Trump talks tough on Russia and China as he promises MORE nukes in new WW3 arms race – Daily Star

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PRESIDENT Donald Trump has declared the US will be the "top of the pack" as he vows to increase the country's nuclear weapons.

Trump announced he will "make America great again" with military expansions and increased nuclear missile capability.

The billionaire businessman also slammed existing arms reduction treaties as "one-sided" against the US amid rising tension with rival nuclear powers Russia, North Korea and China.

Trump said: "If countries are going to have nukes, were going to be at the top of the pack.

GETTY

Were going to be at the top of the pack

He added: I am the first one that would like to see everybody nobody have nukes, but were going to fall behind.

"We've fallen behind on nuclear weapon capacity.

"But we're never going to fall behind any country even if it's a friendly country."

Trump also slammed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty signed with rival nuclear power Russia as a "one-sided deal".

GETTY

His comments follow Russia's announcement their country is ready war with 41 new nuke-capable missiles amid a massive military expansion.

Trump said: "Just another bad deal that the country made, whether its START, whether its the Iran dealwere going to start making good deals."

The billionaire also blasted Putin over his cruise missile deployment in violation of the treaty.

We live in turbulent times. Trump has the keys to nuclear weapons, and could end work to prevent climate change. Putin is looming in the East, the far-right are on the rise in Europe and Kim Jong-un is developing nuclear weapons of his own. Is this the END of days?

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Before his inauguration, Donald Trump asked a security expert three times during a briefing, why the US couldn't use nuclear weapons after he becomes president.

He added: "To me, it's a big deal ... If I meet [Putin], if and when we meet, I would bring it up.

"It's a violation of an agreement that we have."

Referring to China's military action in the South China Sea, he added: "Many things took place that should not have been allowed.

There is a reason people fear nuclear war the weapons are now so powerful they could wipe out humanity. The bombs dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima are tiny by comparison to the destructive power of modern nuclear weapons which are thought to be over 3000 times more powerful.

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The mushroom cloud over Nagasaki, viewed from the ground.

"I know exactly what's going on between China and North Korea and everybody else.

"One of them is the building of a massive, you know, massive military complex in the middle of the South China Sea.

"Don't forget I've only been here for four weeks. This is something that took place and has been started three years ago.

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Trump talks tough on Russia and China as he promises MORE nukes in new WW3 arms race - Daily Star

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Psychedelics Help Reduce Opioid Addiction, According to New Study – eNews Park Forest

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NEW YORK(ENEWSPF)February 23, 2017 By: Jag Davies

The criminalization of people who use psychedelics is rooted in myths that are the vestiges of colonialism and the drug war and, one by one, those myths are crumbling down.

Weve learned in recent years that people who use psychedelics are significantly *less* likely to end up developing mental health problems, perpetrating domestic violence, or suffering from psychological distress and suicidal thinking.

Meanwhile, recent research has shown that psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy can be an effective treatment for people struggling with difficult-to-treat conditions such as substance use disorders. Not much has been known, though, about the connection between psychedelic use and substance misuse in the general population.

Now, a new study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology has found that experiences with psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin mushrooms are associated with decreased risk of opioid abuse and dependence among respondents with a history of illegal opioid use. Psychedelic use is associated with 27% reduced risk of past-year opioid dependence and 40% reduced risk of past-year opioid abuse. Other than marijuana use, which was associated with 55% reduced risk of past-year opioid abuse, no other illegal drug was associated with reduced risk of past-year opioid dependence or abuse.

The study is based on six years of data from the federal governments National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), which surveys 70,000 people each year. While the findings are far from causal, the authors conclude that the associations between psychedelic use and opioid misuse are pervasive and significant and suggest that psychedelics are associated with positive psychological characteristics and are consistent with prior reports suggesting efficacy in treatment of substance use disorders.

Although more research is needed to determine exactly why theres such a strong correlation between psychedelic use and decreased risk of opioid misuse, this study does appear to validate the experiences of many people who have found substances like ibogaine, marijuana or kratom to be life-changing tools that have helped them lead happier, more fulfilling lives. For many, these substances have helped them cut back or quit their use of opioids or other substances with which theyve had a problematic relationship. Safe access to these substances along with 911 Good Samaritan laws, naloxone access programs, supervised injection facilities, various forms of maintenance therapy, and, of course, ending the criminalization of drug use should be part of the discussion when it comes to dealing with addiction and skyrocketing rates of overdose deaths.

And lets not forget our commander-in-chief is ramping up the drug war and thinks he can deal with opioid addiction by building a giant wall and deporting millions of people, both documented and undocumented. Lets remember, too, that thousands of people are getting handcuffed, arrested, branded as criminals, and serving time behind bars every year simply for using or possessing a psychedelic substance in the U.S. and these people are more likely to be young, non-white, and socioeconomically marginalized than most people who use psychedelics.

While psychedelic-assisted therapy could be approved by the FDA in the next decade, that would do nothing to change the criminal penalties faced by millions of people who use psychedelics outside of government-sanctioned, medically-supervised settings. Thats why its incumbent upon people who care about psychedelics to advocate for reducing the criminalization of people who use them outside of medical contexts, while also advocating for psychedelic-assisted therapy research.

Given the widespread scientific consensus that drug use and addiction are best treated as health issues, theres no good reason for people who use psychedelics to be treated as criminals especially considering how much we already know about prohibitions discriminatory impact on people of color and other marginalized groups.

This study also forces us to reflect on why abstinence-only policies can be so harmful and counterproductive. Contrary to conventional wisdom, federal government data has consistently shown that the vast majority of people who use opioids, including heroin, dont end up developing an addiction. So our focus should be not just on preventing people from using opioids after all, they can be essential medical tools but also ensuring, above all else, that people who use them dont go on to struggle with addiction.

A truly health-centered approach to drug addiction assesses improvement by many measures, not simply by someones drug use level, but also by their overall health, their social relationships, and their general well-being. Determining success by boiling it down to the single measure of abstinence to an arbitrary group of certain drugs isnt realistic or effective.

Addiction is a complex phenomenon, but I think its safe to say that it can only be genuinely resolved when people find meaning in their lives. This study is yet another indication that the meaning people seem to find from psychedelics has considerable implications for our prevailing criminal justice and healthcare paradigms.

Jag Davies is the director of communications strategy for the Drug Policy Alliance (www.drugpolicy.org)

Source: http://drugpolicy.org

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Psychedelics Help Reduce Opioid Addiction, According to New Study - eNews Park Forest

Trance-fusion festival Camp Bisco to return to Pavilion at Montage Mountain – Wilkes Barre Times-Leader

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SCRANTON Electronic and trance-fusion music festival Camp Bisco is returning to Northeastern Pennsylvania for the third year in a row.

Festival organizers have announced the three-day event, headlined by jamtronica pioneers The Disco Biscuits, is scheduled for July 13 through 15 at The Pavilion at Montage Mountain & Montage Mountain Waterpark, 1000 Montage Mountain Road.

Co-headliners Bassnectar, Pretty Lights Live, GRiZ, Lotus, Gramatik, Action Bronson and Shpongle will give prime-time performances, and a list of nearly 50 additional acts includes 12th Planet, Beats Antique, Break Science, Electric Beethoven, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Swift Technique, Sophistafunk and others.

Early bird passes go on sale at noon Feb. 24 at CampBisco.com. VIP and travel packages will be available through the same outlet in the future.

For more lineup and ticket information, visit CampBisco.com.

Disco Biscuits bass player Marc Brownstein revels in the groove during the bands first set at Camp Bisco in 2016. The jamtronica pioneers will bring their festival back to Scranton with a full lineup in July.

http://timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_bisco2-9.jpgDisco Biscuits bass player Marc Brownstein revels in the groove during the bands first set at Camp Bisco in 2016. The jamtronica pioneers will bring their festival back to Scranton with a full lineup in July. Times Leader file photo

Reach Matt Mattei at 570-991-6651 or on Twitter @TimesLeaderMatt.

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Trance-fusion festival Camp Bisco to return to Pavilion at Montage Mountain - Wilkes Barre Times-Leader

Cy and David’s Picks: Musical Notes from Native California, Trance Blues, and Bell X1’s High-Flying Pop – KQED

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KQEDs Cy Musiker and David Wiegand share their picks for great events around the Bay Area this week.

The list is long this week for amazing stuff we couldnt fit in the show. Yiddish songbird Heather Klein premieres her new onewomanmusical, Shanghai Angel, about her grandmothers emigration from Austria to Shanghai to America through Angel Island. Its Feb. 26at the Contemporary Jewish Museum.Naatak opensthe very timely playAirport Insecurity, a Trump-esquetale of an Indian techie stuck at an airport in immigration limbo. Itsat the Cubberley Community Centerin Palo Alto, running Feb. 24-March 4. And for the ultimate in cool and classical, Mason Bates DJs and directs one of his Mercury Soul shows on Feb. 24, called Baroque & Beats at the DNA Lounge. Now for the show.

Feb. 2425: Otis Taylors new album, Fantasizing about Being Black, is about the history of the African American experience, from the slave ships to the Mississippi Delta, and the blues music that was born of those influences. Taylor has always recognized thatthe blues are a form of protest music, and theres plenty of comment here on the racism that endures in America today. Hes got a great band, too, withAnne Harris on violin. Details for his two shows at Biscuits and Blues are here.

Feb. 28May 29: The French painter Claude Monet is most famous for hishuge water lily paintings, done late in life. But we get a new perspective on the French artist in a show coming to the Legion of Honor called Monet: the Early Years,with 60 paintings demonstrating a period in the mid-19th century when the artist was part of a generation re-inventing painting. I didnt become an impressionist, the catalog quotes Monet. As long as I can remember I always have been one. He was always, as well, a master of color and a lover of landscapes. What a treat to see this first major U.S. exhibition devoted to Monets early works. Details for the show are here.

Feb. 24: The Oakland Symphony is presenting its annual concert celebrating world music traditions, and this year Conductor Michael Morgan sticks close to home with a program called Notes from Native California. Among the pieces is Big Sur: The Night Sun, by John Wineglass, featuring the voice of Ohlone/Chumash singer Kanyon Sayers-Roods, whose amazing soprano voice I first heard a few weeks ago at the Intertribal Friendship Housein Oakland. Sayers-Roods told me she makes up her own songs, and quotes her mom on how theyre not traditional, but still authentic. My mother goes, That is spirit. Those are our ancestors speaking through you. That is your culture being awakened. That is truth,' Sayers-Roods said. Because my mother and my grandmother have always shared a quote, When song, ceremony and dance stop, so does the earth, and I too believe that. Shes just one of the highlights for a concert that also features Shostakovitchs NinthSymphony. Details here.

Feb. 24March 3: Theres acategory called CNN Opera, describing a musical about a modern political event or movement. Think The Death of Klinghoffer by John Adams and Alice Goodman, or The Life and Times of Malcolm X by Anthony Davis. Now added to that list is The Source, from 2016, about soldier Chelsea Mannings decision to disclose hundreds of thousands of classified and sensitive documents to WikiLeaks, her courtmartial, and her sex reassignment surgery.Composer Ted Hearne, who teaches composition at U.S.C., and librettist Mark Doten have created a kind of pop collage out of vocal, instrumental, and recorded sounds sung by a group of vocalists using a lot of autotune. The story is all the more compelling after former President Barack Obamas pardoning of Manning. Details for the show at the San Francisco Opera Lab are here.

Feb. 28:The Bell X-1 was the first plane to break the sound barrier, and the name also inspired a group ofyoung rockers from Ireland. Bell X1 make lovely danceable pop and gorgeous ballads. They write smart lyrics, mixing the personal with the political on song like Sons and Daughters, asking future generations for forgiveness for the mistakes of the present and on The End is Nigh, they ask Will the wrong guy get the codes, which seems an apt question for Europeans worried about our election of President Donald Trump. San Francisco isthe last stop on a short U.S. Tour for the Bell X1, before they return to their home base in Dublin, Ireland. Details for their show at The Chapel in San Francisco are here.

Feb. 28March 2: We squeezed in a pair of shoutouts as well. David picked former Bay Area resident Bill Hayes, who returns to read from his new memoir Insomniac City, focusing on his love affair with both New York City and the late author and psychiatrist Oliver Sacks. Hayes reads at Mrs. Dalloways in Berkeley on Feb. 28, at Rakestraw Books in Danville on March 1, and Book Passage in San Francisco on March 2. Details for all appearances are here.

Feb 2526: And I championthe Villalobos Brothers, a marvelous band of violinists playing jazz and Mexican roots music. Theyre part of San Jose Jazz Winter Fest on Feb. 25, and at Freight & Salvage on Feb. 26. Details here.

Cy Musiker co-hosts The Do List and covers the arts for KQED News and The California Report. He loves live performance, especially great theater, jazz, roots music, anything by Mahler. Cy has an MJ from UC Berkeley's School of Journalism, and got his BA from Hampshire College. His work has been recognized by the Society for Professional Journalists with their Sigma Delta Chi Award for Public Service in Journalism. When he can, Cy likes to swim in Tomales Bay, run with his dog in the East Bay Hills, and hike the Sierra.

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Cy and David's Picks: Musical Notes from Native California, Trance Blues, and Bell X1's High-Flying Pop - KQED

Unearthly Trance Premieres Pre-Release Full-Album Stream Of Upcoming New Album "Stalking The Ghost" – Metal Underground

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Unearthly Trance Premieres Pre-Release Full-Album Stream Of Upcoming New Album "Stalking The Ghost"
Metal Underground
New York City sludge/doom trio Unearthly Trance premieres the pre-release full-album stream of the band's upcoming new album "Stalking The Ghost", which will arrive in stores later today via Relapse Records. Check out now "Stalking The Ghost" in its ...

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Unearthly Trance Premieres Pre-Release Full-Album Stream Of Upcoming New Album "Stalking The Ghost" - Metal Underground

Ruiner will bring gritty cyberpunk action to Xbox One and PC with Xbox Play Anywhere – Windows Central

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Ruiner will bring gritty cyberpunk action to Xbox One and PC with Xbox Play Anywhere
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Basically, it's a top-down action shooter created in the spirit of cult-cyberpunk anime. Our fourfecta is exciting gameplay, compelling storyline, amazing graphics, and sound that immerses you in the experience. We picked our music very carefully and ...
Gorgeous Cyberpunk Action Game Ruiner Launches Summer 2017Niche Gamer
Cool Looking Cyberpunk Shooter Ruiner Steps Onto PS4 This ...Push Square

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Ruiner will bring gritty cyberpunk action to Xbox One and PC with Xbox Play Anywhere - Windows Central

Cyberpunk 2077 Trailer Remade In Star Citizen’s FPS Component – SegmentNext

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The Cyberpunk 2077 trailer that first revealed the game to the public several years ago has been remade in Star Marine, the first-person shooter component of the still-in-development space sim Star Citizen, and with the games Lumberyard engine it still looks pretty good, even in a different game.

See Also: CDPR Pulling Out All The Stops For Cyberpunk 2077 Gameplay, City

The trailer that the Star Citizen remake is lampooning is the first that many people heard about the Cyberpunk game, depicting a group of heavily armored policemen shooting at a woman.

At the time, the trailer got accusations of misogyny from various critics, who apparently conveniently ignored the fact that the woman in question was a psychotic cyborg that had murdered around a dozen people in a bloody rage.

The Cyberpunk 2077 trailer cant be perfectly mimicked in Star Marine, but the game does do its best; it is in-engine, after all, instead of being a pre-rendered cutscene that can mimic every single thing in the original trailer, ranging from bullets skating off of an androids synthetic skin to the blood that her arm-blades are soaked in.

And, while I doubt you can do all the sorts of stuff that Cyberpunk 2077 promises in Star Citizen, its not like you wont be able to a whole bunch of other stuff in either game.

The two games, while different, have shown off two different visions of the future: one, in Star Citizen, being optimistic and bright (despite the games backstory of humanity being embroiled in an interstellar war) while the other is dark and gritty (where humanity has begun to improve itself with cybernetics and more).

Which one proves the more popular on release remains to be seen, though considering one is the most ambitious (and most-funded) Kickstarters around and the other is by the same series that developed the Witcher games (CD Projekt RED), the competition will likely be fierce.

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5 Cyberpunk Books to Read Before Watching ‘Ghost in the Shell’ – Inverse

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Cyberpunk is a niche science fiction sub-genre that every so often jumps into the mainstream. Perhaps the most prominent example of is, of course, The Matrix, but now the upcoming Ghost in the Shell movie starring Scarlett Johansson will once again bring it into the spotlight. The pillars of the sub-genre are urban settings, social upheaval, dystopian futures with advanced technology and powerful corporations, and gritty underworlds filled with illicit trade. Hacker characters and shadowy corporations abound.

The popular HBO show Westworld cant be called cyberpunk because Season 1 didnt present enough information about the world outside the park to discern if it fits that structure, but the more niche Syfy show Incorporated is. The genre is always kicking; its simply a matter of how many people are paying attention to it at any given moment.

Even though the new Ghost in the Shell movie has its problems, if it can bring renewed attention to this intriguing strand of science fiction, that might be its greatest success. If its trailers have made you curious about the genre as a whole, here are some novels to start with, aside from the Ghost in the Shell manga, of course.

##. 1. Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

Snow Crash is a modern classic set in a future version of Los Angeles in which private organizations hold most of the government power, mercenary armies compete for control, and of course, the protagonist is a hacker with access to all the underground facets of this world. Its a must-read if youre exploring the genre.

Another classic, this was the novel that spawned the film Blade Runner. As the book has several key differences, even if youve seen the movie many times, its worth a read.

This sprawling, ambitious novel is set in a 23rd century in which megacorporations dominate, plagues are frequent, and people are engineered to satisfy the whims of the rich.

This is a Young Adult book, which goes to show how the cyberpunk sub-genre transcends categories. The protagonist is a cyborg living in a dystopian version of Beijing.

You cant dive into cyberpunk without taking a spin in the world of Neuromancer, the father of the genre. The Matrix would not exist if Neuromancer had not established a world with hacker characters and a virtual reality space called The Matrix. Like most of the other works in the genre, its set in the East, specifically Japan. If you read just one cyberpunk novel in your curiosity, read this one.

Ghost in the Shell hits theaters on February 28, 2017.

Photos via Paramount Pictures

Lauren's writing has appeared on The Huffington Post, Page Views at The New York Daily News, and 20SomethingReads at The Book Report Network. She has also interned at The Overlook Press and Cosmopolitan. A Dartmouth grad, she lives in Brooklyn.

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Tonganoxie police investgating threatening note left in TMS bathroom – The Mirror

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Officials have deemed Tonganoxie Middle School to be safe Thursday afternoon after a student reported a threat being written in a bathroom stall.

The student reported the note being found in a boys' bathroom about 11:45 a.m. Thursday, according to a statement from the Tonganoxie USD 464.

Tonganoxie police were called to TMS to investigate the threat and assess the credibility.

Students are safely secured in classrooms and Tonganoxie police have searched lockers and determined the building to be safe, according to the statement.

We consider any threats to be very serious," said Tonya Phillips, interim district superintendent, in the statement. "The safety of our children and our community are our top priority.

"Thankfully, no weapons were located during the search of Tonganoxie Middle School."

Tonganoxie police are reviewing video footage of the area outside the bathrooms and determining how to proceed with the investigation. Additional police will be at TMS the rest of Thursday and Friday for extra precautionary reasons.

The incident remains under investigation by authorities.

Last March, a threatening note also was found in a Tonganoxie High School bathroom. Investigation into that incident didn't determine who wrote that note.

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Tonganoxie police investgating threatening note left in TMS bathroom - The Mirror

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EDAP TMS S.A. (EDAP) Announces Prelim. Q4 Revenue of EUR10 … – StreetInsider.com

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EDAP Announces Preliminary Unaudited Full Year 2016 Revenue

EDAP TMS SA (NASDAQ: EDAP), the global leader in therapeutic ultrasound, announced today that its unaudited Fourth Quarter 2016 revenue is estimated to be 10.7 million and its full year 2016 revenues to be around 35.6 million, an increase of 10% as compared to revenue of 32.3 million for the full year 2015.

The Company estimates that as of December 31, 2016, it had 22 million of cash on hand.

Marc Oczachowski, Chief Executive Officer, commented: "We are pleased with our 2016 revenue and EDAP's continued growth, mainly driven by 63% growth in our HIFU division. With 22 million of cash on hand at the end of the year, we are well positioned to pursue our development programs and marketing expansion strategy to make our innovative HIFU technology available worldwide."

The Company also announced that it will report fourth quarter and full year 2016 results after the close of the market on Monday, April 3rd, 2017. An accompanying conference call will be hosted by Marc Oczachowski, CEO and Francois Dietsch, Chief Financial Officer at 8:30 AM ET on Tuesday, April 4th, 2017. Please refer to the information below for conference call dial-in information and webcast registration.

Conference Details

Conference Date: Tuesday, April 4th, 2017 8:30 AM ET

Conference dial-in: 877-269-7756

International dial-in: 201-689-7817

Conference Call Name: EDAP-TMS Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2016 Results Call

Webcast Registration: Click Here

Following the live call, a replay will be available on the Company's website, http://www.edap-tms.com under "Investors Information."

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EDAP TMS S.A. (EDAP) Announces Prelim. Q4 Revenue of EUR10 ... - StreetInsider.com

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New non-medicinal treatment helps with depression | WFAA.com – WFAA.com

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New non-medicinal treatment helps with depression

Sonia Azad, WFAA 8:46 AM. CST February 23, 2017

Judy receiving TMS treatment

Fifteen million Americans live with depression. The most common way theyre treating it is with anti-depressant drugs, but half of them either cant tolerate the medicine, or they arent responding to it.

Now doctors are using a non-invasive treatment for depression, and it seems to be offering promising results.

I cant take care of myself. My husband takes care of me when I get this way, said Judy Davis.

The 60-year old doesnt usually talk about the low points in life. But she did with us.

Davis is a wife and grandmother who has lived with bipolar disorder for 38 years.

Judy and her husband

I'll become suicidal when I get depressed, and very, very ill," she said.

Medicine after medicine didnt help Davis. Then she tried something different called Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, or TMS.

The magic is in a helmet that looks like a hair dryer at a salon.

Try to imagine the brain like a strong battery, said Board Certified Psychiatrist Diana Ghelber.

Dr. Ghelber explained how it all works: the helmet uses a magnet to stimulate parts of the brain that regulate mood. Neurons start firing -- creating connections, a rapid response, and over time, improved symptoms of depression.

During the treatment we already notice a change, said Dr. Ghelber. A lot of times the family members and friends -- they notice a change before the patient is aware."

Changes include better posture and eye contact, improved energy, even a shift in motivation and social engagement as early as two to three weeks into treatment.

So far, Davis has received 30 TMS treatments, which each last about 20 minutes. She admitted there is some pain.

It makes your lip quiver and it hurts your teeth, but it lasts for just a few seconds then it stops and starts again, said Davis, who was quick to add, But it's worth it."

Davis said the pain is worth withstanding for the results and the relief it has offered.

Ive been well, I'm on a low dose of medicine now. I feel great, said Davis, who described herself as happy and living a normal life for the first time in most of her adult life.

I haven't felt this good in years," said Davis.

TMS treatment is FDA-approved and Dr. Ghelber said most insurance will help to cover or reimburse the cost of treatment.

( 2017 WFAA)

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7 reasons you must attend WIRED Health 2017 – Wired.co.uk

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The fourth edition of WIRED Health returns on March 9 to shine a light on the big trends, breakthroughs and innovations from the worlds of medicine and healthcare.

As always, a diverse range of speakers will discuss the most critical themes and health technology inventions, and share their compelling stories and visions. Here are seven reasons why you can't afford to miss it:

1. Listen to then meet 19 industry-leading speakers, including Jessica Mega, chief medical officer of Verily, Alphabets medical arm, which is working on a cancer-detecting wristband; Jeremy Freeman, science director of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which in late 2016 announced a $3 billion investment aimed at ending disease; and Peter Piot, co-discoverer of the Ebola virus and a leading researcher on HIV.

2. Hear from 15 exciting growth-stage companies on the WIRED Health EY Startup Stage, including disease-monitoring app Aparito, healthcare billing firm Eligible, medical robotic developer Ophthorobotics, and xbird, a disease management system that wants to save one million lives by 2020.

Since its launch in 2014, WIRED Healths Startup Stage has been a platform for entrepreneurs on the cusp of major influence to present their new products, solutions and technology. The first winner, sleep health app Sleepio and its parent company Big Health, made headlines in July 2016 for securing $12 million in funding to extend its work in mental health.

3. Network with more than 400 senior delegates from companies including AXA PPP, Barts Health NHS, Braun, Bupa, Chanel, Cisco Systems, Department of Health, Novartis, Galvanic, Gecko Biomedical, IBM, PwC and many more.

Subscribe to WIRED

4. Discover the biggest ideas and trends impacting the health sector, gain incredible insights and take home new techniques that can transform your business.

5. Discover a wide range of topics in the eight Main Stage sessions throughout the day. The agendaincludes The threat of epidemics, The end of ageing, Extreme medicine and Unlocking the brain.

6. Outside the Main Stage is the WIRED Health Clinic, an exhibition space where you will be able to interact with new healthcare products and devices. In the past, this space has hosted wearables, new wheelchair technology, groundbreaking prosthetics and neurotechnology tools.

7. Discounted tickets are available. WIRED subscribers are eligible for a ten per cent discount, and there are discounts for NHS and government employees, charities and startups. To enquire about discounts, just email our events team.

Want to know more? Join hundreds of healthcare, pharmaceutical and technology influencers and leaders at the fourth annual event on March 9 at 30 Euston Square. Buy tickets and learn more here.

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3Q: US Patent Office’s Ruling on CRISPR – Bioscience Technology

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Last week, the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board issued an important decision in a dispute over intellectual property rights to the powerful gene-editing system known as CRISPR. Using this system, researchers can make changes to a cells genome more easily and with greater precision than they can with other approaches. The method has great potential to advance our understanding of the biology and treatment of human disease.

The Broad Institute and MIT hold several foundational CRISPR-related patents based on research led by Feng Zhang, who is the James and Patricia Poitras Professor in Neuroscience at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT and a core member of the Broad Institute. Zhang is also an associate professor in MITs Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences with a joint appointment in the Department of Biological Engineering.

The University of California at Berkeley has also filed CRISPR-based patent applications, stemming from research led by by Jennifer Doudna of UC Berkeley and Emmanuelle Charpentier, who is currently the director of the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin. UC Berkeley and Charpentier asked the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board to declare a patent interference to determine who was the first to invent key CRISPR inventions, suggesting that certain claims identified by UC Berkeley in its application were to the same invention as the claims in the Broad Institutes patents.

The Boards Feb. 15 decision means that the Zhang patents will remain in place, although UC Berkeley is weighing its options, including the possibility of an appeal to the Federal Circuit. MIT News talked with Charles Jennings, director of the McGovern Institute Neurotechnology Program, who also oversees communcations at the Institute, to learn more about the decision and its implication for gene-editing research.

Q: What is CRISPR, and what research is being done at MIT and the Broad Institute?

A: CRISPR is a naturally occurring system by which bacteria and other microorganisms fight viral infections. CRISPR systems, such as CRISPR-Cas9 and CRISPR-Cpf1, have been harnessed as powerful and efficient tools for genome editing, with far-reaching implications for biology and medicine.

Feng Zhang, a leading pioneer in this work, and his group submitted a paper reporting genome editing in mammalian cells (including human and mouse cells), using two different CRISPR-Cas9 systems from different bacterial species to target multiple genes in the cells genomes. This paper, which appeared in Science on Jan. 3, 2013 (Cong et al., 2013) is now the most cited paper in the genome-editing field. Since initiating this work, which began in early 2011 soon after Zhang started as a new assistant professor, his group has continued to develop the CRISPR-Cas9 system for genome editing in eukaryotic cells. The researchers have also explored the natural diversity of CRISPR systems, which allowed them to discover new systems with advantageous properties distinct from those of CRISPR-Cas9.

Many other groups at MIT (along with thousands of other labs worldwide) are now using Zhangs CRISPR-related tools, which he has made widely available for academic research via the Addgene website, where they have been requested more than 37,000 times.

Q: What did the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rule on Feb. 15?

A: Zhang and his colleagues have been awarded more than 13 patents for their CRISPR-related work, which is focused primarily on the use of CRISPR in eukaryotic cells. After the first of Zhangs patents were awarded, UC Berkeley suggested a patent proceeding known as an interference be declared, arguing that Zhangs invention was the same as their pending claims.

On Feb. 15, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (which is part of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office) granted Broad's motion for no-interference-in-fact, rejecting UC Berkeley's arguments.

MIT welcomes this decision, which confirms that the patents and applications of the Broad Institute and MIT for use of CRISPR in eukaryotic cells are patentably distinct from the biochemical experiments in test tubes in the UC Berkeley filing. The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) confirmed that Zhangs work, which began in 2011, represents a new invention that was not obvious from the prior work of Doudna, Charpentier, and colleagues, which was confined to results in a test tube. Specifically, in the words of the PTAB decision, one of ordinary skill in the art would not have reasonably expected a CRISPR-Cas9 system to be successful in a eukaryotic environment.

Q: How will this decision influence gene-editing research moving forward?

A: The Broad Institute and MIT are committed to making the CRISPR technology widely available for both academic and commercial use, including human therapeutic applications. The Broad Institute, which manages Feng Zhangs CRISPR-related intellectual property (IP) on behalf of both institutions, has developed what we have termed an inclusive innovation model for licensing CRISPR-related IP, in order to maximize the public benefit of this groundbreaking technology. The PTAB decision of Feb. 15 does not alter our policy, and we expect that genome-editing research will continue to move forward rapidly, with potentially transformative benefits for many fields including basic and disease-related research, agriculture, and medicine.

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3Q: US Patent Office's Ruling on CRISPR - Bioscience Technology

Jim Bailey column: Caught up in political correctness – The Herald Bulletin

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I used to think I was your conventional regular guy. I just went along to get along. Now I find out it isn't so.

First off, I was born to Caucasian parents. Now I'm told, whether I like it or not and regardless of how I treat others, I'm a racist. And I'm being asked to apologize for the actions of ancestors whose names I don't even know.

I'm fiscally and morally conservative and otherwise a social moderate. By today's standards that makes me a fascist.

I am incurably heterosexual, and I'm having trouble understanding why some other people have a different orientation. So the gay lobby automatically brands me a homophobic.

I've always been non-union. That, I'm told, makes me a traitor to the working class, and big business has me in its pocket.

Although I haven't had occasion to shoot a firearm since I was in the Army half a century ago, I believe in the Second Amendment and in people's right to own and use guns in a legal manner. Oh, but no, that makes me a member of the vast gun lobby. But the fact I think there are certain types of weapons that don't belong in civilian hands, on the other hand, makes me a radical gun-control advocate. I'm in a no-win situation.

I'm a Christian. That means Muslims label me an infidel and those of an atheist bent brand me a radical religious nut who wants to impose my beliefs on everyone else.

I'm in my 70s, which makes me a useless old man.

I am proud of my heritage and our inclusive American culture. That, I'm told, makes me a xenophobe (I keep having to go to the dictionary, too).

I champion the safety of myself and my family, and I support the police and the legal system. That makes me a right-wing extremist.

I believe in the defense and protection of the homeland for and by all citizens, which now makes me a militant.

I believe in hard work, fair play and appropriate compensation according to each individual worker's merits. Today that makes me an antisocialist.

This list, by the way, is based on something I saw on the internet recently. That makes me a plagiarist.

While I'm retired from a long career in the news media, the gamut of real news and fake news and alternative facts being thrown at us of late leads me to question much of what the media is feeding us, even sometimes the mainstream agencies. That must make me a reactionary.

And if that isn't enough, some of my friends and I have been tossed into something called a basket of deplorables.

As a result of all this, I'm not quite sure who I am anymore. Things are happening so quickly that I'm having trouble trying to adjust my thinking.

And now I'm becoming afraid to go into either restroom.

Jim Baileys column appears on Thursday. He can be reached by email at jameshenrybailey@earthlink.net.

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Jim Bailey column: Caught up in political correctness - The Herald Bulletin

Pabrai And The Shameless Cloning Portfolio – Seeking Alpha

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Terrific value investor Mohnish Pabrai teamed up with quant Fei Li to test a cloning strategy. Mohnish Pabrai is a fervent proponent and practitioner of cloning and mostly confines his investment universe to 13-F's of investors he thinks of as highly capable. Studies like this one on Buffett have shown 13-F's can be valuable sources of Alpha although these usually do have an important defect I'll address later. Pabrai created an ETF called the Dhandho Junoon ETF (NYSEARCA:JUNE) based on three distinct strategies of which cloning is one:

To prove his cloning strategy works Pabrai and Fei Li set up an experiment. Pabrai selected eight value managers and himself and Fei Li designed a randomization method to pick five stocks from a random portfolio between these nine managers':

Manager Number

Value Manager

1

Appaloosa Management

2

Cedar Rock Capital

3

FPA Capital

4

Greenlight Capital

5

Markel Insurance

6

Pabrai Investment Funds

7

Sequoia Fund

8

TCI Fund Management

9

ValueAct Capital

The algorithm always selected the largest (highest conviction) pick unless it was disqualified by the additional rules of the algorithm or it had already been selected.

The additional rules further weaken the test results:

Selection Criteria

No utilities, no REITs, no oil and gas exploration, no metals and mining and no multiline retailers.

Positive trailing-12-month net income

The random portfolios ended up doing really well:

Source: Forbes

Criticism

Even though the margin of outperformance is large I wouldn't put too much faith in this 10% outperformance holding up in the future.

Why didn't they run this backtest a gazillion times and publish aggregated results? It seems strange to run it just once as it is clearly a very volatile method because of the limited number of stocks chosen, the concentration in the value strategy.

What invalidates all these types of backtests is the researcher, or in this case Pabrai, starts out with a known big winner or winning group and subsequently comes up with the result they outperformed.

They use this to argue 13-F's contain valuable information that can be arbitraged and I believe that's true. But it is a flawed argument because we didn't know these managers were this good back in 2000. Some didn't even file 13-F's yet at the start date of the experiment.

When Warren Buffett wanted to make a point Hedge Funds wouldn't beat the S&P 500 he didn't say here's proof "look at my backtest". He said let's bet a million dollars to a hedge fund guy.

Source: Longbets

The additional selection criteria have nothing to do with the original premise. Why taint the results by including these. Pabrai could easily have knowledge of a particular spectacular failure by one of these 9 managers. For example the positive trailing 12 month net income criteria heightened the odds of the algorithm avoiding the spectacular Valeant (NYSE:VRX) disaster a prominent Sequoia position for a long time. Even with Valeant Sequoia outperformed but without it, the record is truly outstanding.

In addition most of the industries Pabrai selected for exclusion have underperformed the S&P 500 by a sizeable margin most especially in the later years which greatly influences compounded returns:

^SPXTR data by YCharts

^SPXTR data by YCharts

^SPXTR data by YCharts

^DJUSIM data by YCharts

^MSACMRTTR data by YCharts

My final point of criticism being that is seems a little bit unfair to include long/short managers like David Einhorn. We don't know how Einhorn manages risk exactly but he had only two down years ever. Short books generally limit volatility and it may have enabled Einhorn to be very aggressive with his long book due to eliminating some market risk. When we know after the fact, a managers bets have panned out and we can select from the great half of his portfolio as shorts aren't disclosed on 13-F's outperforming the S&P 500 starts to become easy game.

Even after my critical aside I do believe Pabrai's ETF is going to work and the 13-F strategy will work if you are good at identifying the right investors to follow.

The ETF combines strong strategies where there's compelling evidence they have been working and credible behavioral, systematic and other explanations of why they could continue to outperform.

Pabrai brandished his experiment the Shameless Portfolio and the algorithmic picks for 2017 are:

Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL)

Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A) (NYSE:BRK.B)

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)

Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT)

Charter Communications (NYSE:CTR)

Apple continues to be a David Einhorn top pick and represents 14% of his long book. He's been long for a long time in addition to successfully trading the position. If you're an Apple long he's a guy worth checking on.

Berkshire Hathaway is the top position of Sequoia Fund. They have recently blemished their track record with the Valeant debacle and the Berkshire position has been maintained for a long time. It is actually fairly small given their historic position. It represents about 8% of the long book after Valeant cured them of an appetite for huge bets.

Chris Hohn's TCI Fund is betting big on Charter Communications with a 38% position according to the 13-F. TCI is London based however and they do a lot of European investments, only U.S. listed positions are revealed on the 13-F, which means the position is likely a much smaller part of the entire portfolio.

Oracle represents a 6.6% position for L.A. based First Pacific Advisors. Oracle is a popular holding among super investors of the value school but positions are generally small compared to some of the jumbo bets we've observed on the other picks.

Microsoft represents 20% of Value Act's U.S. long book. Value Act is an activist investor and they have been on the board of Microsoft for some time. They did very, very well with Microsoft but most recently added to other positions.

You can do a lot worse than buying any of these or checking out Pabrai's interesting Junoon ETF.

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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Pabrai And The Shameless Cloning Portfolio - Seeking Alpha

20 Years After Dolly, Where Are We With Cloning? – Inverse

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By George Seidel, Colorado State University

Its been 20 years since scientists in Scotland told the world about Dolly the sheep, the first mammal successfully cloned from an adult body cell. What was special about Dolly is that her parents were actually a single cell originating from mammary tissue of an adult ewe. Dolly was an exact genetic copy of that sheep a clone.

Dolly captured peoples imaginations, but those of us in the field had seen her coming through previous research. Ive been working with mammalian embryos for over 40 years, with some work in my lab specifically focusing on various methods of cloning cattle and other livestock species. In fact, one of the coauthors of the paper announcing Dolly worked in our laboratory for three years prior to going to Scotland to help create the famous clone.

Dolly was an important milestone, inspiring scientists to continue improving cloning technology as well as to pursue new concepts in stem cell research. The endgame was never meant to be armies of genetically identical livestock: Rather, researchers continue to refine the techniques and combine them with other methods to turbocharge traditional animal breeding methods as well as gain insights into aging and disease.

Dolly was a perfectly normal sheep who became the mother of numerous normal lambs. She lived to six and a half years, when she was eventually put down after a contagious disease spread through her flock, infecting cloned and normally reproduced sheep alike. Her life wasnt unusual; its her origin that made her unique.

Before the decades of experiments that led to Dolly, it was thought that normal animals could be produced only by fertilization of an egg by a sperm. Thats how things naturally work. These germ cells are the only ones in the body that have their genetic material all jumbled up and in half the quantity of every other kind of cell. That way when these so-called haploid cells come together at fertilization, they produce one cell with the full complement of DNA. Joined together, the cell is termed diploid, for twice, or double. Two halves make a whole.

From that moment forward, nearly all cells in that body have the same genetic makeup. When the one-cell embryo duplicates its genetic material, both cells of the now two-cell embryo are genetically identical. When they in turn duplicate their genetic material, each cell at the four-cell stage is genetically identical. This pattern goes on so that each of the trillions of cells in an adult is genetically exactly the same whether its in a lung or a bone or the blood.

In contrast, Dolly was produced by whats called somatic cell nuclear transfer. In this process, researchers remove the genetic material from an egg and replace it with the nucleus of some other body cell. The resulting egg becomes a factory to produce an embryo that develops into an offspring. No sperm is in the picture; instead of half the genetic material coming from a sperm and half from an egg, it all comes from a single cell. Its diploid from the start.

Dolly was the culmination of hundreds of cloning experiments that, for example, showed diploid embryonic and fetal cells could be parents of offspring. But there was no way to easily know all the characteristics of the animal that would result from a cloned embryo or fetus. Researchers could freeze a few of the cells of a 16-cell embryo, while going on to produce clones from the other cells; if a desirable animal was produced, they could thaw the frozen cells and make more copies. But this was impractical because of low success rates.

Dolly demonstrated that adult somatic cells also could be used as parents. Thus, one could know the characteristics of the animal being cloned.

By my calculations, Dolly was the single success from 277 tries at somatic cell nuclear transfer. Sometimes the process of cloning by somatic cell nuclear transfer still produces abnormal embryos, most of which die. But the process has greatly improved so success rates now are more like 10 percent; its highly variable, though, depending on the cell type used and the species.

More than 10 different cell types have been used successfully as parents for cloning. These days most cloning is done using cells obtained by biopsying skin.

Genetics is only part of the story. Even while clones are genetically identical, their phenotypes the characteristics they express will be different. Its like naturally occurring identical twins: They share all their genes but theyre not really exactly alike, especially if reared in different settings.

Environment plays a huge role for some characteristics. Food availability can influence weight. Diseases can stunt growth. These kinds of lifestyle, nutrition or disease effects can influence which genes are turned on or off in an individual; these are called epigenetic effects. Even though all the genetic material may be the same in two identical clones, they might not be expressing all the same genes.

Consider the practice of cloning winning racehorses. Clones of winners sometimes also will be winners but most of the time theyre not. This is because winners are outliers; they need to have the right genetics, but also the right epigenetics and the right environment to reach that winning potential. For example, one can never exactly duplicate the uterine conditions a winning racehorse experienced when it was a developing fetus. Thus, cloning champions usually leads to disappointment. On the other hand, cloning a stallion that sires a high proportion of race-winning horses will result very reliably in a clone that similarly sires winners. This is a genetic rather than a phenotypic situation.

Even though the genetics are reliable, there are aspects of the cloning procedure that mean the epigenetics and environment are suboptimal. For example, sperm have elegant ways of activating the eggs they fertilize00071-4/abstract), which will die unless activated properly; with cloning, activation usually is accomplished by a strong electric shock. Many of the steps of cloning and subsequent embryonic development are done in test tubes in incubators. These conditions are not perfect substitutes for the female reproductive tract where fertilization and early embryonic development normally occur.

Sometimes abnormal fetuses develop to term, resulting in abnormalities at birth. The most striking abnormal phenotype of some clones is termed large offspring syndrome, in which calves or lambs are 30 or 40 percent larger than normal, resulting in difficult birth. The problems stem from an abnormal placenta30217-5/abstract). At birth, these clones are genetically normal, but are overly large, and tend to be hyperinsulinemic and hypoglycemic. (The conditions normalize over time once the offspring is no longer influenced by the abnormal placenta.)

Recent improvements in cloning procedures have greatly reduced these abnormalities, which also occur with natural reproduction, but at a much lower incidence.

Many thousands of cloned mammals have been produced in nearly two dozen species. Very few of these concern practical applications, such as cloning a famous Angus bull named Final Answer (who recently died at an old age) in order to produce more high-quality cattle via his clones sperm.

But the cloning research landscape is changing fast. The driving force for producing Dolly was not to produce genetically identical animals. Rather researchers want to combine cloning techniques with other methods in order to efficiently change animals genetically much quicker than traditional animal breeding methods that take decades to make changes in populations of species such as cattle.

One recent example is introducing the polled (no horns) gene into dairy cattle, thus eliminating the need for the painful process of dehorning. An even more striking application has been to produce a strain of pigs that is incapable of being infected by the very contagious and debilitating PRRS virus. Researchers have even made cattle that cannot develop Mad Cow Disease. For each of these procedures, somatic cell nuclear transplantation is an essential part of the process.

To date, the most valuable contribution of these somatic cell nuclear transplantation experiments has been the scientific information and insights gained. Theyve enhanced our understanding of normal and abnormal embryonic development, including aspects of aging, and more. This information is already helping reduce birth defects, improve methods of circumventing infertility, develop tools to fight certain cancers and even decrease some of the negative consequences of aging in livestock and even in people. Two decades since Dolly, important applications are still evolving.

George Seidel, Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Photos via Belkorin, AP Photo/Darron Cummings, AP Photo/Thomas Terry, Getty Images / Jeff J Mitchell

The Conversation US is an independent source of news and views from the academic and research community, delivered direct to the public. The Conversation has access to independent, high quality, authenticated, explanatory journalism underpins a functioning democracy.

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20 Years After Dolly, Where Are We With Cloning? - Inverse

Another cloning success shows technology being used by everyday graziers – ABC Online

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Updated February 24, 2017 14:05:37

Graziers in central Queensland have cloned a prize cow, moving the technology from the lab to the paddock.

Owner of the new cloned calf, Bill Geddes, said the technology was becoming more viable for everyday producers and more graziers were using it.

Born via caesarean one week ago, Dasha was created by Richard Fry, of Clone International in Victoria.

He used a method called nuclear transfer, and his creation is the exact genetic copy of a cow from the Brangus breed (a cross between an Angus and a Brahman).

Mr Geddes said the decision to create a cloned calf rather than naturally breed an animal was made in an attempt to preserve the grey-colouring and Angus bloodline of the original Brangus cow.

"Over the years, we've bred quite a lot of calves from this old cow, and been able to breed her a number of different ways," he said.

"With the knowledge of what we've got and what we've bred, we thought it'd be a great opportunity to clone her, then breed from the new [cow], with the knowledge we learned from the old cow."

The Brangus's skin samples were taken to Melbourne and grown as embryos, before being impregnated through IVF into a recipient mother.

Of the 12 embryos implanted, only one survived, and went on to become Dasha.

"The percentage rate is always very low with the clones," Mr Geddes said.

"If you get one, you're very lucky and we got one."

Mr Geddes said he could see the potential for cloning in other areas of the commercial production cattle industry and he would not be surprised if the practice became more common.

He said there was great value in being able to re-create an animal after it had been processed through the abattoir and its full potential was known.

"With the [ability to] clone, they could slaughter the animal, find the one really good bull, and still be able to clone and breed from it," Mr Geddes said.

After the success of his first cloned calf on the property, Mr Geddes said he would definitely consider cloning in the future.

"You'd have to have an exceptional purpose to do it because it's quite expensive you wouldn't do it for practice," he said.

Topics: beef-cattle, cloning, rural, livestock, rockhampton-4700, vic

First posted February 24, 2017 08:39:00

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Another cloning success shows technology being used by everyday graziers - ABC Online

Starbucks Gives Up On Its Evolution Fresh Concept – Forbes

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Forbes
Starbucks Gives Up On Its Evolution Fresh Concept
Forbes
Kevin Johnson isn't even CEO of Starbucks yet (officially) but the outfit he's inheriting from Howard Schultz is shedding brands and stores that aren't part of its coffee-centric mission. The latest casualty is Evolution Fresh, a five-year-old juice ...

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Starbucks Gives Up On Its Evolution Fresh Concept - Forbes

Already baseball’s best, Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw continues to … – ESPN (blog)

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GLENDALE, Ariz. -- High atop the Washington, D.C.-area Gaylord National Harbor Hotel, where all of baseball aroused itself from its brief winter slumber below, the games best pitcher gave a nod to his newest subtle change.

Nothing major, Clayton Kershaw admitted. Just an adjustment to his between-seasons routine, the Los Angeles Dodgers ace said at baseballs winter meetings. Nobody would have known the difference had the question not been asked.

Kershaw denied it was related to the back injury that interrupted his 2016 season. More than anything, he revealed, the alterations were done as an acknowledgement of his nine major league seasons, his 1,760 innings pitched and his approaching 29th birthday on March 19.

The routine has been a little different, but its not drastic changes, which is great, Kershaw said upon reporting to spring training last week. I feel like I am able to still get in the work I need to get in. I just am a little more aware of just pushing through stuff, and things like that, just a little more aware. But I would say, for the most part, not a lot has changed. I feel good.

Locked into every season, every game, every inning and every pitch, Kershaw has worked himself into a baseball giant. He has elevated the art of pitching, and his place at Cooperstown already seems secure. He might be one of the best to ever kick the clay atop the mound, but even he is always tinkering with his formula for greatness.

During his first full season as a major leaguer in 2009, 71 percent of Kershaws pitches were fastballs. Nearly every year since, he has relied on his fastball less, which means his breaking ball usage has gone up. In 2016, his fastball/breaking ball usage was nearly identical at 51 percent to 49 percent.

If people get hits on stuff, you have to change stuff, Kershaw said. Ill stay the same until I start getting hit hard, and then Ill have to make adjustments.

While hitters continuously try to catch up to Kershaw, he always has been able to stay a step ahead to maintain his elite level.

He essentially developed his slider at the major league level after arriving in L.A. as more of a fastball/curveball pitcher. In 2012, Kershaws slider truly arrived and from 2012-13, while throwing it in the 85 mph range, opponents batted .195 against it, with a .334 slugging percentage.

At the start of the 2014 season, though, Kershaw threw his slider harder, at an average of 87.5 mph, according to ESPN Stats & Information. In 2015, he was throwing his slider at 88 mph, and last season he threw it 87.8 mph.

What kind of difference did a harder slider make? In those three seasons (2014-16), opponents hit .157 against the Kershaw slider, with a .232 slugging percentage.

If Kershaw has his slider complementing the rest of his arsenal in 2017, Cy Young consideration figures to be a foregone conclusion.

I think we can all say we have never seen a player like Clayton both physically and mentally, manager Dave Roberts said. But I think there is something to staying ahead of things. But also he just has a way to execute -- and consistently.

Another spontaneous evolution he integrated into his repertoire last season -- refusing to stand still even upon returning from the disabled list -- was a three-quarter sidearm delivery that he had not used since high school. He was inspired to do it after watching new teammate Rich Hill.

I think when we talk about success, you talk about the creativity that guys have and the passion they have for whatever it is they do. It doesnt matter what they do in life, but if you have the creativity and the passion to go out there and do what youre doing, then youre going to be successful, Hill said. And I think that is the perfect example of a guy like Clayton, who is creative out there on the mound and loves what he does.

So what changes could be in store this year?

Every offseason I say my changeup is getting better, so maybe Ill throw one this year, Kershaw said. It looks great in the bullpen, and then I dont throw it in the game.

Will he really use it?

I dont know. Who knows? Well find out.

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Already baseball's best, Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw continues to ... - ESPN (blog)