommerce outlets.

Daniel Diaz, Dash VP of Business Development, said: Dash is a project that has been focused a lot on usability as digital cash, and we want people to have a similar experience doing both online and Point of Sale transactions. BlockPay has taken solid steps in this direction, developing software to make it easier for brick and mortar shops to accept digital currency seamlessly.

Dash joins several other leading cryptocurrencies available for use on the BlockPay POS platform, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Steem, Litecoin and Dogecoin. Cryptocurrency users can pay at BlockPay terminals by scanning a QR-Code or tapping their phone on the NFC-Terminal. The payment and settlement process takes just a few seconds.

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Dash Is Now the Fourth Biggest Cryptocurrency with $200m Market ... - Finance Magnates

China preparing to launch blockchain-based cryptocurrency – Siliconrepublic.com

China is forging ahead to be the first country to offer its own digital cryptocurrency based on blockchain technology, following successful trials.

Despite instances of enormous fluctuation in price, cryptocurrencies such asbitcoin remain incredibly popular, thanks to its detachment from any nation states bank and its ability for users to trade anonymously.

For this reason, traditional banks and governments have been sceptical about its potential for undermining existing currencies.

Yet now, one of the worlds largest economies is throwing caution to the wind by potentially launching the worlds first national cryptocurrency under the Peoples Bank of China.

According to Bloomberg, the Chinese government has been exploring the possibilities of cryptocurrencies for nearly three years, having set up a research team in consultation with digital firms such as Deloitte.

For the end user in China, services such as WeChat or Alipay would remain largely the same but transaction costs would be lower, as a state-run cryptocurrency would mean payments coming directly from the buyer.

This possible launch of a digital currency comes at a time when the number of Chinese people making online payments is continually increasing, from 200m in 2014, to an estimated 630m by 2020.

The core of the digital currency will be based around blockchain, the distributed ledger technology that has made bitcoin what it is today and could possibly revolutionisemodern and future business.

By using blockchain, China will be able to collect vast quantities of data on every transaction in the hope of better predicting monetary forecasts.

Larry Cao, director of content at the CFA Institute in Hong Kong, has described the move as revolutionary.

Cutting costs is an obvious benefit, but the impact of shifting to blockchain-based digital money from the current payment structure goes beyond that, he said.

Theres a potential you can pay anybody in the system, any bank and any merchant directly. Blockchain will change the whole infrastructure.

With plans to launch thiscryptocurrency soon, China will replace a significant amount of its paper tender, with analysts predicting that banks and payment companies will need to radically rethink their business models in the years to come.

Peoples Bank of China tower in Hong Kong. Image: chingyunsong/Shutterstock

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China preparing to launch blockchain-based cryptocurrency - Siliconrepublic.com

IOHK Signs Partnerships with Universities in Scotland and Japan to … – CoinJournal (blog)

Input Output Hong Kong (IOHK), a fintech company specializing in blockchain technology, has signed two partnership deals with the University of Edinburgh and the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) to further advance blockchain research.

Last week, IOHK and the University of Edinburgh launched the Blockchain Technology Laboratory. Located within the universitys School of Informatics, the lab aims to bring together academics and students to collaborate on blockchain research and development with a focus on industry inspired problems.

The lab is led by Prof. Aggelos Kiayias, chair in Cyber Security and Privacy at the University of Edinburgh and chief scientist at IOHK. Prof. Kiayias will organize collaborations with fellow academics at the university and oversee researchers and students from undergraduate to PhD level in a broad range of topics related to blockchain systems. Research collaborations will be interdisciplinary and will include beyond cryptography and computer science, economics, game theory, regulation and compliance, business, and law.

Prof. Kiavias said that blockchain and distributed ledgers are upcoming disruptive technologies that have the potential to scale information services to a global level. The academic and industry connection forged by this collaboration puts the Blockchain Technology Lab at Edinburgh at the forefront of innovation in blockchain systems, he added.

Sir Timothy OShea, the principal of the University of Edinburgh, said:

We are delighted to be at the forefront of UK institutions in the field of distributed ledgers and proud to have a dedicated research laboratory for industry inspired research in this important emerging area.

The lab will provide a direct connection between developers and researchers, helping to get projects live faster. It will also seek to pursue outreach projects with entrepreneurs in Edinburghs vibrant local technology community.

Recruiting and outreach will begin immediately, and the full facility will be operational from summer 2017.

The new research lab at the University of Edinburgh will serve as the headquarters for IOHKs growing network of global university partnerships. The company plans to establish further research laboratories in the US and Greece later this year and more in 2018.

Earlier this month, the Tokyo Institute of Technology launched a similar center with IOHK.

The Input Output Cryptocurrency Collaborative Research Chair, within the Tokyo Tech School of Computing, focuses on promoting joint research in cryptocurrencies and blockchain related technologies among teams of researchers and professors of the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) and IOHK.

In particular, researchers from IOHK will join Tokyo Tech, while professors and graduate students will tackle industry challenges in this rapidly developing area of research.

Similarly to the Blockchain Technology Laboratory, the Cryptocurrency Collaborative Research Chair aims to nurture talent and develop high-level expertise in cryptocurrencies and blockchain.

Commenting on the launch, Yoshinao Mishima, president of Tokyo Tech, said:

This agreement is important because Tokyo Tech is seeking to enhance the collaboration with industries and universities in Japan and abroad by producing groundbreaking results in research and engineering which will be published in internationally renowned scientific journals and conferences.

The two organizations have committed to produce knowledge via joint activities such as seminars as well as the production of academic papers. Another activity is to open courses related to blockchain technologies like lectures about cryptographic protocols and cryptocurrencies offered to Tokyo Tech students.

Like the Blockchain Technology Laboratory, all research and developments undertaken in the laboratory will be open source and patent-free.

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IOHK Signs Partnerships with Universities in Scotland and Japan to ... - CoinJournal (blog)

Global Resource Coin: Invest in natural resources with cryptocurrency – ThisisReno

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Global Resource Coin (GRC) is the first cryptocurrency in the world specifically created for casual users, who want to obtain resources from the investment point of view. Cryptocurrency was developed in 2013, however after long registration procedures, contracts signing and creation of a special licensed trading platform, the official launch only took place at the beginning of 2017.

So what is the uniqueness and peculiarity of the GRC? It is quite simple: global corporations and governments in many countries do not allow ordinary people to become engaged in investing in natural resources. In order to do this, you need to have a considerable amount of money, a special financial education and a special license. However, cryptocurrency GRC solves this problem. Due to the fact that GRCs trading marketplace has a specialized license, anyone is able to invest their savings in a particular natural resource, whereas cryptocurrency acts as an intermediary between users from all over the world.

Due to a great interest demonstrated from international producers and developers of minerals and natural resources, GRC has introduced proprietary cryptocurrency code, which will valid until 2018. It was created in order to secure the process of mining and users activity against possible hacker attacks. However, at the beginning of 2018 cryptocurrencys trade will be deployed on the worlds largest stock exchanges, specializing not only in cryptocurrency, but also on commodity exchanges, such as NASDAQ.

The group of GRCs cryptocurrency developers is headed by Tomas Beran, a well-known developer from Czech Republic, who belongs to the famous family of Berans billionaires. At the end of 2016 a number of international media have published information about the beginning of operations on the trading platform, using GRCs cryptocurrency.

Therefore, GRC is the first cryptocurrency in the world based on natural resources. We all know that any investment is a high risk. But our platform helps to minimize those investment risks, offering the most relevant sources of income. Hundreds of GRCs platform specialists analyze all the offers on the natural resources markets on a daily basis and select only the most interesting ones for our users. This way, each of you can take advantage of the offers that appear daily on our platform.

In addition, from the year 2018 GRCs cryptocurrency rate is expected to grow due to its social usefulness and relevance. For this reason, you can use our cryptocurrency not only as an investment tool in natural resources, but also as a cryptocurrency that is followed by a perspective financial future.

Start changing your life right now and register on the GRC platform.

Global Resource Coin: https://grcoin.eu/

ThisisReno is your source for online Reno news and events since 2009. We are locally owned and operated. #thisisReno

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Global Resource Coin: Invest in natural resources with cryptocurrency - ThisisReno

New Guidelines Give Bitcoin Startups In The Philippines ‘A Fighting Chance’ – Forbes


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New Guidelines Give Bitcoin Startups In The Philippines 'A Fighting Chance'
Forbes
Earlier this month, the Filipino government issued regulatory guidelines concerning Bitcoin use in the country. The guidelines were welcomed by startups in the country, as official clarity and endorsement of the cryptocurrency are expected to help ...
Latest Regulatory Changes Give Bitcoin Startups in the Philippines A Chance to SurvivenewsBTC

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New Guidelines Give Bitcoin Startups In The Philippines 'A Fighting Chance' - Forbes

Bitcoin’s Top Rival Is Up 90% and Ready to Ditch Mining – Bloomberg

Marco Strengs computer servers are what make Ethereum tick.

Thousands strong, they whir day and night, solving the complex math riddles that are essential to verifying transactions on the hottest new platform in the world of cryptocurrencies and blockchains. Without these machines, or those deployed by Strengs biggest rivals, there would be no Ethereum.

But mining, as the practice is called, is costly and inefficient and, frankly, a bit weird. And Ethereums developers have always envisioned a time in which the cumbersome process of brute-force computing would be replaced by a system that relies simply on collateral. That time, some four years after the network was first proposed, is now. The developers want to put this proof-of-stake model, called Casper, into place by year-end.

The stakes are high. If Ethereum is going to take advantage of the potential that companies like JPMorgan, Microsoft and IBM see in its underlying transaction technology, the blockchain, as the potential backbone that could reshape modern business and finance, it needs to gain wide adoption to become something of a de facto standard.

Without mining, Ethereum will be more usable, more secure and more scalable too, said Vlad Zamfir, whos been working on Casper since 2014.

The main draw of the blockchain is that its a cryptographically secured list of transactions that can be shared, which backers say could dramatically improve how financial services, supply-chain and health-care industries are run. (Think immediate settlement of bank transfers and securities trades, as well as near-real-time tracking of food products or research samples.) Ethereum also allows for the use of smart contracts, or pieces of computer code that make the terms of such agreements operate automatically.

Miners have been critical to the growth of Ethereum. The market for ether, the digital currency used to pay miners who support the network, has soared 90 percent this year alone. Its the second-most popular cryptocurrency behind bitcoin, which has gained 24 percent in the same span, setting records almost every day as investors look to hedge against potential global uncertainty and hope for a bitcoin-based exchange-traded fund to get regulatory approval.

Even before Ethereum was first released in 2015, developers had envisioned moving away from the mining-based model, known among tech geeks as proof-of-work.

As the network gets more popular, the computations the miners need to complete to validate transactions get harder and harder. Not only has this created the potential for bottlenecks (which already plague bitcoin), its also set off an environmentally taxing arms race among the biggest miners, which run server farms consuming vast amounts of electricity.

And to many techno-utopian enthusiasts, using all that computing power to continually solve what amounts to pointless problems is a big waste.

Thats where Casper comes in.

Rather than rewarding miners with the most computing power, the proof-of-stake model requires that users put up collateral if they want to collect fees for validating transactions. The more collateral you put up, the more money you can get paid for verifying transactions.

It would take power away from miners like Streng, who have to approve software changes, and make it easier to implement improvements on the fly. A handful of bitcoin miners in China have already hamstrungsome attempts to increase that cryptocurrencys capacity. (Miners cant vote against the switch.)

The move will make Ethereum more attractive in large-scale applications, said William Mougayar, author of The Business Blockchain.

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Hyperledger, a blockchain venture with more than than 100 members including IBM, JPMorgan and American Express, could adopt Ethereums proof-of-stake model if its successful, according to Brian Behlendorf, the consortiums executive director. It could also help put the network in a league of our own, Andrew Keys, head of global business development at startup ConsenSys, the worlds largest Ethereum-centric blockchain software engineering company.

Making proof-of-stake work is hardly a foregone conclusion.

Caspers rollout has been delayed before. And the use of deposits potentially increases the risk of hacking. (While Zamfir said hes working to make sure hackers cant steal deposits, he couldnt rule out the possibility, however remote, that an attack could, in effect, delete the money.)

Streng, who stands to lose out if Casper is implemented, is wary.

Theres a lot of incentive for people to game the system, he said.

Trust in Ethereum was badly shaken last summer, when a hacker stole millions from a projectcalled the DAO. Developers had to rush to implement a software change, which ended up splitting the Ethereum community in two. Now, each operates its own, separate blockchain.

Zamfir says the benefits outweigh the risks. One of the biggest is transaction finality. Unlike most blockchain technologies, which require multiple verifications, settlement on Casper can occur much faster. With some enhancements, the feature could ultimately enable Ethereum to process more payments faster -- a key selling point for financial companies.

Mona El Isa, a formerGoldman Sachs trader who runs Melonport AG, which builds software for fund managers who invest in digital assets on Ethereum, is confident that developers can work out any kinks with Casper.

In these early stages of this new technology, you cant expect everything to go right, El Isa said.

If Casper ultimately happens, Streng says it wont be the end of the world. He can redeploy his servers to mine other cryptocurrencies or become a depositor on Ethereum instead. But he isnt holding his breath just yet. Implementing such a sweeping change isnt going to be easy and its still possible the plan could be scrapped altogether, he says.

The developers have very bright minds, he said. Nevertheless, they wouldnt risk the Ethereum network, in my opinion.

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Bitcoin's Top Rival Is Up 90% and Ready to Ditch Mining - Bloomberg

Bitcoin startups join hands, set up self regulatory body – Times of India

In a bid to create transparency and build credibility, bitcoin startups Zebpay, Unocoin, Coinsecure and Searchtrade on Monday launched Digital Asset and Blockchain Foundation of India (DABFI), a self regulatory body for the orderly and transparent growth of virtual currency market.A committee spearheaded by Saurabh Agrawal, CEO of Zebpay with representation from each of the startups has been set up.DABFI will lay down self-regulatory regimes for trading of bitcoins and other blockchain based digital assets.They will also standardise norms such as KYC for member companies. The body intends to liaise with regulators and get clarity on taxation, attract investment, build global relations and actively engage with International community and spread awareness on the cryptocurrency . "This organization aims to drive education and create market for blockchain and bitcoin in India which is now on the path towards digitisation. Our vision would be to work with regulators and develop strong framework for our industry to provide required impetus for growth of the industry ," said Agarwal of Zebpay . Providing legal support to DABFI, Nishith Desai said, "Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have tremendous benefits for most marginalised people, merchants, tax departments and regulatory authorities. It has better price discovery , is anti-inflationary and the transactions are irreversible. Globally , the demand for cryptocurrency is increasing and in the future, we might see several countries adopt currencies like Bitcoin as their legal tender." Today, legal authorities across the globe are struggling to understand bitcoins and draft suitable regulations. While an estimated over 6 million bitcoins are traded on a daily basis, the currency however, is yet to see adoption by a large majority in India. "It is absolutely important to check the `bad' use of cryptocurrencies. Industry has to play an important role in shaping the future of CC and blockchain. ," said Agarwal.

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Bitcoin startups join hands, set up self regulatory body - Times of India

The Cloudbleed bug affects a range Bitcoin users – Brave New Coin

A security flaw has been uncovered in the major internet utility Cloudflare, which millions of web businesses depend on. The bug was serious because the leaked memory could contain private information and because it had been cached by search engines, Cloudflares response team said on Thursday.

A list of 4,287,625 possibly affected domains includes many in the bitcoin space. The data shared includes passwords, private messages, API keys, and other sensitive data, although such data could not be targeted, and fell in the hands of random requesters. While the earliest date memory could have leaked is September 2016, Cloudflare has had no reports that outside parties had identified the issue or exploited it.

- Cloudflare response team

The bug was discovered by Google vulnerability researcher Tavis Ormandy on Friday, who notified CloudFlare about the leak immediately. Within 47 minutes, CloudFlare reported the leak as plugged, and the underlying issues were corrected within 7 hours.

Self-described cypherpunk and former CloudFlare employee Ryan Lackey subsequently wrote up an in-depth how to deal with it article, approved by Ormandy. Lackey provides system administrators with advice on handling the problem, and advised all CloudFlare users about what to look for.

The most sensitive information leaked is authentication information and credentials, Lackey explains. A compromise of this data can have lasting and ongoing consequences until credentials are revoked and replaced.

CloudFlare is one of the most popular content delivery networks, and used by all kinds of websites to lower bandwidth costs and protect against DDoS attacks. In the bitcoin service community specifically, major exchanges and utilities are on the list, including Coinbase, Blockchain.info, BTC-E, Bitpay, Localbitcoins, Glidera, Poloniex, BitcoinCharts, and Kraken.

Other major websites that Bitcoin users may visit on the list include Authy, Uber, Yelp, Medium, Upwork, Fiverr, Taringa!, Zoho, Pastebin, DigitalOcean, Namecheap, Glassdoor, Prosper, TorrentFreak, OKCupid, Zendesk, FitBit, oDesk, Pingdom, Techdirt, Statcounter, Typepad, Udemy, TechinAsia, Producthunt, and 4Chan, to name a few.

The users of these services are advised to change passwords and reset any two-factor authentication. While Cloudflares service was rapidly patched to eliminate this bug, data was leaking constantly before this pointfor months, states Lackey. Some of this data was cached publicly in search engines such as Google, and is being removed.

Bitpay was among the first in the bitcoin community to publically respond to the leak. We believe that it would not be possible for a BitPay users password to have been exposed by this bug, the company states, while recommending that users, take the time to reset your password.

Coinbase issued a statement several hours later. The company discovered a single instance of a leaked Coinbase session cookie, which they immediately invalidated. We have no reason to believe that any Coinbase customers personal data or account has been compromised. Users are advised to logout of any mobile apps and log back in to clear that session cookie. They also advised businesses using their API to get a new key.

The reclusive Russian exchange BTC-e also advised changing their API keys, and for safety gave their users until Sunday the 26th to change their login credentials. If not changed by then, users will be logged out of the exchange and be forced to change them before logging back in.

Kraken and Glidera both sent out an email to their users recommending a password and two-factor authentication update. Canadian bitcoin exchange QuadrigaCX posted similar instructions on the bitcoin Reddit forum.

- Bitpay

A similar wide-scale vulnerability affected the world in April 2014. The Heartbleed bug, which Cloudbleed is named after, was a weakness in site security encryption. The bug also leaked small chunks of private data from computer memory, but did so when websites used OpenSSL, a very common way for business websites and even banks to protect against hackers and theft. The fix for Heartbleed was more difficult than Cloudbleed, wherein websites had to upgrade to a new version of OpenSSL.

Bitcoin was also susceptible to the bug, and developers addressed the issue in Bitcoin Core version 0.9.1. Exchanges were the most vulnerable, but after the developers issued the patch, the major exchanges had all upgraded in a matter of hours. Cloudbleed, on the other hand, requires all users to take action in order to stay safe.

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The Cloudbleed bug affects a range Bitcoin users - Brave New Coin

Nearby Comet Has a Big Heart, Radar Reveals – Space.com – Space.com

A series of delay-Doppler images of Comet 45P/HMP taken over 2 hours of observation.

A rare opportunity to study a comet using radar technology has yielded new measurements of this traveling space rock's size, shape, geology and rotation rate.

Comets don't often come close enough to Earth for scientists to study them with radar, but Comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakovais making a rare close pass by the planet. It is now the seventh comet ever to be studied with radar, according to a statement from the Universities Space Research Association (USRA).

Based on observations from the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, scientists estimate that the icy nucleus of Comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova is roughly 0.8 miles (1.3 kilometers) across, which is somewhat larger than they had previously estimated. The comet is too faint to be observed with the naked eye, or even with binoculars. [Best Close Encounters of the Comet Kind]

The observations of the comet also show complex structures that scientists are still investigating.

"Comets are remnants of the planet-forming process and are part of a group of objects made of water ice and rocky material that formed beyond Neptune," Ellen Howell, leader of the observing campaign at Arecibo, said in the statement.

"Studying these objects gives us an idea of how the outer reaches of our solar system formed and evolved over time," added Howell, who is with the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. The lab did the observations in conjunction with the USRA.

The radar observations give detailed information about a comet, such as its size, shape, geology and rotation. They also let scientists better predict where the comet will move in the future, as it allows for precise definitions of the orbit. Furthermore, radar can probe through the dusty environment surrounding a comet to see its nucleus. The comet's closest approach is roughly 32 Earth-moon distances from Earth (about 7.6 million miles, or 12 million kilometers), USRA representatives said in the same statement. The comet has an orbital period of only 5.3 years, but passes by Earth only rarely because the comet's orbit is influenced by the giant planet Jupiter.

"As comets orbit the sun, the ices sublime from solids to gases and escape the nucleus," USRA representatives added. "The nucleus gradually shrinks and will disappear completely within in less than a million years."

Follow Elizabeth Howell @howellspace, or Space.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook and Google+. Original article onSpace.com.

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Nearby Comet Has a Big Heart, Radar Reveals - Space.com - Space.com

Lady Comets advance to district semifinal – The Hillsdale Daily News

Matthew Lounsberry mlounsberry@hillsdale.net mlounsberryHDN

BRONSON Jonesville got a little more fight then they expected from Reading on Monday night, but the Comets kept their season alive with a 38-29 win over the Rangers in their district quarterfinal game at Bronson.

I think we got caught looking ahead to Homer on Wednesday, said Jonesville coach Tom Dunn. [Reading coach] Kevin Bailey did a super job with his short-handed crew tonight and they scrapped for 32 minutes.

The Comets held an 11-5 lead after the first quarter, but had a hard time pulling away from Reading after the opening frame.

Jonesville only outscored the Rangers 6-4 and 12-10 in the second and third quarters, respectively, and both teams scored nine points in the fourth quarter.

Koryn Playford led the Comets in scoring with 11 points. Katie Brown had 10 points, four rebounds and four assists, while Teya Nichols added nine points and seven rebounds.

Jonesvilles Samantha Dunn contributed eight rebounds and four steals, and Sarah Dawson added five rebounds.

Reading was led by senior Madison Caldwell, who recorded a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Emily Hill added seven points and five rebounds for the Rangers.

Reading finishes its season with a 6-15 record overall. Jonesville advances to Wednesdays district semifinal game against Homer, which will also be played in Bronson.

Our defense was okay, but we missed a lot of shots tonight, Dunn said. We need to come out with some enthusiasm on Wednesday and play with some emotion.

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Lady Comets advance to district semifinal - The Hillsdale Daily News

Aberdeen Lynx secure best league finish after Dundee Comets turn in fine fightback – Aberdeen Evening Express

Aberdeen Lynx secured their best ever league finish with a 5-4 win in Dundee.

The result came despite a late revival from the Comets pulling three goals back in the final period.

The Lynx went into the game knowing a win was vital to secure second place in the Scottish National League.

A strong start saw the Aberdeen outfit continue where they left off against Edinburgh the previous weekend.

However, it was the Comets who had the best chance of the opening 10 minutes, breaking free to force a one-on-one with Craig Chalmers but the Lynx net minder was more than equal to the effort.

The Lynxs confident passing and pushing forward paid dividends in the 16th minute with Aaron THOMSON finding himself in space to tap home a pass from Mark Laing. And THOMSON was on hand three minutes later to double the lead for the Lynx.

A shot from Ross McIntosh took a couple of deflections before Thomson was able to direct it past Comets net minder Michie.

It took just 90 seconds of ice time in the second period for the Lynx to extend their lead to 3-0 with Jordan LEYDEN forcing the puck into the back of the net following a goalmouth scramble.

But a frustrated Comets side regrouped and pushed forward on the attack with only a series of incredible saves and last-minute line clearances stopping the home side getting on the scoreboard.

The start of the third period saw a fired-up Comets side grabbing three goals in quick succession to pull level in just seven minutes

But a tactical reset by the Lynx saw them regain control of the game.

The Lynx regained the lead with Iain MALCOLM completing a stunning team goal, combining with Laing and Leyden to make the most of a two-minute Dundee penalty.

And MALCOLM was on target again just two minutes later to extend the lead to 5-3.

The Comets still had some fire left, grabbing a fourth goal to cut the deficit with just under two minutes remaining but their fightback was just too little, too late.

Lynx coach Barry Carnegie was quick to praise both his net minder and the 200-plus travelling support.

He said: First period was really good, to be fair I thought we carried over a lot of good things from Edinburgh last week.

Second period we got dragged down, we rode our luck a bit with penalties and some great saves from Craig in goal.

The start of the third period we had a spell of five or seven minutes where we basically stopped skating, and trying at the level weve been at, we got what we deserved from that.

It was a case of resetting and going back to what was working.

We had to be a bit smarter with our line changes, making sure the right people were on the ice at the right time against their top players.

We went back to doing that and it paid dividends, winning the game and claiming second place.

I thanked the fans personally after the game.

Theyve been great all season they are there to spur us on and thats what they do

Craigs been the rock we depend on. We put a lot of faith in him and he proves it week in, week out.

Some of those saves in the second period proved why hes the best goalie in the league.

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Aberdeen Lynx secure best league finish after Dundee Comets turn in fine fightback - Aberdeen Evening Express

Hemlock and Gladwin girls win district openers, Comets lose … – Midland Daily News

BRECKENRIDGE Hemlock grabbed momentum early and never relented in its 52-20 Class C girls basketball district win over Breckenridge on Monday.

Hemlock led 16-2 after the opening eight minutes and 32-9 at halftime.

It wasnt our best offensive night, but defensively we really set the tone to start the game, said Hemlock coach Scott Neumeyer. We were able to pressure them and get them to turn it over, and at least in the first half, we shot well from the free-throw line.

At the line, Hemlock was 13 for 18 in the first half, but finished the game just 19 for 32.

Sam Krauss led Hemlock with 12 points, four steals and three assists, while Morgan Mulvaney had 11 points and four steals, Sydney Peake added eight points and eight rebounds, Natalie Hoffman contributed seven points and eight rebounds, and Olivia Watson also finished with seven points.

Kylie Federspiel led Breckenridge with nine points, but had to play through foul trouble that forced her to the bench for the whole second quarter with three fouls.

That didnt help us any, said Breckenridge coach Cory Hurt of trying to close the gap on its first-half deficit without its leading scorer. It wouldnt have changed the outcome any, but we maybe couldve kept it a little closer (with Federspiel in the game).

They just came out with good pressure on our guards tonight right from the get-go, and we couldnt get through that pressure tonight, he added.

Hemlock (17-4) advances to face Saginaw Valley Lutheran in a 6 p.m. Wednesday semifinal at Breckenridge. The teams met twice in the regular season, with Hemlock winning 63-42 at home on Dec. 16, but losing 42-35 on the road Feb. 3.

Theyve been playing very well lately, said Neumeyer, citing Valleys nine wins in its last 10 games. Hopefully we learned some lessons from our loss at their place.

Breckenridge finishes the season at 7-14.

Gladwin 58, Pinconning 49

CLARE Carly Hickey posted career highs with 24 points and 26 rebounds in leading Gladwin to a 58-49 Class B girls basketball district quarterfinal win over Pinconning on Monday.

It was a huge game for her and a huge confidence builder, Gladwin coach Emily Cot said of Hickeys performance. Shes got good size and has been demanding the ball better for us. She was dominant.

The Flying Gs led 12-8 after the first quarter and 30-15 at halftime, but the Spartans outscored Gladwin 20-12 in the third quarter to pull to within 42-35. Pinconning got as close as four in the fourth before the Gs pulled away at the end.

They started collapsing with two or three girls on (Hickey), and we struggled finding the open girl a little in the third quarter, said Cot.

Gabby Airbets added 12 points for Gladwin, while Gabriella Ries had seven points.

Next up for Gladwin (14-7) is a 7:30 p.m. Wednesday semifinal against Clare at the Pioneers gym. The teams shared the Jack Pine Conference title this year and traded home victories over each other in their two regular-season encounters.

Gladwin won the first meeting with Clare 48-33, but lost the second one 57-53.

I think we can beat Clare, theres no doubt, but weve got to make some things happen first, said Cot. We hope to be there Friday night for the district championship.

Harrison 51, Coleman 45 (OT)

BEAVERTON Colemans season came to a tough end on Monday with a 51-45 loss to Harrison in overtime of Mondays Class C girls basketball district opener.

The Comets gradually took control of the opening half, taking an 11-10 lead after the first quarter and leading 29-20 at halftime.

However, Harrison chipped away at the deficit in the second half, cutting Colemans lead to 35-30 after three quarters, and finally catching the Comets to force overtime tied at 42.

In the extra period, the Hornets outscored the Comets 9-3 to leave with the win.

It wasnt the way I wanted our season to end, said Coleman coach Nick Katzinger. We started the game out strong, but came out flat in the second half.

Senior Liz Dana, a three-year starter, had 20 points, seven rebounds and three assists to lead Coleman in her final high school game, while Jaden Berthume contributed 14 points, Megan Fettig grabbed 10 rebounds, and Faith Barden had four steals and three assists.

Coleman, which defeated Harrison 55-33 at home on Dec. 6 but lost to the Hornets 48-45 on the road Jan. 24, shot just 5 for 17 at the free-throw line in the second half.

It was just one of those nights for us in the second half, said Katzinger.

The Comets should expect to see some improvement next year behind four returning starters, said Katzinger.

We were a young team, and the underclassmen got a lot of varsity experience that I hope carries over to next year, said Katzinger.

Being a first-year coach, I learned a lot from these girls, he added. Seniors Liz Dana and Megan Fettig will be missed.

Coleman finishes the season at 9-12.

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Hemlock and Gladwin girls win district openers, Comets lose ... - Midland Daily News

Comets drop pair to State Fair, split with Evangel – Nevada Herald

In early-season softball action, the Cottey Comets dropped both games of a doubleheader in Sedalia Saturday against State Fair Community College. Cottey was edged 7-5 in the opener, and 10-4 in the nightcap.

Cottey returned to the diamond Monday for a twinbill in Springfield against Evangel University. Cottey (4-6) won the first contest 12-8, but was blanked 17-0 in the second game.

State Fair

In the opener Cottey took a lead into the late innings as starting pitcher Marisa Jervis tossed six innings of no-hit ball. After tying the game, State Fair broke out with five funs in the seventh, powered by a dramatic walk-off grand slam.

"Marisa pitched extremely well but ran out of gas at the end," Comets head coach Mark Skapin said.

For Cottey at the plate, Izzy Milligan was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Meanwhile, Lily Brockus and Hannah Bridges added home runs for the Comets.

Nightcap

State Fair rode its late game momentum into the nightcap, plating four runs in the first inning followed by a three-spot in the second to seize control.

"Wet tried to claw our way back but couldn't quite get there," Skapin said.

Milligan, who went 2-for-4 at the dish, also started in the circle, taking her first loss of the season. Bridges stayed hot at the plate, blasting her second round-tripper on the day.

Evangel contests

Jervis took the circle for the opener in Springfield, as Cottey trailed 6-1 through two innings of play. The Comets then began to mount a comeback, plating three runs in the third and two in the fourth. Evangel responded with a pair of runs in fourth to go in front 8-5.

In the fifth, Cottey tacked on two runs via base knocks from Breanna Kelley and Brockus to trim the lead to 8-7.

As the game wore on, Jervis got stronger, holding the Evangel bats in check.

A bases loaded pinch hit courtesy of Cottey's Dee Finley scored two runs in the sixth, while shifting the momentum back in the Comets favor, as they prevailed 12-8.

Bridges remained sizzling at the plate, going 3-for-3 with three RBIs, three runs scored, two steals and two walks. Milligan was 4-for-5 with four runs scored, an RBI and a stolen base; while Kelley was 3-for-5 with three RBIs.

In the 17-0 contest, Evangel led 9-0 after two innings of play, as Milligan was saddled with the loss.

The Comets are idle until March 18, when they travel to St. Louis for a Region 16 matchup with the Lady Archers. "We hope to work over spring break and return ready for the remainder of the season," Skapin said.

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Comets drop pair to State Fair, split with Evangel - Nevada Herald

Home remedies to soothe your psoriasis – Bel Marra Health

Home Skin Health Home remedies to soothe your psoriasis

Psoriasis is a skin disorder that causes the epidermis to become covered in raised, red, itchy plaques that are spotted with white scales. It most commonly occurs on the knees, elbows, and scalp, but may also affect your torso, palms, and the soles of your feet. These plaques are sometimes itchy and painful, and may even crack and bleed, making the condition both uncomfortable and unsightly. While there are medications available to help soothe the symptoms of psoriasis, some may prefer a simpler home remedy. Continue reading to discover some of the most common and effective home remedies for treating psoriasis.

Heavy cream. Use a thick moisturizer or petroleum jelly to lock in moisture to the affected areas. Hydrating your skin with a heavy-duty salve can help relieve the itchiness associated with dry, scaly patches.

Apple cider vinegar. If your scalp is affected by psoriasis, you may be wary of slathering a cream over it for fear of making your hair limp and greasy. So long as the skin of your scalp is not bleeding or cracked, you can rub apple cider vinegar over it to soothe the itch. This is best done before a shower, as once the vinegar dries, you should rinse it out to avoid any further irritation.

Sun. The suns rays can actually help fight psoriasis, so head out into the sunshine for a few minutes daily and get your fill. Be sure to use sunscreen on the areas of your body not affected by the skin disorder to prevent sun damage that may lead to skin cancer.

Epsom salts. Sprinkle some Epsom salts into a warm bath and soak for about 15 minutes. The salts will help rid your body of the silvery scales and soothe any itching. Pat yourself dry after stepping out of the tub and be sure to moisturize in order to lock in all that moisture and keep your skin hydrated.

Oats. An oat bath is also a great way to soothe dry, itchy skin. Mix some ground-up oats into your warm bath water, then relax in the tub and let this natural remedy work its magic. Just as you would after an Epsom salt bath, ensure you moisturize afterward to seal in the hydration.

Meditation and yoga. Stress can exacerbate your condition, so partaking in activities like yoga and meditation to help manage it may also reduce your symptoms. This is especially true for those with psoriatic arthritis, as yoga can help alleviate your joint pain and reduce itchy flare ups.

Aloe Vera. Aloe Vera gel is a go-to to soothe sunburns, but its cooling and anti-inflammatory properties have also been found to ease the symptoms of psoriasis. The gel can help reduce redness and get rid of the irritating itch.

Psoriasis is an irritating condition that leaves your skin sore and itchy, and while there are some medications on the market to help treat it, there are also a few tried and true home remedies to ease your symptoms. Next time you experience a flare-up, try reaching for the apple cider vinegar or Epsom salts to rid yourself of the discomfort, and be sure to moisturize your skin daily.

Related: Psoriasis diet: What foods to eat and what foods to avoid?

Related Reading:

Psoriasis skin inflammation treatments improve heart disease symptoms: Study

Treating psoriasis reduces risk of other ailments: Study

http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/psoriasis/ss/slideshow-home-remedies-for-psoriasis

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Home remedies to soothe your psoriasis - Bel Marra Health

Psoriatic Arthritis: 8 Signs You May Be At Risk For The Autoimmune Disease – Medical Daily

In 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention led a collaborative effort to develop the first-ever public health agenda for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Their agenda was published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine.

A public health approach to psoriatic diseases will allow scientists to better identify possible environmental contributions, which could potentially help us stop these diseases before they start, Andrew D. Robertson, chief scientific and medical officer for the National Psoriasis Foundation, stated in a post by the Foundation.

Read:Psoriasis Facts And Myths: 5 Things To Know About Misunderstood Immune Disease

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes patches of red, scaly skin. About 10to 20 percentof people with psoriasis will develop an inflammatory type of arthritis known as psoriatic arthritis, according to the CDC. It causes your joints to become painful, swollen, and warm to the touch.

These are eights signs you may be at risk for psoriatic arthritis:

1. You have psoriasis.The majority of those with psoriatic arthritis developpsoriasis first.

2. Youre overweight.Although research is still growing, there's been findings associating being overweight and having psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

3. You have psoriasis in your nails. Of the patients with both psoriasis andpsoriatic arthritis, approximately 80 percenthave nail disease, research published in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venerology reports.

4. You were young when diagnosed with psoriasis.Children are more likely than adults to experience the onset of psoriasis andpsoriatic arthritis simultaneously, the National Psoriasis Foundation reports.

5. You have a family member with psoriatic arthritis and you also have psoriasis. Genetic factors are important forpsoriatic arthritis risk, but the research is ongoing regarding exactly which genes are responsible.

6. You have an injury.Physical trauma may be associated with triggeringpsoriatic arthritis among those with psoriasis, astudy concludes.

7. You have had strep throat.Common infections, such as strep throat, may be a trigger forpsoriatic arthritis flare-ups, Healthline reports.

8. You have HIV.Those with the immunodeficiency disorder are more likely to havepsoriatic arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis may precede the detection of HIV infection, according to the American College of Rheumatology.

Although psoriatic arthritis typically occurs in people who have psoriasis, it still can affect those who dont have the disease. Theres currently no cure for psoriatic arthritis, but treatments including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, immunosuppressants, and steroid injections, among other inflammation control methods may help to prevent joint pain and disability, according to Mayo Clinic.

See more:Psoriasis Associated with Higher Odds of Having One of 14 Autoimmune Diseases

Psoriasis Treatment: 5 Natural Ways To Alleviate The Skin Disorder At Home

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Psoriatic Arthritis: 8 Signs You May Be At Risk For The Autoimmune Disease - Medical Daily

Change Your World Through Travel: An Insider’s View On The Importance Of Sustainable Tourism – Forbes


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Change Your World Through Travel: An Insider's View On The Importance Of Sustainable Tourism
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Back in the 1970s, Inkaterra was one of the first travel companies to pioneer eco tourism. Its award-winning collection of properties throughout Peru have become known as the leading standard in how to work collaboratively with local communities, how ...

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Change Your World Through Travel: An Insider's View On The Importance Of Sustainable Tourism - Forbes

FIFA Vice President says a travel ban would prevent USA from hosting 2026 World Cup – Stars and Stripes FC

Soccer may be the global game but as US policy seems increasingly focused on putting America first, it may be losing a chance to host the sports biggest event. In an interview with the New York Times, UEFA President, and FIFA Vice President, Aleksander Ceferin said that travel restrictions would be weighed against the US in a bid to host the World Cup in 2026.

After being passed over for the 2022 World Cup in favor of Qatar, the US has positioned itself as a strong contender to hold the tournament. In addition to having the infrastructure already in place to host, Sunil Gulatis work to get Gianni Infantino elected FIFA President last year could only help a US bid.

All of that may be in doubt due to travel restrictions according to Caferin who discussed the issue with the New York Times.

It will be part of the evaluation, and I am sure it will not help the United States to get the World Cup, Mr. Caferin said. If players cannot come because of political decisions, or populist decisions, then the World Cup cannot be played there. It is true for the United States, but also for all the other countries that would like to organize a World Cup. It is the same for the fans, an the journalists, of course. It is the World Cup. They should be able to attend the event, whatever their nationality is. But lets hope that it does not happen.

While the travel ban was struck down by the courts, the Trump administration says it is planning on issuing a new one. In the meantime, there have been reports of travelers being discriminated against or denied entry to the US due to their religion. Muslim travelers have also reported increased scrutiny from customs agents when going through immigration control in the US. The former Prime Minister of Norway was even detained and questioned about a trip he took to Iran to give a speech at a human rights conference.

US Soccer did not comment to the New York Times about Caferins comments, but USSF President Sunil Gulati did discuss the ban with Grant Wahl earlier this month. In the interview, Gulati said that the ban doesnt represent what I believe is the best of us. My guess is some years from now a lot of people will look back at this and say we shouldnt have done that. Speaking before appeals courts upheld a decision to halt the ban, Gulati said, hopefully the executive order will either be modified or weve talked about a 90-day period and well get back if not sooner to the values we have.

The timeline on getting back to the values that Gulati mentions will also be an issue for a US bid to host the World Cup. President Trump is up for re-election in 2020 and bids to host the tournament are due in 2018 with FIFA set to announce the host country the same year as the next US presidential election. With the Trump administration promising to re-introduce travel restrictions, USSF may not have time to assuage FIFA voters concerns about how people hoping to attend, report on, or play in the World Cup would be treated.

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FIFA Vice President says a travel ban would prevent USA from hosting 2026 World Cup - Stars and Stripes FC

India Is Getting Its Most Powerful Supercomputer yet, and It’s Faster Than You Can Imagine! – The Better India (blog)

QUICK BYTES: Curated positive news from across the web. Read more.

If you thought the successful launch of a record 104 satellites by ISROs Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in a single mission would be the single scientific highlight for India in 2017, prepare yourself for yet anotherchapter for the history books. Soon, the country will be unveiling its most powerful supercomputer.

According to a report in The Hindu, the supercomputer will be a million times faster than even the fastest of consumer laptops. The project has been sanctioned by the government to the tune of400 crore and it will most likely come to fruition in a matter of just months.

You may also like:From the First Rocket to the Launch of 104 Satellites, ISRO Has Always Been the King of Jugaad

Speaking to the publication, Madhavan Rajeevan, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, said,The tender [to select the company that will build the machine] is ready and we hope to have it [the computer] by June.

The system will be mostly used for weather updates, specifically when it comes to forecasting the monsoons. The supercomputer, which has not been given a moniker yet, will be able to forecast the likely outcomes months in advance with accuracy.

What makes this supercomputer so special is that while India has been home to some terribly fast computers, none have been able to go past cracking the top 200 or 100 in the list of supercomputers across the world.

For instance, the fastest supercomputer in India called Aaditya (iDataPlex DX360M4)is currently at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and is ranked at 139. There is also one in the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi calledHP Apollo 6000 Xl230/250 ranked at 217.

While details are still being finalised, it has been decided that this particular system will be hosted by both National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting at Noida in Uttar PradeshandIndian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, which is in Pune.

IndiaIndian Institute of Tropical MeteorologyMadhavan RajeevanMinistry of Earth SciencesMonsoonsNational Centre for Medium Range Weather ForecastingSecretarySpeedsupercomputerWeather forecasting

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India Is Getting Its Most Powerful Supercomputer yet, and It's Faster Than You Can Imagine! - The Better India (blog)

India Planning to Deploy 10-Petaflop Supercomputer – TOP500 News

India is getting ready to field the countrys most powerful supercomputer to date. According to a report in The Hindu, the 10-petaflop system will be installed this June, returning India to the upper echelons of supercomputing.

The machine is to be jointly hosted by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune and the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting at Noida in Uttar Pradesh. Not surprisingly, the new system will be used mostly for weather modeling, but according to the report, also for non-meteorological research such as protein folding.

The Hindu quotes Madhavan Rajeevan, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, who said the bid to select the vendor that will build the machine is ready to go, and they hope to have the computer in place by June. The Indian government has allocated 400 crore or about $60 million for the project.

The upcoming 10-petaflop system promises to propel the nation back into the elite ranks of supercomputing stardom, something it has not enjoyed for a decade. The last time India had a top 10 system on the TOP500 list was 2007, when EKA, an HPC cluster from Hewlett Packard (now HPE) captured the number 4 spot.

SahasraT, Supercomputer Education and Research Centre

The most powerful Indian supercomputer today is SahasraT, a 1.2 petaflop (peak) system that can run Linpack at 901 teraflops. SahasraT is a Cray XC40 installed at the Supercomputer Education and Research Centre, as part of the Indian Institute of Science. SahasraT is currently ranked as number 133 on the TOP500, and is one of just four Indian supercomputers on the current list. From 2012 to 2015, India has made a more substantial showing, claiming between 9 and 12 such systems.

The new machine may get India back into the top 10, but its not a given. The current 10th-ranked system on the TOP500 list is Trinity, an 11-petaflop (peak) supercomputer that eked out 8.1 teraflops on Linpack. Even if no new top systems show up on the June list, the Indian machine would have to have a very efficient Linpack run to make it a top 10 machine.

Last year, the Indian government enacted a plan to build as many as 80 new supercomputer over the next seven years, allocating 4,500 crore for the effort. Many of those future systems are supposed to be domestically produced. Its not clear if this upcoming 10-petaflop system is part of that plan or funding allocation.

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India Planning to Deploy 10-Petaflop Supercomputer - TOP500 News