The price of Bitcoin just hit an all-time high | TechCrunch

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Wow Bitcoin just hit an all-time high. The digital currency is currently trading at around $1,186 which is about $20 more thanits previous all-time high of ~$1,165, which it hit in November 2013, at the height of Bitcoin-mania.

A few months after that all-time high, Mt. Gox, one of the earliest and biggest Bitcoin exchanges, shut down after news it had lost hundreds of thousands of Bitcoin owned by its users. This caused the price to nearly drop in half. Since then, overthe past four years, the price has fluctuated dramatically, sometimes tied to news like the halving and broad economic uncertaintyand hacked exchangesand, sometimes, seemingly moving on no news at all.

Two years ago Bitcoin was stabilized around $250 with some people thinking it never would come close to $1,000 again. But since then, and especially in the last year, the price has been on a pretty steady and stabilized rise (at least relatively speaking). A year ago today it was trading at ~$425, six months ago it was at $584, three months ago it was at $736 and just one month ago it was trading at $885.

So whats causing this dramatic but steady rise? As always, we cant be totally sure.

One good reason could be that Bitcoins performance may now be tied to the stock market in general which has also been skyrocketing since President Trump was elected. Both the NASDAQ, Dow, Russell and S&P 500 have all set all-time highs just in the last week.This is an interesting theory, because traditionally investors put money into alternative assets like Bitcoin (and gold) when the market is going poorly and they want somewhere else to put their money. That being said, the rally maybe a sign that Bitcoin is transitioning away from an alternative asset and morphing into a more popular form of payment for businesses, meaningitspricecould start to follow the stock market more closely.

Another anecdotal option last week Congress confirmedMike Mulvaney as director of the Office of Management and Budget. Mike is an advocate of Bitcoin he was the first member of Congress to accept Bitcoin donations, and helped launch the Blockchain Caucus to advance policy surrounding cryptocurrencies.

Another potentially majorcauseis that the Bitcoin community (and Wall Street) is waiting to hear if the SEC will approve the Winklevoss Bitcoin ETF, which, if approved, would be the first Bitcoin ETF in a U.S market. This would make it much easier for average investors to take a stake in the digital currency. So to an extent, traders may already be pricing in an affirmative decision, which is why the price is trading so high.

While Bitcoins volatility is certainly less than it once was, the currency is still susceptible to dramatic spikes in both directions so, as always, be thoughtful before deciding to invest.

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The price of Bitcoin just hit an all-time high | TechCrunch

Western Slope Skies – Comets In 2017 – KVNF Public Radio

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Have you ever seen a comet? In coming weeks we may have a chance to see two interesting comets.

Episode aired Friday, Feb. 24th & Wednesday, Mar. 1st, 2017

Comets are small, irregularly shaped bodies of ice and rock that orbit the sun, typically in highly elongated orbits. Comet Hale-Bopp, the great comet of 1997, measured 50 miles by 24 miles; however, most comets are far smaller. Astronomers have concluded that comets originate in the cold, outer reaches of the solar system, where millions of ice-rich bodies follow long-period orbits, billions of miles from the Sun. But gravitational forces within our galaxy sometimes nudge comets toward the inner solar system, where solar radiation flashes their frozen matter to gas and unleashes powerful geysers of rocky and icy particles. The solar wind then deflects these particles and gases in a direction opposite the Sun, creating long tails, which at times can be spectacular. But comets can be unpredictable: some may brighten unexpectedly after sudden outbursts, while others may fade rapidly from view.

In early 2017, two comets may be visible in binoculars: Comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova and Comet 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak. Both comets likely were once inhabitants of the far outer solar system, but entered the inner solar system, only to have their orbital periods shortened to about 5 years by Jupiters powerful gravity. After having passed Earth by only 8 million miles on February 11, Comet 45P/ may be visible in our night sky from late February into early March near the constellation Leo. And, during late March and Early April, we may be able to see Comet 41P/ in the northern sky near the Big and Little Dippers. Given clear skies and cooperative comets, you may have a chance to view these two through telescopes and binoculars with sky rangers and astronomers on the evenings of February 25 and March 25 at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Or, to locate these comets yourself, use binoculars and the finder charts below.

Comet 45P/ Finder Chart

Comet 41P/ Finder Chart

Western Slope Skies is produced by members of the Black Canyon Astronomical Society. This episode was written and recorded by Art Trevena.

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Western Slope Skies - Comets In 2017 - KVNF Public Radio

Crater takes early lead in 5A wrestling team race as Comets chase 9th state title – OregonLive.com

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Crater, once the states dominant wrestling program, is in position to again assume the top spot in its classification, this time 5A, after the first round of the OSAA state tournament at Memorial Coliseum on Friday.

With 22 wrestlers, the Comets have the most entries in the tournament, and 14 got first-round wins Friday. Logan Meek, the defending champion at 145 pounds, led the way with a pinfall victory 32 seconds into his match against Cody Klient of Lebanon.

Angel Diaz (106), Zeth Brower (106), Hunter Grant (113), Tanner Ulrey (113), Hunter Hiatt (120), Dallas Howard (132), Nathan Santoni (138), Jace Godley (152), Markus Bennett (170), Tony Flores (182), James Pendelton (195), Beau Crawford (220) and Cameron Sweet (285) joined Meek in winning first-round matches for Crater.

The Comets have won eight state wrestling team championships, all at the Class 4A level, when that was the states biggest. The last came in 2006, when they won the last of four consecutive championships.

Sandy, which is looking for its state title, was in second place with 38 points, as 9 of its 16 wrestlers won in the first round. Hermiston, which won the last four titles, was in third place with 33 points, and Dallas was fourth with 30 points.

The standings figure to shift as consolation matches play out Friday afternoon, and especially after the quarterfinals, which are scheduled to start at 5:15 p.m.

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Crater takes early lead in 5A wrestling team race as Comets chase 9th state title - OregonLive.com

Can Depression Up Odds for Arthritis Linked to Psoriasis? – Everyday Health (blog)

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Depression in people with the chronic inflammatory skin disease psoriasis increases the risk of getting the joint condition known as psoriatic arthritis by about 37 percent, new research indicates.

The finding raises concerns because depression is not uncommon in people with psoriasis, according to the authors of the study in the Feb. 22 issue of theJournal of Investigative Dermatology.

"For many years, the rheumatology and dermatology communities have been trying to understand which patients with psoriasis go on to develop psoriatic arthritis, and how we might detect it earlier in the disease course," senior investigator Dr. Cheryl Barnabe said in a journal news release. She is from the McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health and the O'Brien Institute for Public Health at the University of Calgary in Alberta.

While the study found a connection between depression and the development of psoriatic arthritis, it wasn't designed to prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

RELATED: 9 Ways to Manage PsoriaticArthritis Fatigue

Psoriasis is a condition characterized by red, itchy and scaly skin patches. These patches can sometimes be disfiguring. Psoriatic arthritis generally occurs in people with psoriasis, though it can occur on its own, according to the American College of Rheumatology. The condition causes joint pain and swelling, typically in the large joints and fingers and toes. It can cause joint damage, too.

The study authors noted that prior work has linked having a major depressive disorder with a high risk for systemic inflammation. This could explain why depression would bump up the risk for psoriatic arthritis.

To explore the link, the investigators analyzed information on more than 70,000 psoriasis patients in the United Kingdom that had been collected by a primary care database.

Patients were tracked for upwards of 25 years.

The researchers adjusted the data to account for other factors, such as age and drinking habits. Ultimately, they determined that people who had been depressed faced a much higher risk for psoriatic arthritis than those who hadn't been depressed.

"There is a tendency to think of depression as a purely 'psychological' or 'emotional' issue, but it also has physical effects and changes in inflammatory and immune markers have been reported in depressed people," said Dr. Scott Patten, from the O'Brien Institute.

"Depression may be a risk factor for a variety of chronic conditions, and this research is an example of how big data approaches can identify these associations," he said.

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Can Depression Up Odds for Arthritis Linked to Psoriasis? - Everyday Health (blog)

Malibu Locals Fight Human Trafficking – Malibu Times

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Two Malibu natives are taking very different paths to fight human trafficking an international issue especially relevant in Southern California. State Senator Henry Stern has introduced a bill to help combat the issue, while producer Gary Miller is working hard to raise money to help fight the epidemic.

If all goes according to plan, by April 1, 2018, Malibu hotels, motels, inns, B&Bs and transient lodgings (other than personal residences), as well as those in the rest of California, will be required to post human trafficking hotline numbers that the public or victims can call or text to seek help or report unlawful activity.

Its already been the law in California since 2013 that hotline numbers, which operate 24/7 and are toll-free, must be posted in businesses such as liquor stores and sex shops, transit hubs, emergency rooms and privately owned job recruitment centers.

The notices must be at least 8.5 x 11 and say, If you or someone you know is being forced to engage in any activity and cannot leave whether it is commercial sex, housework, farm work, construction, factory, retail, or restaurant work, or any other activity call or text the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1.888.373.7888 or the California Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST) at 1.888.KEY.2.FRE(EDOM) or 1.888.539.2373 to access help and services. Victims of slavery and human trafficking are protected under U.S. and California law.

Stern, who represents Malibu in Sacramento, is introducing the updated Human Trafficking bill SB 225 in the wake of a major human trafficking sweep in California a few weeks ago that yielded 474 arrests and identified at least 55 survivors.

ABC/7 reported officers from numerous law enforcement agencies rescued 28 children who were being sexually exploited and offered services to 27 adults they said were victims of sex trafficking.

Sterns bill is supported by a coalition of human trafficking groups, including the National Council of Jewish Women CA, the California National Organization for Women, the Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking (CAST) and Hadassah.

California, and Los Angeles in particular, are on the front lines of the fight against human slavery and trafficking. Thousands suffer in silence, unsure where to turn for help, Stern said in a statement provided by his office. SB 225 will bring us to parity with states like Illinois and Louisiana where hotels and motels have joined the fight.

Our research has shown that hotline posting is tied to increased investigation and prosecution of human trafficking crimes, said Kay Buck, CEO of CAST, in a written statement. Survivors served by CAST have told us that access to a hotline posting couldve made all the difference in finding freedom from their traffickers.

SB 225 was introduced February 2, 2017, and awaits its first committee hearing.

In the meantime, legendary Malibu music producer/composer Miller, who also owns Malibus Loud Wavz Studio, decided enough is enough when it comes to human trafficking especially children and has initiated a huge fundraising effort through his nonprofit organization Rock Against Trafficking. The recipients of fundraising will be several handpicked nonprofits that provide services to victims, including Unlikely Heroes, Operation Underground Railroad and CAST.

Millers list of music production credits include Katy Perry, Andrea Bocelli, Donna Summer, Elton John, Kylie Minogue, Cher and David Bowie, to name a few. It was through his contacts in the music industry that he hit on the idea of producing a fundraising compilation album featuring songs by Sting and The Police performed by various artists.

The album had a soft release just last week at a fundraising reception held at the Sunset Marquis Hotel, and features contributing artists Slash, En Vogue, Carlos Santana, Glenn Hughes, Heart, Andy Fraser, Journey, Beth Hart, Rob Thomas , Ellis Hall, Keb Mo and Dilana.

The mission of Rock Against Trafficking is twofold to raise awareness about the issue of human trafficking and the fact that its happening right here in the U.S., and to provide support services to child victims.

In a phone interview, Miller was very enthusiastic about all the support hes been getting from musical artists across the board so many that he now has corporate sponsors and is planning a world concert tour fundraiser with a variety of talent.

But at the core of it all, Miller is passionate about the cause, citing several horrific examples.

[Human trafficking] is a movement, and its got to be dealt with, he said. Its not one of those things where you can say, Oh, Ive done my part, and then just go on.

For more info, see rockagainsttrafficking.org/home.

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Malibu Locals Fight Human Trafficking - Malibu Times

Why People Are Traveling For Stem Cell Treatment – Huffington Post

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Medical tourism is alive and well in places all over the world. Thailand, Mexico and Colombia are just some of the destinations where people travel in order to get affordable health care. While finances are the main concern of medical tourists, another reason to make the trip is for services that arent provided in a travelers local city or country. Stem Cells are still a controversial topic in many countries and while research is being conducted, people who might benefit from the treatments may not be able to locate a qualified provider. Why travel so far just for stem cell treatment? Well.

They May Be Able To Cure Cancer

Cancer is one of the most prevalent diseases out there without a cure. With so many people falling ill to this disease, the need for a cure is more important than ever. Stem cell studies are being conducted and researchers have found that stem cell therapy can be used to add healthy cells into the system to suppress the disease while stimulating the growth of new and healthy marrow. Hodgkins Lymphoma, breast cancer and ovarian cancer may benefit the most from these treatments.

They Could Be Capable of Treating Blood Disease

According to NSI Stem Cell, stem cell therapy may be able to provide the body with regenerative and healthy blood cells to combat blood disease. With healthy blood cells in the system, diseases like Sickle Cell Anemia, Fanconi Anemia and Thalassemia could be effectively treated.

They Have The Ability To Treat Injuries and Wounds

By increasing blood vessels and improving blood supply, stem cells could treat both chronic and acute wounds, especially in older patients who dont heal as quickly. Specifically, stem cell therapy could help treat surface wounds, limb gangrene and the replacement of jawbone.

Research Is Being Done On a Huge Variety of Treatment Potential

Stem cells are constantly undergoing research to uncover their potential when it comes to medical treatments. Some of the treatments being explored include:

-Auto-immune Disease: These cells may be able to repair and regenerate damaged tissue for people suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis, Buergers Disease, and Systemic Lupus.

-Neurodegeneration: They could help with diseases such as MS and Parkinsons.

-Brain & Spinal Cord Injuries: The cells could reduce inflammation and help to form healthy, new tissue.

-Heart Conditions: Stem cells are being utilized to create new blood vessels, reverse tissue loss and regenerate heart muscle tissue.

-Tooth & Hair Replacement: They can help grow thinning hair and replace missing teeth.

-Vision Loss: Retinal cells are being injected into the eyes to improve vision.

-Pancreatic Cells: Healthy Beta Cells in the pancreas are being produced by stem cells. These therapies would help diabetic patients and allow them to decrease their dependence on insulin.

-Orthopedics: Stem cells can be utilized to treat arthritis and ligament/tendon injuries.

-HIV/Aids: Researchers are looking into using stem cells to produce an immune system that is resistant to disease.

The Cost of Treatment Will Vary But Can Be Affordable

While it may seem that the cost of stem cell therapy would be extremely high, the truth is that it varies. It all depends on the treatment necessary but the range could be from $1,000 to $100,000. In the future, insurance companies may even cover costs for some treatments.

Stem Cells Come From Multiple Sources

Stem cells come from a whole variety of places including bone marrow, adipose tissue, blood and umbilical cords. In the case of extraction from adipose tissue, they can be harvested and then put back in a patient after only a couple of days. All of the procedures to acquire the stem cells can be done with willing participants and donors.

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Why People Are Traveling For Stem Cell Treatment - Huffington Post

Contemplating stem cell therapy for epilepsy-induced neuropsychiatric symptoms – Dove Medical Press

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Back to Browse Journals Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment Volume 13

Gautam Rao, Sherwin Mashkouri, David Aum, Paul Marcet, Cesar V Borlongan

Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA

Abstract: Epilepsy is a debilitating disease that impacts millions of people worldwide. While unprovoked seizures characterize its cardinal symptom, an important aspect of epilepsy that remains to be addressed is the neuropsychiatric component. It has been documented for millennia in paintings and literature that those with epilepsy can suffer from bouts of aggression, depression, and other psychiatric ailments. Current treatments for epilepsy include the use of antiepileptic drugs and surgical resection. Antiepileptic drugs reduce the overall firing of the brain to mitigate the rate of seizure occurrence. Surgery aims to remove a portion of the brain that is suspected to be the source of aberrant firing that leads to seizures. Both options treat the seizure-generating neurological aspect of epilepsy, but fail to directly address the neuropsychiatric components. A promising new treatment for epilepsy is the use of stem cells to treat both the biological and psychiatric components. Stem cell therapy has been shown efficacious in treating experimental models of neurological disorders, including Parkinsons disease, and neuropsychiatric diseases, such as depression. Additional research is necessary to see if stem cells can treat both neurological and neuropsychiatric aspects of epilepsy. Currently, there is no animal model that recapitulates all the clinical hallmarks of epilepsy. This could be due to difficulty in characterizing the neuropsychiatric component of the disease. In advancing stem cell therapy for treating epilepsy, experimental testing of the safety and efficacy of allogeneic and autologous transplantation will require the optimization of cell dosage, delivery, and timing of transplantation in a clinically relevant model of epilepsy with both neurological and neuropsychiatric symptoms of the disease as the primary outcome measures.

Keywords: epilepsy, neuropsychiatric, stem cells, autologous

This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License. By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.

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Rabbi Shais Taub Addresses Connection Between Addictive Personalities and Spirituality – Boulder Jewish News

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Rabbi Shais Taub

Rabbi Shais Taub, an internationally known speaker, writer and teacher on topics of Jewish spirituality and known for his work in the field of addiction will speak at the Boulder JCC on March 1 at 7 pm. The talk is free, and everyone is welcome.

Taubs talk comes on the heels of Jewish Awareness Disability and Inclusion Month (JDAIM), which is celebrated for the month of February, and is focused on inclusion of people with disabilities in Jewish communities.

While most people would not consider addiction to be a disability, addicts are the one group of people that others may feel OK about not including, Taub says. Yet he adds that those with addictions and those without share many similar qualities, and everyone, whether they have a direct connection to addiction or not, will gain personal insights from his talk.

An addictive personality may be no more than an exaggerated version of that which makes us all typically human, he says.

The New York Timeswrote about Taubs influence beyond the Jewish world, noting that he found an eager audience among Christians.

National Public Radio dubbed Taub an expert in Jewish mysticism and the 12 Steps and The New York Times called him a phenomenon. His bestselling book, G-d of Our Understanding: Jewish Spirituality and Recovery from Addiction, was the number one selling Jewish book on Amazon.com and was praised by Publishers Weekly as a singular resource for those in need. Taub is also a frequent and popular contributor to The Huffington Post.

He runs a nonprofit organization, Conscious Contact, which helps individuals and families to find spiritual healing from addiction and other problems.

Overall the hope is to create awareness and set in motion future discussions about what our Boulder Jewish community can do to help families and individuals affected by addiction, says Susan Glairon, a volunteer organizer for the event.

In Colorado, Ramah in the Rockies is working to address addiction issues by opening a wilderness based addiction and therapy program, saysJory Hanselman, wilderness therapy program director of Ramah in the Rockies. At the March 1 event, Hanselman will speak briefly about Ramahs new program, BaMidbar, and will be available for questions immediately following the end of the program.

Taubs talk is sponsored the Boulder JCC, Chabad at CU, Chabad of Longmont, Ramah in the Rockies, Boulder Jewish Family Service, the Oreg Foundation and by Congregations Bonai Shalom, Har HaShem and Nevei Kodesh.

Yehudis Fishman, a popular teacher of Torah and Hasidic writings says, If I were leaving this world and could recommend only one book to everyone I know, it would be G-d of Our Understanding.'

For more information about this event, email Susan at sglairon@gmail.com. Rabbi Taub will offer a second talk for the CU Boulder community on March 2, 7:00 pm in Humanitites 150, sponsored by Chabad at CU. For information about the CU event, contact Leah at leah@jewishcu.com.

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Rabbi Shais Taub Addresses Connection Between Addictive Personalities and Spirituality - Boulder Jewish News

President &PM highlights co-existence and harmony on Maha Siva Rathri Day – The Sunday Times Sri Lanka

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.

Prof. Carlo Fonseka admitted to hospital

Lankan team arrive in the island, celebrate Kapugedara's birthday

'Speculo 2017 hosted by SriLankan Airlines

School students show solidarity with Keppapulau residents

President Maithripala Sirisena in his message issued in view of Maha Shiva Rathri said that the prime expectation and the noble vision of all the religions is to promote existence of spiritually and morally cultured humans. All the rituals and celebrations performed by the humans are designed to recall those core values of the religious teachings.

He further stated that the religions provide great relief to the people in todays competitive world as their lives are becoming increasingly depressed. The religious way of life, which is more towards the spiritual awakening, can be considered as an essential ingredient for building a better society, he stated.

Following is the Presidents Message issued for Maha Shiva Rathri

The prime expectation and the noble vision of all the religions is to promote existence of spiritually and morally cultured humans. All the rituals and celebrations performed by the humans are designed to recall those core values of the religious teachings.

These religious ceremonies, that are being held to dispel the darkness of ignorance and conceit with the light of knowledge, love and peace help tremendously for the human beings to live with sustenance of human dignity in the contemporary world of new technology.

Religions provide great relief to the people in todays competitive world as their lives are becoming increasingly depressed. The religious way of life, which is more towards the spiritual awakening, can be considered as an essential ingredient for building a better society.

The Hindu devotees world over including Sri Lankan Hindus celebrate the Maha Shiva Rathri with the objective of enhancing their spiritual discipline.

I wish all Hindu devotees who celebrate the Maha Shiva Rathri Day, expressing their gratitude to Lord Shiva by fasting and keeping a night-long vigil at temples, may achieve their aspirations.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe noted in his message that as a much revered occasion that highlights the values of spiritual enlightenment and culture, the Maha Siva Rathri Day is deeply symbolic of co-existance and harmony among all and is also an ideal time for reflection.

Prof. Carlo Fonseka admitted to hospital

Lankan team arrive in the island, celebrate Kapugedara's birthday

'Speculo 2017 hosted by SriLankan Airlines

School students show solidarity with Keppapulau residents

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President &PM highlights co-existence and harmony on Maha Siva Rathri Day - The Sunday Times Sri Lanka

Ron Nagle’s mind-bending art, like mini movies in sculpture form – Los Angeles Times

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A lot has happened in the world since Ron Nagles last solo show in Los Angeles, which was in 2005.

A lot more has happened in his work, which is still intimate, whimsical and sensual, yet now asks big existential questions without suggesting that the answers might be simple, direct or logical. Titled Ice Breaker, Nagles mind-bending exhibition takes visitors to the heart of what it means to be alive to lifes ups and downs.

Risk and possibility are Nagles stock in trade. He serves them up in abundance at Matthew Marks Gallery, where 15 pint-size pieces are enshrined inside 15 glass cubes, each perched atop its own pedestal. Four more similarly scaled sculptures stand in four space-saving cubbyholes, each of which has been cut into the middle of each of the four walls.

Reliquaries come to mind. So do stashes.

The combination of religious veneration and illicit substances, or spiritual enlightenment and surreptitious bliss, takes stunning shape in Nagles subtly subversive works.The form of their presentation amplifies the content of individual sculptures.

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That cooperative synergy flies in the face of the idea that abstract art is a high-minded affair that has nothing to do with the animal impulses of flesh and blood reality. The two collude beautifully in Nagles pieces of 3-D poetry. Each appeals to the lizard brain without overlooking the more sophisticated machinations of our cognitive hardware.

All sorts of stories can be read from the 77-year-old artists work. Many resemble landscapes, their super-saturated palettes, exquisitely textured surfaces and unnaturally streamlined formations recalling aquariums customized by connoisseurs of beauty. Others seem to be bookends that have evolved so radically and idiosyncratically that they no longer have partners that look anything like them.

None of Nagles sculptures sits still. Each occupies time as if it were a movie still, a thin slice of an animated cartoon, a documentary about microorganisms or a thriller in which something dreadful has just happened. Or is about to. Or both.

Sometimes the drama recalls that of a cell dividing in two (Message to Raphael) or a cell having second thoughts about splitting (French Stickler). More often, it involves a solitary being venturing, cautiously and curiously, into unknown territory (Sandmandia and Penniman).

Historical Land Mind, Witzelsucht and Cult Classic include two components or characters that approach each other, tentatively and gingerly. The sense of anticipation toys with mind.

Without stating anything explicitly, these pieces paint a pretty vivid picture of the world today, when questions about how individuals interact with neighbors and strangers are as charged and loaded as they have been in a long time.

Matthew Marks Gallery, 1062 N. Orange Grove Ave., L.A. Through April 8; closed Sundays and Mondays. (323) 654-1830, http://www.matthewmarks.com.

Follow The Times arts team @culturemonster.

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Ron Nagle's mind-bending art, like mini movies in sculpture form - Los Angeles Times

Chef’s Table review: sit down for one episode, binge on three – Irish Times

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Television has a terrible habit of handling our food. Cookery shows have long folded homeliness into coquettishness, chefs would rather be masters, even baking seems off. Is there any way we can leave it to cool?

There is no difference between cooking and pursuing Buddhas path, says Jeong Kwan. Now, thats more like it. Following a beatific Zen nun sequestered away in the Chunjinam Hermitage in the tree-covered mountains of Korea, the opening episode of Chefs Table (Netflix), now in its third series, offers itself as a kind of spiritual palate cleanser. You wont eat at Kwans unless you have embarked fully on the road to spiritual enlightenment, which still makes it an easier booking than Noma.

This is a refreshing change of pace for documentary maker David Gelbs show, a departure from the celebrity chefs and Michelin stars that recalls both the tranquil obsession of his early study, Jiro Dreams of Sushi.

Not that Kwan would abide anything as indulgent as raw fish. A nun who serves temple food (mind-calming and all-but-unadorned vegetarian meals) to monks and Korean students of cuisine (and, on occasion, to New Yorks restaurant critics at the invitation of celebrity chef, ric Ripert), if Kwan stands out among Gelbs sumptuously shot portraits its because she offers us a philosophy rather than a menu.

She envisions a world united through healthy and happy food and sees past, present and future harmoniously entwined in the act of cooking. If that makes a fetish of Kwans serenity, so be it she is filmed in quiet contemplation as frequently as in food preparation and you get the sense that Gelb, Ripert and food critic Jeff Gordinier worship her because she represents a blissful escape from industry, acceleration and ego, to a higher-plane routine: eat, pray, love.

Even with this gentle start, its easy to binge on Chefs Table; I sat down to watch one episode and stopped, barely satiated, after three. The Oedipal aggression of Russias crusader Vladimir Mukhin and the quirky passions of Los Angeleno cheese and carb-merchant Nancy Silverton make Kwan seem even more ascetic, with her elegantly unfurling lotus tea and shitake mushrooms bursting open like lilies. But it is heartening to see her erupt, occasionally, with earthly pleasure. Soy makes me excited just thinking about it, she beams, and her hand leaps to her heart. Ill have what shes having.

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Chef's Table review: sit down for one episode, binge on three - Irish Times

Government calls for ethnic harmony on Maha Shivaratri – Colombo Gazette

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The Government today noted the importance of ethnic harmony as Hindus in Sri Lanka celebrateMaha Shivaratri,

President Maithripala Sirisena, in hisMaha Shivaratri message, noted that the prime expectation and the noble vision of all religions is to promote spiritual and moral well-being of humankind.

All their religious rituals and celebrations recall those core values of religious teachings. These religious ceremonies, that are being held to dispel the darkness of ignorance and conceit with the light of knowledge, love and peace help tremendously for the human beings to live with sustenance of human dignity in the contemporary world of new technology, he said.

The President said that religions provide great relief to the people in todays competitive world and the religious way of life, which is more towards the spiritual awakening, can be considered as an essential ingredient for building a better society.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his message to markMaha Shivaratri said that Hindu devotees world over including Sri Lankan Hindus celebrate Maha Shivaratri with the objective of enhancing their spiritual discipline.

I wish all Hindu devotees who celebrate Maha Shivaratri expressing their gratitude to Lord Shiva by fasting and keeping a night-long vigil at temples,may achieve their aspirations. The Hindus believe that Maha Shivaratri is the favoured night of the Lord Shiva; it is spent in the company of friends and family amidst great fellowship. The celebrations associated with this special day are centred on art forms and cultural pursuits since Maha Siva Rathri is also linked to the dance of the Lord Shiva. Throughout this sacred night, the Hindus spend time engaged in meditation and charity in pursuit of spiritual liberty, he said.

The Prime Minister said that as a much revered occasion that highlights the values of spiritual enlightenment and culture, the Maha Shivaratri Day is deeply symbolic of co-existence and harmony among all and is also an ideal time for reflection. (Colombo Gazette)

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Government calls for ethnic harmony on Maha Shivaratri - Colombo Gazette

Doctor Strange is a hallucinogenic, kaleidoscopic trip of mind-bending special effects – Dorset Echo

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RELEASED

Doctor Strange (Cert 12, 110 mins, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Action/Romance, available from February 28 on Amazon Video/BT TV Store/iTunes/Sky Store/TalkTalk TV Store and other download and streaming services, available from March 6 on DVD 17.99/Blu-ray 21.99/3D Blu-ray 25.99)

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rachel McAdams, Tilda Swinton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Mads Mikkelsen.

Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a brilliant and arrogant neurosurgeon, with a minimalist Manhattan apartment and an off-limits romance with fellow medic, Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams). Years of meticulous study are jeopardised when Strange foolishly takes a telephone call in his speeding silver Lamborghini. Medical colleagues save his life, but not his career, surgically refashioning his trembling hands with 11 metal pins. Cast adrift from the world of science, Strange heads to Kathmandu in search of spiritual enlightenment in the company of an enigmatic Celtic shaman called The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton), who harnesses energy to shape reality. Two of her Masters, Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Wong (Benedict Wong), take Strange under their wing and spearhead his training. As his confidence grows, Strange learns about a former Master, Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen), who strayed from the path of righteousness and uses his powers for evil. Doctor Strange is the latest tumble down the rabbit hole of the Marvel Comics universe - a hallucinogenic, kaleidoscopic trip of mind-bending special effects that will either dazzle you or induce a pounding headache. City streets and landmarks fold in on themselves, rotate and collapse on multiple axes, rather like Christopher Nolan's Inception or one of MC Escher's disorienting illustrations. Cumberbatch digs deep beneath the bruised skin of his character's overinflated ego, verbalizing the inner turmoil of a self-anointed god, who learns he is flawed and not entirely the master of his own destiny. McAdams is squandered in an undernourished role as the token love interest, but Swinton imposes herself on scenes so there is at least one strong female presence to undercut the raging testosterone.

Rating: ***

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Doctor Strange is a hallucinogenic, kaleidoscopic trip of mind-bending special effects - Dorset Echo

Russian Progress 66 Cargo Ship Docks at Space Station – Space.com

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The Progress 66 Russian cargo spacecraft, shown here approaching the International Space Station on Feb. 24, 2017.

A robotic Russian cargo ship arrived at the International Space Station early Friday (Feb. 24) to deliver nearly 3 tons of supplies to the orbiting laboratory.

The automatedProgress 66 supply ship docked at the space station at 3:30 a.m. EST (0830 GMT), parking itself at the station's Russian-built Pirs docking module. It is the second cargo ship to arrive at the station in as many days after aSpaceX Dragon capsule made its own delivery of 5,500 lbs. of supplies on Thursday.

The Progress 66 Russian cargo spacecraft (left) passes by the Soyuz MS03 crew vehicle already attached to the International Space Station, on Feb. 24, 2017.

Russia's space agency Roscosmos launched Progress 66 into orbit Wednesday (Feb. 22) using a Soyuz rocket that lifted off from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. It was Russia's first cargo delivery to the space station since the loss of the Progress 65 supply ship on Dec. 1, 2016.

Russia's Progress vehicles and SpaceX's Dragon capsules are part ofa fleet of robotic spacecraft that deliver vital supplies to the International Space Station. Cygnus spacecraft built by Orbital ATK and Japanese H-2 Transfer Vehicles round out the current fleet.

Russian cargo craft docks to station at 3:30am ET (8:30am GMT) just one day after @SpaceX #Dragon arrived. https://t.co/mjkChPkNhK pic.twitter.com/49vWxe4cBi

Email Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or follow him@tariqjmalikandGoogle+.Follow us@Spacedotcom,FacebookandGoogle+. Original article onSpace.com.

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SpaceX Dragon capsule finally arrives at the International Space Station after errors and delays – The Independent

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An important shipment has finally arrived at the International Space Station, after a series of errors, delays and challenges.

The SpaceX capsule smoothly arrived at the station the second time around as astronauts grabbed hold of the cargo ship, as the two of them floated somewhere over Australia.

The capsule had been scheduled to arrive on Wednesday. But a GPS error stopped it from getting too close and the move had to be aborted.

The Dragon - loaded with 5,500lbs of supplies - lifted off on Sunday from Nasa's historic moon pad at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

Now leased by SpaceX, the pad had been idle since the close of the shuttle programme almost six years ago.

The station's six crew members will accept another shipment on Friday, this one from the Russians.

Given the Dragon's delayed arrival - lift-off also occurred a day late - the astronauts were under orders to open the capsule as soon as possible to retrieve sensitive science experiments.

"Sorry about the delays," Mission Control said. "Now the real work starts."

"Congratulations Dragon on a successful journey from Earth and now welcome on board," said French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who used the station's big robot arm to grab the capsule.

At the top of the crew's unloading list: 20 mice that are part of a wound-healing experiment. Another 20 mice are taking part in the study on the ground, as control subjects.

Other newly arrived research: highly infectious MRSA bacteria, triple-contained so it does not get loose; stem cells; and instruments for studying lightning and the Earth's ozone layer.

Drone captures SpaceX rocket landing in Florida

The Dragon will remain at the space station for a month before it is cut loose to bring back science samples and other items.

It is the only supply ship capable of returning intact to Earth, as all the others burn up during re-entry.

SpaceX is one of two private companies flying up supplies for Nasa.

Besides the French astronaut, the space station is home to two Americans and three Russians.

Additional reporting by Press Association

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SpaceX Dragon capsule finally arrives at the International Space Station after errors and delays - The Independent

Two chances to see International Space Station flyby this weekend … – MyPalmBeachPost (blog)

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Two chances to see International Space Station flyby this weekend ...
MyPalmBeachPost (blog)
The International Space Station will make two appearances over Palm Beach County in the next few days. But the spacecraft's passes are for early-risers only, ...

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Two chances to see International Space Station flyby this weekend ... - MyPalmBeachPost (blog)

RS-25 engine test firing seen from drone – SpaceFlight Insider

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Derek Richardson

February 24th, 2017

A drone captures never-before-seen views of a test firing of an RS-25 engine at NASAs Stennis Space Center. Photo Credit: NASA

Engineers at NASAs Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, conducted a test of the RS-25 engine on the A-1 Test Stand. In addition to collecting performance data on the engine that will help power the new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, a NASA drone revealed never-before-seen imagery of the more than six-minute-long firing.

The test was conducted by Aerojet Rocketdyne and Syncom Space Services personnel. Aerojet Rocketdyne is NASAs prime contractor for the RS-25 engines. Syncom Space Services is the prime contractor for Stennis facilities and operations.

The RS-25 is a remarkable engine that continues to undergo testing at Stennis to ensure that the Space Launch System rocket will have the performance necessary to safely take our astronauts into deep space, said Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and President Eileen Drake.

A drone captures never-before-seen views of a test firing of an RS-25 engine at NASAs Stennis Space Center. (Click to enlarge) Photo Credit: NASA

Viewsof the test stand came from an overhead drone, which captured the re-purposed Space Shuttle-era engine firing in action for the first time from above the A-1 stand.

Never before has drone technology been used to give us a birds-eye view of our engine test, Drake said.

Development engine No. 0528 ran for380 seconds(about 6minutes, 20 seconds) allowing engineers to monitor various engine operating conditions. According to NASASpaceflight, the engine was throttled to 109 percent of the originally designed power level for 205 seconds, 100 percent for nine seconds, and 80 percent for 118 seconds.

This was the 12th test of the RS-25 to confirm it meets the added requirements and performance beyond what was needed to support the Space Shuttle program.

The test is another step in the development of the rocket that will eventually launch humansbeyond low-Earth orbit for the first time since 1972. Four RS-25 engines, along with a pair of five-segment solid rocket boosters, will power the SLS at launch on deep space missions to the Moon or Mars.

The engines for the first four SLS flights will be former SpaceShuttle Main Engines, which were also tested at Stennis.

The RS-25 engine continues to perform flawlessly, which is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the hundred of employees across the country supporting this program, said Dan Adamski, RS-25 program director at Aerojet Rocketdyne.

Engineers are conducting an ongoing series of tests this year on both development and flight engines to ensure the design, outfitted with a new controller, can perform at higher levels under a variety of conditions and situations. The engine controller unit controls the internal engine functions during the flight and enables proper communication between the SLS and the RS-25.

According to NASASpaceflight, three more firings of engine 0528 are planned one on March 24, April 27, and May 16 before it is removed for other engines to be tested. There is an option for a fifth test on the engine in June if needed. After that, flight engines will begin firing on the stand.

Stennis is also preparing its B-2 Test Stand for the core stage of the first SLS flight, known as Exploration Mission 1. The testing will involve installing the flight stage on the stand and firing its four RS-25 engines simultaneously.

EM-1 is expected to launch in 2018 to send an uncrewed Orion spacecraft into a distant retrograde orbit around the Moon. However, NASA is currently studying the feasibility of adding peopleto the first mission, which would likely delay EM-1 by at least a year.

Video courtesy of NASAs Marshall Center

Tagged: A-1 Test Stand NASA RS-25 Space Launch System Stennis Space Center The Range

Derek Richardson is a student studying mass media with an emphasis in contemporary journalism at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. He is currently the managing editor of the student run newspaper, the Washburn Review. He also writes a blog, called Orbital Velocity, about the space station. His passion for space ignited when he watched space shuttle Discovery leap to space on Oct. 29, 1998. He saw his first in-person launch on July 8, 2011 when the space shuttle launched for the final time. Today, this fervor has accelerated toward orbit and shows no signs of slowing down. After dabbling in math and engineering courses in college, he soon realized that his true calling was communicating to others about space exploration and spreading that passion.

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Delta 4 receives communications satellite payload for launch into space – Spaceflight Now

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The nine WGS mission patches. Credit: Air Force logos; Spaceflight Now graphic

CAPE CANAVERAL A military communications satellite, built with international funding from Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and New Zealand, has been stacked atop a Delta 4 rocket to launch into a worldwide information-relay network operated by the U.S.

WGS 9, the ninth installment of the Wideband Global SATCOM communications satellite system, will be boosted into a super-synchronous transfer orbit by the United Launch Alliance Delta 4 Medium+ (5,4) configured rocket with four strap-on solids.

Liftoff is planned for March 8 during a window of 6:48 to 7:53 p.m. EDT (2248-2353 GMT).

The allies bought this satellite in exchange for access to the planet-spanning constellation, similar to the groundbreaking deal with Australia that paid for the construction and launch of WGS 6.

Each of the partners receive resources commensurate with their investment with WGS 9Commensurate investments from these partners equate to approximately 3 percent of the WGS constellation bandwidth, according to answers provided by the Air Forces Space and Missile Systems Center.

The international participation gives communications interoperability between allied forces, funds expansion of the constellation and allows each partner nation to make a modest investment to receive immediate access to worldwide services that would be too expensive to construct on their own.

The WGS 9 deal was signed in 2012 to begin construction of the satellite.

In accordance with the terms of the partnership, the international partners gained access to the WGS constellation upon enactment in 2012.

WGS is the Department of Defenses highest capacity communications satellite system. The spacecraft create a global grid to provide the needed coverage and connectivity in support of operations by U.S. and allied forces around the world.

Boeing builds the WGS satellites, which began launching in 2007.

The new bird, valued at $424 million, will be maneuvered into a circular geosynchronous orbit 22,300 miles above the equator to enter service from an undisclosed position.

Just like WGS 8 launched in December, No. 9 carries the second Wideband Digital Channelizer at the heart of its communications package, enabling a 90 percent improvement in available bandwidth compared to previous sister-satellites.

Already shrouded in the rockets 47-foot-tall, 17-foot-diameter composite nose cone, the WGS 9 spacecraft was hauled to Complex 37 overnight and hoisted atop the Delta 4 launch vehicle today.

The fully assembled rocket stands 217 feet tall.

The international partners funded the procurement of the ninth WGS satellite. The United States funded the launch, operation and sustainment of WGS 9, according to SMC.

The satellite was flown to Florida in early January from Boeings manufacturing facility in El Segundo, California. After arriving, it was taken to the commercial Astrotech processing facility to undergo pre-flight preps.

Final testing, loading of maneuvering propellant and encapsulation in the Delta 4s nose cone was accomplished with the satellite.

Todays transfer to the pad saw the 13,000-pound satellite move from Titusville, through the Kennedy Space Center and over to Cape Canaveral Air Force Stations Complex 37.

Since rolling from its hangar a month ago, the Delta has undergone attachment of the four solid boosters and a pre-launch testing campaign. A fueling exercise was performed just last week.

Delta 377 will be the rocket familys first of 2017.

See earlier WGS 9 coverage.

Our Delta archive.

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Delta 4 receives communications satellite payload for launch into space - Spaceflight Now

Why French Polynesia Could Have the World’s First Floating City – Architectural Digest

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One of the biggest challenges facing the world today is climate change. With each passing year, the rate at which our polar ice caps are melting is increasingly alarming to many across the globe. Recently in Antarctica, for example, new reports indicated that a major ice sheet is cracking at a rate of five football fields per day, lining up a potential break from the Antarctic Peninsula sometime this spring. Such reports are compelling some scientists, engineers, and architects to fundamentally rethink the cities of the future. At the forefront of that movement is the Seasteading Institute.

The California nonprofit organizationwhich has currently raised about $2.5 million from more than 1,000 interested donorsis spearheading a plan called the Floating City Project. The blueprint is to build a cluster of buoyant dwellings that showcases innovations in solar power, sustainable aquaculture, and ocean-based wind farms. Recently, the French Polynesian government signed a historic agreement with the Seasteading Institute to work together on a legal framework to allow for the development of the Floating Island Project. French Polynesia, which comprises more than 100 islands in the South Pacific, seems like an ideal locale to explore the possibility of sea-dwelling communities, as its own territory is at the mercy of rising ocean levels.

According to the agreement, after economic, environmental, and architectural research in and around French Polynesia has been completed (much of which has been under way for years), the government will collaborate with the Seasteading Institute to develop a special governing framework for a land base and sea zone. The goal is to achieve this by the end of the year.

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Gingerism in France: Photographer holds exhibition to tackle abuse towards redheads – The Local France

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Gingerism or abuse of red-heads might not be an issue you would associate with France but a French photographer is to hold an exhibition to highlight the prejudice the country's ginger-haired people face.

Jokes about red heads might just seem all fun and games, but it's no laughing matter for one French photographer whose exhibition is aiming to tackle the prejudice known as Gingerism.

Its a form of racism that has persisted for centuries, says French photographer Pascal Sacleux, a red-head himself, whose series of portraits of 30 ginger-haired people has caught the attention of French people.

The English name for the exhibition is Brittany: Freckles Rock and the portraits aim to show the beauty of red-heads in the historically Celtic region of western France where many if not most of the country's flame-haired citizens live.

Sacleux wants to promote la roussitude (ginger-ness, or ginger-pride, taken from the negritude movement), encouraging those born with the worlds rarest hair colour to feel proud to be different.

Many red-heads have really been hurt growing up, and some are destroyed socially, says Sacleux.

So much so that it was too painful a subject for some of the those he tried to photograph. Some people refused to meet with me, saying that it would be pointless to rub salt in the wound, explained Sacleux.

Luckily, lots of people saw the point in his exhibition, and the project has so far crowdfunded 40% of the required 3,500 to get the portraits printed onto large canvasses which will form a mosaic in the airport hall.

The exhibition will be displayed at Rennes airport from the May 1 to June 15 2017.

You can see some of the portraits in the video below:

By Rose Trigg

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Gingerism in France: Photographer holds exhibition to tackle abuse towards redheads - The Local France