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This Finnish startup democratizes space travel and it just raised over 3 million to find the next ‘Slumdog … – Business Insider Nordic

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Danzig

After the dismantling of the NASA-program, space exploration has shifted towards private players, led by the likes of SpaceX, Axiom, and Buzz Aldrin-backed Moon Express.

And now a Finnish startup and space media companyCohu Experience, is building the social and educational fabric of this movement. And it is using NASA's learnings in the process.

CEO Kalle Vh-Jaakkola says Cohu's mission is to "builda global community centered around space travel and exploration", andmake it possible for anyone to fulfil their childhood dream of becoming an astronaut with the help of Space Nation, a training app developed together with NASA astronaut trainers.

The company just broke a Finnish crowdfunding record,after raising3,2 million from more than 500 Finnish investors. The first million was raised in just 43 minutes.

The money will be used to launch a Space Nation training program in the the Fall of 2017, where candidates will compete through the app by proving theirphysical, intellectual and social skills.

The competition's best candidates will be featured in a TV show, as they go through a bootcamp that determines the ultimate winner astronaut.

We want it to be inclusive so anyone in the world can take part. We want to find those 'Slumdog' astronauts, Vh-Jaakkola toldSpaceNews, referring to the Oscar-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire" about a teen from the slums who becomes an overnight success by sheer brainpower.

Axiom, a newly founded commercial space company,is one of Cohu's key partners, which aims to build the first private commercial space station at ISS. If everything goes to plan, Space Nation will be providing talent to man that station.

"Space Nation has been incredibly well received internationally. [..] After our launch at Slush, Forbes named us the #1 European startup to watch in 2017," says Vh-Jaakkola.

The project is backed by Peter Vesterbacka of Rovio fame, as well as Mike Suffredini, NASA-veteran and co-founder of Axiom. Further star appeal is provided by Finnish ice hockey veteran Saku Koivu, who is one of the earliest investors and eager about the project's vision.

"Space Nation is more than a space adventure. It unites people from all over the world to develop themselves and reach for their dreams. [The Space Nation training program] is already aiming at further financing from international investors," says Koivu in a press release.

There are many hurdles to pass before the grand plans turn into reality, but one thing is for sure: Peter Vesterbacka's enthusiasm will be the last flame to go out.Vesterbacka, who was key in building Finnish successes Angry Birds and Slush, said in a press release:

Finns are bold and have just the right amount of craziness to build a global phenomenon."

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This Finnish startup democratizes space travel and it just raised over 3 million to find the next 'Slumdog ... - Business Insider Nordic

Financial Leaders: Make Your Mark on the Future at Exponential Finance – Singularity Hub

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Danzig

From digital currency to machine learning, the financial industry is being rocked by exponential technologies. Blockchain, artificial intelligence, big data, robotics, quantum computing, crowdfunding, and computing systems are allowing startups to solve consumer needs in new ways.

The downfall of the worlds largest institutions may not be imminent, but these new technologies are breaking up the previously rock solid foundation of finance, and allowing the fintech world to spring through the cracks. Whats happening now will rewrite the future of finance for years to come. By recognizing this reality and planning for it now, financial professionals can learn to thrive in an increasingly uncertain global economy.

Singularity Universitys Exponential Finance was created to bring the financial services and tech industries together in a deliberate and meaningful way. Now, in 2017, Exponential Finance is the definitive place to learn, connect and collaborate with fellow financial leaders to reinvent the financial industry.

Exponential Finance 2017 will be held June 7-9 at the Marriott Marquis at Times Square in New York City. The event will feature world-renowned leaders who will share their insights on how exponential technologies are impacting the financial industry, as well as how you can grab a seat at the table.

CNBCs Bob Pisani will emcee, and speakers will include the likes of Mary Harman (Enterprise Payments Executive at Bank of America) discussing the latest trends in digital banking, Anju Patwardhan (Senior Partner at CreditEase Fintech Investment Fund and Member of Global Future Council on Blockchain at World Economic Forum) on blockchain and the future of our digital identities, and Peter Randall (CEO at SETL) on capital markets and digital banking.

These individuals will be joined by Peter Diamandis (Co-founder and Chairman at Singularity University), Ray Kurzweil (Co-Founder and Chancellor at Singularity University), Angela Strange (Partner at Andreessen Horowitz), Jane Barratt (Founder & CEO at GoldBean), Bill Bachrach (Financial Advisor Trainer), Lisa Kay Solomon (Managing Director of Transformational Practices at Singularity University) Neil Jacobstein (AI and Robotics Chair at Singularity University), John Bowen (Founder and CEO at CEG Worldwide), Roman Chwyl (Head of Financial Services Google Cloud), Ric Edelman (Chairman and CEO at Edelman Financial Services), Ashish Gadnis (Co-founder at BanQu, Chair of Financial Inclusion Working Committee at Wall Street Blockchain Alliance), and many others.

As Peter Diamandis wrote in his book Abundance, Technology is a resource-liberating mechanism. It can make the once scarce the now abundant. Its this sentiment that drives Singularity University to produce Exponential Financeto connect individuals and organizations and to share knowledge that will liberate resources and create abundance.

Exponential Finance will give participants an interactive and collaborative experience, and will send them home with an understanding of what the future will look like and how to act on it immediately. Participants will have the opportunity to see demos from more than 30 groundbreaking technology companies while connecting with business leaders from leading firms across the industry.

Apply here to join Singularity University and the worlds most forward-thinking financial leaders at Exponential Finance this June. Save up to 15% as a Singularity Hub reader.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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Remix tries its hand at the mobile-desktop hybrid OS with Singularity – Android Police

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Danzig

Jide's Remix OS is all about offering Android apps with a desktop interface, with a bonus of relatively cheap mobile hardware. And while the company has been expanding its reach into more retail products, the latest project it's showing off is probably its most ambitious yet. The "Singularity" system allows users to plug their phone into a monitor, connect a mouse and keyboard, and run the familiar Remix desktop interface while the phone is still operating in its standard Android mode.

If all this sounds familiar, it should: Microsoft has been marketing something similar with Windows Continuum, Canonical briefly tried out the form factor with Ubuntu Phone, and various Android manufacturers have tried a few different flavors of the same idea - see the Motorola Atrix and its laptop dock. But Remix might have at least a ghost of a chance of getting this sort of thing to the mainstream tech audience, since it's loading all this desktop Special Sauce into an Android ROM that can be loaded onto existing phone hardware (so long as that hardware can handle video-out and some fairly high memory and processor load). Jide says that they're currently "targeting" the Nexus 5X and 6P for ROMs, and that the phone experience will be "as close to stock Android as possible."

Android Police's resident mech-head Ryan says that's a Poker 3 mechanical keyboard... which also means it's kind of useless, since it's unplugged and has no wireless capability. GOTCHA, Jide marketing.

At the moment there's no release window for Singularity, and technical data is thin on the ground, so it seems likely that this project could fall into relative obscurity like so many similar implementations. But we can dream: Jide has carved out a niche for itself in the unlikely Android desktop market, so if anyone can make it happen, it's them.

Remix tries its hand at the mobile-desktop hybrid OS with Singularity - Android Police

One Android company wants to use smartphones to make PCs truly dead – BGR

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Danzig

One Android company wants to use smartphones to make PCs truly dead
BGR
But Jide is ready to move forward with an even bolder plan. Rather than installing Remix on your desktop, you could install Remix OS on Mobile (ROM) on your smartphone, and then just connect it to a display or TV. That's Remix Singularity in action: ...

and more »

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One Android company wants to use smartphones to make PCs truly dead - BGR

New Tech Makes Brain Implants Safer and Super Precise – Singularity Hub

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Danzig

When Jan Scheuermann volunteered for an experimental brain implant, she had no idea she was making neuroscience history.

Scheuermann, 54 at the time of surgery, had been paralyzed for 14 years due to a neurological disease that severed the neural connections between her brain and muscles. She could still feel her body, but couldnt move her limbs.

Unwilling to give up, Scheuermann had two button-sized electrical implants inserted into her motor cortex. The implants tethered her brain to a robotic arm through two bunches of cables that protruded out from her skull.

Scheuermanns bet paid off. With just a few days of practice, she was able to bring a bar of chocolate to herself, using only her mind to control the prosthetic.

That was 2012. The field of brain-machine interface has been on fire ever since.

Prototype neuroprosthetics can already let the paralyzed walk and the blind see againgranted, the effects are still far from perfect. Various exoskeletons and retinal implants are steadily making their way through human trials, striving to reach mass market by the end of the decade. Future brain implants may be even bolder, helping restore memory loss in the elderly or giving healthy brains a boost.

But were not there yet. And electrodesthe heart of these devicesare partially to blame.

Most electrodes come in a stamp-sized array that activates any neuron in their vicinity. Using them to target specific brain circuits is like bringing a bazooka to an antyoull get the target, but also stimulate thousands of other cells and potentially lead to unintended effects.

They also dont like biological environments. Chemicals in the brain erode the electrodes over time, and the foreign implant often causes surrounding tissue to scar. Since scar tissue cant conduct electricity, it renders the electrode useless.

To get around these issues, a team from Harvard and Palo Alto Research Center went back to the drawing board. Recently, they published researchon a new type of implant made of tiny, thin copper coils embedded in silicon. Unlike its predecessors, the microcoil uses magnetic waves rather than electricity to stimulate the brain.

We are pretty enamored by these coils right now, lead author Dr. Shelley Fried remarked at the time. And indeed they are. In May, the team is testing their implant in the visual cortex of monkeys, Fried told Singularity Hub. The goal? To artificially recreate the activity patterns that normally come from the eyesand have the monkeys see the world without ever using their sight.

Using magnets to tweak brain activity sounds bizarre, but scientists have long harnessed magnetic fields to treat severe depression and anxiety.

The therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), usually involves a figure-8 shaped wand that scientists wave over certain parts of the patients skull. The device delivers focused pulses of magnetic waves that travel through the skull and trigger tiny electrical fields. Depending on the orientation of the fields, they can either jolt or dampen the activity of select neurons.

Magnetic waves can also easily penetrate scar tissue, making them ideal for long-term use.

But TMS has a size problem. Even the most precise TMS coils activate much larger regions without any selectivity, says Fried. The roadblock has been making coils small enough to implant without losing efficacy.

Using an algorithm, the team played with different designs until they found the optimal device configuration: tiny metal coils, each thinner than a single strand of hair. Normally the coils are inert; when electricity passes through, they generate surprisingly strong magnetic fieldsstrong enough to stimulate neurons.

Because they were so small, the microcoils allow for much finer control of activation, to the point that the team could specifically control certain types of neurons within a thin vertical section of the cortex, explains Fried.

The coils were then wrapped in a biocompatible silicon sheath. This makes the brain less likely to attack the implantand decreases the chance of scarring.

The team first tested their device on slices of a mouse brain in a petri dish, to make sure that the microcoils could reliably activate neurons.

Then, using a thin, long needle, they inserted the coils into the area of the mouse brain that controls whisker movement. The coils were tethered to electrical cables to power them on, but later generations will likely utilize wireless technologies, says Fried.

When researchers activated the device, the mouse flicked its whiskersforward, back or both waysdepending on the pattern of stimulation. In multiple trials, the implant consistently worked like a dream: precise, responsive, and safe.

The results were so promising that the team made immediate plans to collaborate with primate scientists and test the device on a therapeutic goal: restoring vision.

The new effort will be led by Dr. Richard Born, a neurobiologist at Harvard Medical School and one of the world's experts in primate visual cortex. Initial experiments will focus on using single microcoils to induce a broad sense of seeing light. If all goes well, the team will follow up with arrays of coils to try to induce more spatially complex patterns.

Theyre entering a burgeoning field.

Several retinal prosthetics are already in development, all of which rely on electrode microarrays. These devices, though life changing, generally can only produce images that are grainy and black-and-white. Another potential therapy eschews implants altogether, instead looking to gene therapy and optogenetics to give blind patients back their visiona cool idea, but one that comes with its own challenges.

The microcoil study stands out in its ambition. Rather than trying to replace the retina, the team is focusing on the final node of visual information processing: the visual cortex. The visual cortex is a master computer: it synthesizes all the information coming from the eyes and transforms electrical spikes into objects, faces and motion. Thats all vision is: patterns of activity.

By artificially inputting similar activity into the visual cortex, we might be able to trick the brain into seeing things without needing eyes. The ideas been hard to test with electrodes, mostly because they lack finesse. Since electrodes often spread the activation to non-targeted neurons, they introduce so much noise to the images that theyre incomprehensible.

Because the activation they induce is so precise, microcoils may finally overcome this problem.

Prosthetics implanted into the visual cortex can be used to treat a much wider range of visual dysfunctions than the retinal device, says Fried.

Retinal prosthetics are mainly limited to outer retinal degenerative diseases. Cortical devices, in contrast, can be used for just about all forms of blindness, including glaucoma, stroke and even traumatic eye injury, she explains.

And visions only the first step.

If successful, the microcoils could be tested in other brain regions, such as those ravaged by Parkinsons disease or depression. They could even be used to augment existing neural prostheses such as cochlear implants. Outside the brain, they could be used to stimulate the millions of neurons in the gut, which may help people with irritable bowl syndrome or even obesity.

Although microcoils are just beginning to be tested in primates, these applications may not be that far away. If the primate experiments are successful, the same technology will be optimized for human testing. The team hopes to begin human testing in 2018.

I think its too early to say that coils are going to be the method of the future, but I think theres definitely a possibility that they might, says Fried.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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New Tech Makes Brain Implants Safer and Super Precise - Singularity Hub

Teen in custody related to Ascension cyberbullying investigation – WBRZ

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Danzig

GEISMAR - A teenager was taken into custody at Dutchtown High School Wednesday related to a cyberbullying investigation.

The sheriff's office handled the arrest, but could not provide the teenager's name due to their age. However, WBRZ has learned the teenager is a 16-year-old student at Dutchtown High. The situation remains under investigation, the Ascension Parish Sheriffs Office said, and could not provide specifics about the case.

The Ascension Parish School System said it was not able to speak on the situation.

The school district and sheriff's office are tied together in a strong anti-bullying campaign that solicits anonymous tips from students at each of the district's schools. It's not clear if the arrest Wednesday came about after a complaint to the tip line, though.

The campaign is called "Report Bullying!" It's built around a text message reporting system that is monitored by the sheriff's office. To report bullying, students can text to 847411, type in "APSO" and then text their tip. Click HERE to link to the website.

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Teen in custody related to Ascension cyberbullying investigation - WBRZ

Adriondack ascension to nationals for three Durango Nordic skiers – The Durango Herald

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Danzig

Three Durangoans can book their trip to the land of miracles.

Days before the 37th anniversary of the Miracle on Ice at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, Durango Nordic skiers took to their home course looking to earn a trip to the site of those historic Games.

After the final Rocky Mountain Nordic Junior National Qualifier series race of the year on their home track at the Durango Nordic Center, Cobe Freeburn, Logan Moore and Maggie Wigton all qualified for the 2017 Junior Nationals to be held March 3-11 in Lake Placid, host of the 1937 and 1980 Olympics.

Marit May also was selected as an alternate for nationals. Durango Nordic placed fifth in the Colorado Cup Team series.

Racing at the Durango Nordic Center was held Saturday and Sunday under varying weather conditions. Mass start classic races were held Saturday. Durangos team had increased numbers without having to travel for the event, and medals came flooding in.

The snow was so variable on the course that it was nearly impossible to find a wax that worked everywhere all the time, head coach Paige Elliot said in a news release.

Our athletes stayed mentally tough, though, and put in some really strong efforts.

Skiing on the 7.5-kilometer course, Wigton finished sixth overall and was the top 20-and-under finisher in the 20- and 18-and-under category. May was 18th, and Carter Reiter placed 21st.

Rebecca Bowers led Durangos 16-and-under girls in the 5K race in 17th place.

In th 16-and-under boys competition, Freeburn placed sixth with Moore in seventh. Luke Tichi took 10th, while Paul Knight and Miles Broncos were 32nd and 34th, respectively.

The 14- and 12-and-under skiers competed on a 3K course. Ruth Holcomb finished third in 14-and-under. Halle Moore and Georgia Mynatt also finished in the top 10 in sixth and eighth, respectively. Ruby May was 22nd, Hannah Garvey placed 25th, Lilly Tichi was close behind in 26th and Bailey Freeman earned 28th.

Wiley Corra earned a silver medal in second, while Ethan Craig was 12th, and Aiden Quayle placed 25th.

Maggie Holcomb claimed silver in the 12-and-under girls division. Kiri May was 10th, Nina Quayle was 13th and Zoe Freeman placed 14th.

Fred Reiter was seventh for the 12-and-under boys. Tanner Coddington placed 20th.

Betty Holcomb skied to sixth on the 1.5K course for 10-and-under athletes. Mira Quayle was eighth.

James Garvey earned bronze for 10-and-under boys. Andre Craig was fourth, and Rei Rasmussen placed sixth.

Sunday featured individual start skate races. The snow fell heavy, making it even more difficult on the athletes.

Wigton placed sixth overall and was first among 20-and-under girls for the second consecutive day. May was 15th, and Reiter took 17th. Alma Wold also came in 25th.

Bowers placed 17th for the 16-and-under girls. In that age group for boys, Moore earned gold in first, the best result of his young career. Luke Tichi was eighth, Freeburn placed 11th, Knight was 32nd and Broncos took 34th.

Mynatt earned her first podium of the year in second place in the 14-and-under girls category. Ruth Holcomb was fourth, Halle Moore was eighth, Ruby May placed 21st, Hannah Garvey earned 23rd and Bailey Freeman took 28th.

Corra earned a gold medal in first for the 14-and-under boys. Ethan Craig placed fifth, and Aiden Quayle was 25th.

For the 12-and-under girls, Maggie Holcomb skied to bronze. Kiri May was eighth, Nina Quayle was 13th and Zoe Freeman placed 14th.

Fred Reiter was 11th for the 12-and-under boys, while Coddington took 16th.

Betty Holcomb placed sixth for the 10-and-under girls on a 2K course. Mira Quayle was seventh. In the boys race, James Garvey earned his second bronze of the weekend, while Andre Craig was sixth and Rasmussen eighth.

We had athletes who have been racing with the team for years skiing alongside athletes who started just this year, Elliott said. I was so impressed and pleased with not only how hard they worked but how supportive everybody was of one another.

jlivingston@durangoherald.com

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Adriondack ascension to nationals for three Durango Nordic skiers - The Durango Herald

Volunteers take a chilly plunge to benefit Special Olympics – The Advocate

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Danzig

Wrapped inside a pink flamingo inner tube, Brandy Carroll, from Maurepas, was ready to brave the foggy, 61-degree weather to jump into the pond at Cabelas.

Alongside Carroll was her daughter, Josie, wearing a doughnut-shaped inner tube.

We used to do fundraising while Josie played softball in high school, Carroll said. She graduated, but we wanted to continue helping others. This is something everybody enjoys watching, and its something different.

Carroll and other jumpers helped raise money for the Special Olympics in the Freezin For a Reason ninth annual Polar Plunge.

Special Olympics Louisiana is a statewide organization that promotes understanding, acceptance and inclusion between people with and without intellectual disabilities.

More than 200 jumpers registered to plunge. The cost to jump was $50 a person.

The event also included a silent auction, raffle and food.

Last year, the event raised $90,000, while this years goal was $100,000, according to Casey Minton, director of communications for Special Olympics Louisiana.

The event brought out jumpers from many law enforcement agencies, including the Ascension Parish Sheriffs Office, Galvez Volunteer Fire Department and the Baton Rouge Police Department.

Its very interesting that people in Louisiana think its too cold here to plunge, said Pat Carpenter, president and CEO of Special Olympics of Louisiana. But, there are those who brave the cold for Special Olympics. They usually do it for two reasons. Their friends challenged them, and its a crazy way to have a great time while helping out the Special Olympics.

We have school groups, church groups and of course, law enforcement participating, Carpenter added. Law enforcement have been big supporters because they realize they are helping the athletes become more empowered. Through their involvement, they are teaching people without disabilities to accept those with disabilities.

Lt. Col. Ward Webb, of the Ascension Parish Sheriffs Office, dressed in a Captain America costume. Webb is one of the biggest fundraisers for the plunge and the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. Webb focuses on fundraising in the Ascension area.

This gives me a lot of satisfaction knowing we are helping others, Webb said. Its a real pleasure and joy.

There were those outside of law enforcement who also raised money and jumped into the pond, including the St. Amant High Student Council.

Also taking the plunge was Lydia Roberts, a longtime participant and a Special Olympics athlete who jumped into the cold water after a bit of coaxing from her mermaid-costumed team called Lydias Sea of Acceptance.

We are helping to raise money because all of our lives have been affected positively by Lydia, said Anna Robertson, 19, a member of Lydias Sea of Acceptance.

Wearing a sparkling top and a tulle mermaid tail, Robertson said before the jump it was her first year and she was scared.

After the jump, Robertson admitted, It wasnt horrible, but it was cold. I would definitely do it again. Its worth it.

Carroll, who wore matching flower hats with her daughter, Josie, said the jump was not as bad as I thought it would be.

Josie Carroll disagreed.

It was worse than I thought it would be, Carroll said. Im freezing.

But mom and daughter both said they would do it again given the chance.

Special Olympics Louisiana offers year-round programs for over 14,830 children and adults with intellectual disabilities in all 64 parishes with 15,000 volunteers.

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Volunteers take a chilly plunge to benefit Special Olympics - The Advocate

Ascension Parish students explore healthcare careers at medical program – The Advocate

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Danzig

Central Louisiana Area Health Education Center and Our Lady of the Lake College-A Franciscan University in Baton Rouge recently presented the CI: Healthcare program for high school juniors and seniors.

The program provided students the opportunity to explore nursing and allied health fields. Students rotated through departments to gain experience of a variety of medical career choices.

On Jan. 13, 62 students were able to investigate and participate in several health care fields and given the opportunity to observe firsthand procedures used in each field. Our Lady of the Lake College students and faculty were on hand to answer questions about specific careers.

Attending of Ascension Parish were Micah Daggs, Jordan Diez and Alyssa Gros, of Ascension Catholic High School; Alexis Johnson, of Donaldsonville High School; Terrence Carlin and Lindsey Oxford, of Dutchtown High School; Julia LeBlanc, of East Ascension High School; Kaylee Dencausse, Kristen Faggard and Renee Firmin, of St. Amant High School; and Evan Thompson and Madison Campbell, of Ascension Christian High School.

CLAHEC is a nonprofit, community-based agency that serves as a training and information resource for health and education professionals for a 17-parish region, according to a news release. A primary goal of CLAHEC is to identify local needs and develop programs that will encourage young people to consider a career in health care and to practice in rural and underserved communities.

Ascension Parish calendar for Feb. 23 through March 2, 2017 – The Advocate

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Danzig

THURSDAY

Baby time: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., Ascension Parish Library, Gonzales and Dutchtown.

Bilingual Story time: 11 a.m. to noon, Ascension Parish Library, Gonzales branch.

Tetris Magnets: 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., Ascension Parish Library, Gonzales branch.

The Evolution of Black Politics in Louisiana: 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Ascension Parish Library, Donaldsonville branch.

Business After Hours: 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Louisiana Legends, 38278 La. 74, Gonzales. Enjoy an afternoon of networking with other business owners.

A Guide to Writing Resumes: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., Ascension Parish Library, Gonzales branch.

Custom Corner Bookmarks: 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., Ascension Parish Library, Gonzales branch.

Ascension Idol: 7 p.m., Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, Trademart Building. A showcase of local vocal talent.

Cutting Horse Show: Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, Arena B.

Growing up Girls A Class for Preteen Girls: 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., St. Elizabeth Hospital, Sister Vernola conference room, 1125 La. 30 West, Gonzales. A matter-of-fact and reassuring discussion on this normal part of growing up. Designed for girls ages 9-11 and their moms. Fee $15. Pre-registration required.

Mardi Gras Make-and-Take Craft: 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., Ascension Parish Library, Dutchtown branch.

littleBits: 11 a.m. to noon, Ascension Parish Library, Donaldsonville branch.

Athletes in Motion: All day, Lamar-Dixon Expo Center,9039 S. St. Landry Ave.,Gonzales.Check out local gymnasts at their best. Visit aimgym.com for full schedule.

MARDI GRAS ULTIMATE 30: Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, 9039 S. St. Landry Ave., Gonzales.lamardixonexpocenter.com

Closure: All Day, All Ascension Parish Libraries will remain closed for holiday.

Al-Anon Meeting: 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., St. Elizabeth Hospital, Sister Linda conference room.A fellowship of men and women who share experiences, strengths and hopes in order to solve common problems.

Toddler Story time: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., Ascension Parish Library, Donaldsonville, Gonzales, and Dutchtown branch.

Kokusaika: 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., Ascension Parish Library, Gonzales branch.

Library Book Club: noon to 1 p.m., Ascension Parish Library, Donaldsonville branch.

Loss and Grief Support Meeting: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., St. Elizabeth Hospital, Sister Vernola conference room, 1125 W. La. 30.

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Ascension Parish calendar for Feb. 23 through March 2, 2017 - The Advocate

Contestants chosen for 2017 Ascension Idol competition – The Advocate

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Danzig

Singers for the 2017 Ascension Idol competition have been chosen from auditions held Feb. 2, where judges chose 16 youths to compete to become the seventh Ascension Idol.

Ascension Idol is an annual fundraiser for the Ascension Fund, which provides educational grants to area teachers.

Contestants include Brooklyn Burt, of Central Middle; Aniya Ally, Julia Falgout, Emily Galeano, Ariana Robinson and Baylee Sullivan, all of Dutchtown High; Cadence Jenkins and Caydence Lachney, both of Dutchtown Middle; Cameron Soulier, of East Ascension High; Julia DeGeneres, of Prairieville Middle; Taye-Rafael Jackson, of River Parishes Community College/Donaldsonville High; Maya Fernbaugh, of River Parishes Community College/Dutchtown High; and Lauren Delhaye, Daiton Reed, Shalome Remondet and Avery White, all of St. Amant High.

The competition will be held at 7 p.m. Friday at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Centers Trademart Building, hosted by Matt Pryor and 2014 Miss Louisiana Lacey Sanchez. Alison Duboc, Clayton Decoteau, Julie Jones and Mike Waguespack will serve as judges.

Prizes are $1,000 in cash for the champion, a Samsung Smart HDTV for second place and Beats by Dre headphones for third place.

Tickets are $20 each for VIP front section seating, $10 for general admission and $5 for students; visit ascensionidol.com.

Call Ascension Fund Executive Director Jennifer deFrances at (225) 290-3322 for details.

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Contestants chosen for 2017 Ascension Idol competition - The Advocate

Ascension Athletics for Feb. 23, 2017 – The Advocate

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Danzig

East Ascension finishes undefeated in 5-5A play

The East Ascension Spartans used a 28-point first quarter to amass a 46-28 halftime lead, coasting to an 82-63 win over the Broadmoor Buccaneers and finishing the season undefeated (10-0) in 5-5A boys basketball.

Finishing 10-0 in district playing against the teams in our district certainly means you are doing something right, which is very satisfying. It also helps by keeping our team at the top of the power rankings, head coach Barry Whittington said.

The Spartans leading scorer in the game was senior LeAaron Cain with 18 points. Senior guard Cole Hatcher and junior point guard Jimel London each added 13, while Cameron Wire and Shedrick Smith scored 12 points each. T. Joseph and Marques Anderson each had 4, while J. Horns, S. Robinson and J. Carter each scored 2 points. The Spartans won the junior varsity game as well by the score of 53-45.

The Spartans have been consistent on defense this season, and the offense has a handful of players that can score in double digits when needed.

This time of year, its all about defense and offensive execution, which we focused on all year. The stakes are much higher in the playoffs, and we need to be ready to do whats necessary to win, Whittington said about the team's playoff hopes.

The Spartans ended the regular season with a 26-6 season record and are heading to the state playoffs hoping for a top-four seed.

In the Class 5A nonselect bidistrict round of the state playoffs, the No. 13-seeded Dutchtown Griffins expanded a 34-24 halftime lead to defeat the No. 20-seeded Fontainebleau Bulldogs 62-43.

Kyra Harleaux led the Griffins with 17 points, and Reagan Crawford added 13. Close behind was Chelsea Cain with 12, and Tyler Smith and Brittney Lewis each added 6 points. Zaria Harleaux scored 4, while Mae Babin and Alyah Scott each added 2.

At press time, Dutchtown will have played at No. 4-seeded Denham Springs.

The East Ascension Lady Spartans, seeded at the No. 2 spot in 5-5A state playoffs, handed the Mandeville Skippers a 51-32 loss at home. At press time, the Lady Spartans will have traveled to Pineville for a round two contest against the Rebels, seeded No. 18.

In the Class 3A bidistrict round, the Lady Tigers of Donaldsonville handed the Port Allen Pelicans a 65-29 spanking at home Thursday night. The hot shooting and tough defense gave the Lady Tigers their opening victory in the state playoffs.

High scorer for the Lady Tigers and the game was Daija Harvey, who hit for 17 points. Mya Chapman added 13, Janira Collier hit for 11 and Jaliar Johnson and Jalenca Ben each scored 8. Quinntrice Bell contributed with 4, Rodenka Williams scored 3 and Joy Sullivan scored 1. Eleventh-seeded Donaldsonville will have faced No. 6-seeded Albany by press time in the second round.

By press time in the Division IV select bidistrict round, eighth-seeded Ascension Christian will have faced No. 9 seed St. Edmund at home.

Parish teams compete in the LHSAA Indoor Championships at LSU's Carl Maddox Field House. Here are the results.

In Division I boys, the Dutchtown Griffins finished 20th place with 7 points. The Griffin girls finished in seventh place with 28 points. In the field events, Leah Scott took first-place honors with a 17-foot, 11-inch leap in the long jump. Scott also earned second place in the triple jump with a 36-6 jump.

In the Division II boys team scores, the Donaldsonville Tigers took 11th place with 10 points. In the field events, Davon Wright heaved the shot put for 55 feet, 3 inches to take first-place honors.

The Ascension Catholic Bulldogs Girls Team finished in 11th place with 14 points. In the track events, Sophie Daigle took second-place honors in the 1,600-meter run with the time of 5:31.29.

In boys tennis, the St. Amant Gators swept the Zachary Broncos 5-0. In singles matches, Jose Vargas defeated John Goss, of Zachary, 6-0, 6-2, and McCall Braud defeated Rami Abdalla, 6-0 6-2. In doubles action, Trace Sheets and Logan Langlois defeated Jake Robinson and Landon Schwab, 6-4, 7-5, and Luke Mayon and Braden Bourgeois won by forfeit, as well as Hunter Collins and Christian Neilson.

The Dutchtown Griffins handed Dunham a 4-1 loss. In singles, Hunter Hall lost to David Crumpler, of Dunham, 7-6, 6-2. Ben Nguyen, of Dutchtown, defeated Walter Rodriguez 6-0, 6-1. In doubles action, Tanner Hillman and Carson Hillman, of Dutchtown, defeated Michael Dudley and Tyler Martin 7-6, 6-1. Stephen LeBlanc and Jacob Gautreau, of Dutchtown, defeated Matt Jerry and Joey Barnes 6-1, 6-4, and Dutchtown's Connor Hudson and Deandre Smith defeated Matt Long and Bennie Blake 6-0, 6-1.

In girls tennis, the Lady Griffins took their match against Dunham by the score of 3-2. In singles action, Eleanor McFeaters, of Dunham, defeated Grace Overstreet of Dutchtown 6-2, 4-6, 10-6, and Jacqueline Legrange, of Dutchtown, defeated Julia Summers 6-1, 6-0.

In doubles action, Jessica Pastor and Alex Martin, of Dunham, defeated Nicole Redmond and Bailey Weidenbacher, of Dutchtown, 5-7, 6-3, 10-4. Dutchtown's Maddie Boudreaux and Mackenzie Toussel defeated Lillian Nguyen and Lauren Weeks 6-1, 6-1, and Rebecca Lilly and Courtney Connelly, of Dutchtown, defeated Georgianna Willingham and Alyx Breaux 6-4, 6-1.

The girls team of St. Amant took their match against the Zachary Broncos girls team 4-1. In singles action, Angelle Naquin, of St. Amant, defeated Emma Chaney, 6-4, 6-4, and St. Amant's Caitlin Denton defeated Mallory Charlet, 6-2, 6-2.

In doubles action, Kentee McHugh and Mary Grace Hardin, of Zachary, defeated Jordan Allred and Cassie Melancon, 6-1, 6-4. In a hard-fought match, St. Amant's Madison Morin and Carsyn Guitrau defeated Julia Kinchen and Jamie Stagg 3-6, 6-4 and 7-6. Victoria Boone and Arliss Angel, of St. Amant, defeated Grace Day and Michaela Neal 6-4, 6-2.

Lyle Johnson covers sports for The Ascension Advocate. He can be contacted at reelman@eatel.net or ascension@theadvocate.com.

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Ascension Athletics for Feb. 23, 2017 - The Advocate

Nuclear reactors to power space exploration – Los Alamos Monitor

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Danzig

BY DASARI V. RAO, PATRICK MCCLURE AND DAVID I. POSTON Los Alamos National Laboratory

For the past five decades from the Apollo-era lunar science experiments to the Mars Curiosity and the New Horizons missions Pu-238 Radioisotope Thermal Generators (RTG) have served as a power source. While some of the NASAs forays will continue to rely on these RTGs, others will require larger power sources to enable human space and planetary exploration and establish reliable high bandwidth deep-space communications. Solar power cannot handle this goal. A larger nuclear-based power source is required. In a recent Washington Post article, Jeff Bezos, founder of amazon.com and creator of Blue Origin space project said, I think NASA should work on a space-rated nuclear reactor. If you had a nuclear reactor in space especially if you want to go anywhere beyond Mars you really need nuclear power. Solar power just gets progressively difficult as you get further way from the sun. And thats a completely doable thing to have a safe, space-qualified nuclear reactor. Calls for space nuclear power are not new. In fact, numerous reactor concepts have been proposed in the past. Their development is often dampened by the perception that nuclear is too hard, takes too long and costs too much.

Inherently safe design

During steady state, a reactor operates with a neutron multiplication factor of 1.000; that is, the number of neutrons in the core remains unchanged from one generation to the next generation. Almost every perturbation in a reactors operation ultimately translates into either a positive or a negative reactivity insertion incident, defined as the state in which the core neutron multiplication factor deviates from its steady state value. Sudden and significant positive reactivity insertion can lead to runaway reactor kinetics, wherein temperatures can exceed thermal limits very rapidly. Past development approaches relied on sophisticated control systems to reduce or eliminate such a likelihood. Luckily, reactors also have an inherent ability to self-correct via negative temperature reactivity feedback; reactor power automatically decreases as core temperature increases, and vice versa. It has been known that strongly reflected small compact fast reactors, such as kiloPower, can be designed to maximize these mechanisms to a point of being totally self-regulating. Our objective is to design-in self-regulation as the front-line feature in order to minimize technical and programmatic risk and to demonstrate via testing that self-regulation is both reliable and repeatable. To that end, multi-scale and multi-physics simulations are relied upon to perform high fidelity design studies that explicitly examined (a) how choices related to fabrication, alloying and bonding techniques would affect the internal crystalline structure of each nuclear component and in turn (b) how that morphology affects that components thermal, mechanical and nuclear performance at conditions of interest. Nevertheless, reactor recovers from this perturbation and regains steady state, assuring us that there is no need for advanced autonomous control system. Rapid prototyping and engineering demonstration

A key objective of the affordable strategy is that the nuclear components can be fabricated to the exacting tolerances demanded by the designers. This includes not only the physical dimensions, but also density and crystalline phase of the alloys. The materials characteristics determine thermal and mechanical performance of the core, which in turn affects its nuclear performance. After several joint efforts, an exact replica of the kiloPower core was fabricated at Y-12 with depleted uranium. This provided needed experience and data on casting, machining and material characteristics of the reactor core. The second phase involved engineering demonstrations where the DU core is assembled together with the rest of the system (including the heat pipes and Stirling engines) in the configuration needed for a flight space reactor. Finely controlled resistance heaters were used to closely mimic the nuclear heat profile that is expected in the nuclear core during regular operation. These tests were performed in a vacuum chamber to simulate the environment in outer space. Data collected during these tests confirmed the predictions of computer simulations of the reactor. The data showed a well-characterized thermal response of the system including demonstrating that the Stirling engines could meet the required electrical output. Other data, like the thermal expansion of the reactor core, were measured as input to computer simulations of the nuclear kinetics and system dynamics. These data were then used to help complete the design for the nuclear demonstration experiment that is planned for later in 2017. Los Alamos National Laboratory, in partnership with NASA Research Centers and other DOE National Labs, is developing and rapidly maturing a suite of very small fission power sources to meet power needs that range from hundreds of Watts-electric (We) to 100 kWe. These designs, commonly referred to as kiloPower reactors, are based on well-established physics that simultaneously simplifies reactor controls necessary to operate the plant and incorporates inherent safety features that guard against consequences of launch accidents and operational transients. Equally important, designers have taken a fundamentally different approach for rapidly maturing the concept from design to full-scale demonstration. Feasibility of the design was demonstrated in 2012 and since then designers have focused on successfully overcoming the remaining R&D challenges driving towards a full-scale demonstration in 2017.

Full-scale nuclear test

The nuclear demonstration test will occur in late summer or early fall of 2017. The test will be conducted at the Device Assembly Facility at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). It will be comprised of a ~32 kilogram enriched uranium reactor core (about the size of a circular oatmeal box) made from uranium metal going critical, and generating heat that will be transported by sodium heat pipes to Stirling engines that will produce electricity. The test will include connecting heat pipes and Stirling engines enclosed in a vacuum chamber sitting on the top of a critical experiment stand. The critical experiment stand has a lower plate than can be raised and lowered. On this plate will be stacked rings of Beryllium Oxide (BeO) that form the neutron reflector in the reactor concept. A critical mass is achieved by raising the BeO reflector to generate fission in the reactor core. Once fission has begun, the BeO reflector will be slowly raised to increase the temperature in the system to 800 degrees Centigrade. The heat pipes will deliver heat from the core to the Stirling engines and allow the system to make ~250 watts of electricity. For the purpose of testing only, two of the eight Stirling engines will make electricity, the others will only discard heat. The data gained will inform the engineers regarding startup and shutdown of the reactor, how the reactor performs at steady state, how the reactor load follows when Stirling engines are turned on and off and how the system behaves when all cooling is removed. This data will be essential to moving forward with a final design concept. Potential for missions to Mars

Once the nuclear demonstration testing has been completed, the path to putting a nuclear reactor on a NASA mission to deep space or the Mars surface is still several years away. A finalized design must be completed along with rigorous testing of the system for reliability and safety. The most recent NASA studies have focused on the use of KiloPower for potential Mars human exploration. NASA has examined the need for power on Mars and determined that approximately 40 kilowatts would be needed. Five 10-kilowatt KiloPower reactors (four main reactors plus one spare) could solve this power requirement. The 40 kilowatts would initially be used to make oxygen and possibly propellant needed by the Mars Ascent Vehicle to send astronauts back into Martian orbit. After making oxygen or fuel, the power would then be available to run the Martian habitat or provided power to Martian rovers all needed by the astronauts during their stay on Mars. Nuclear power has the advantage of being able to run full time day or night, as well as being able to operate closer to the Martian poles where it is believed water exists in substantial quantities.

Lessons learned

Lessons learned from the kiloPower development program are being leveraged to develop a Mega Watt class of reactors termed MegaPower reactors. These concepts all contain intrinsic safety features similar to those in kiloPower, including reactor self-regulation, low reactor core power density and the use of heat pipes for reactor core heat removal. The use of these higher power reactors is for terrestrial applications, such as power in remote locations, or to power larger human planetary colonies. The MegaPower reactor concept produces approximately two megawatts of electric power. The reactor would be attached to an open air Brayton cycle power conversion system. A Brayton power cycle uses air as the working fluid and as the means of ultimate heat removal. MegaPower design and development process will rely on advanced manufacturing technology to fabricate the reactor core, reactor fuels and other structural elements. Research has also devised methods for fabricating and characterizing high temperature moderators that could enhance fuel utilization and thus reduce fuel enrichment levels.

This story was written by: Dasari V. Rao, director of the Office of Civilian Nuclear Programs, Patrick McClure, System Design and Analysis, of Los Alamos National Laboratory, and David I. Poston of Los Alamos National Laboratory.

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Space exploration programs must continue – The Eagle

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Danzig

By Olivia Richter | 02/21/17 10:08am

There have been few events in world history that have successfully connected people from all around the planet regardless of country or culture. In 1969, when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first human beings to set foot on the moon, the world watched in awe of the scientific and technological feat that so closely resembled a miracle.

The moon is a constant for every human being; no matter where you live, you look to the same moon as the seven billion other inhabitants of Earth. On July 20, 1969, everyone was united in the unprecedented, incredible space adventure of three American astronauts. At that time, the United States was far ahead in the international space race, and we intended to keep it that way.

Over many decades and eleven presidents, we have grown less and less involved in our efforts to understand and explore space. Today, many people argue that NASA is dying; some believe it is not worthy of any further government funding.

Our slowed exploration in comparison to other nations like China and Russia has taken away our old and proud status as the most committed space pioneers. American astrophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson explained, In America, contrary to our self-image, we are no longer leaders but simply players. Weve moved backward just by standing still. It is time we start moving again.

I dont believe that winning the so-called space race should be the real reason why the United States should increase its funding for NASA and get back its motivation to explore space. The true reason lies within the spirit of the United States.

This is not easily explained as a matter-of-fact concept, like saying that it would be good for our economy or that it would create jobs (although research points that way). The mystery of space is heavily ingrained in our popular culture through timeless films and television shows like Star Wars and Star Trek, and more recent blockbusters like Passengers, Gravity, The Martian and Interstellar.

Space is just inherently cool, reaching across cultural and personal lines and infatuating us all with its mystery. That may not be a good enough reason to pour more money into the U.S. space program, but the passion and the spirit of adventure that the U.S. prides itself on should be considered a great reason for space exploration.

Though you may not need reminding, the United States is in a huge amount of debt. Increasing the funding of NASA may seem like an extra or a want, not a need, that we just cant afford right now. In the fiscal year 2015, only .47 percent of the US budget went to NASA, the lowest it has ever been since 1960.

These cuts are counterproductive. Even though they save money in the budget, spending more on a program like NASA and enabling it to flourish stimulates the economy, improves upon our technological abilities and creates jobs for Americans.

When NASAs Discovery space shuttle was retired in 2011, an estimated 4,600 jobs were lost. The work that NASA does has even improved the success of other businesses. Many private companies have gained immense success by working with products developed by NASA including the very popular Tempurpedic mattress, which is made using the memory foam technology NASA originally created for its astronauts during space travel.

NASA and its groundbreaking work represents good old-fashioned American innovation. The folks that work there are the pioneers of the smartphones in our pockets and the GPS systems that get us where we want to go, along with countless other technological advancements that today seem so commonplace. Space travel, though many would argue to be the most exciting part, is only a piece of the work that NASA does in advancing science and technology.

The next frontier that astronauts look to explore is Mars. NASA is developing the technology and advanced spacecrafts to send human beings farther into our solar system than ever before. The goal now is to successfully get the first human being to Mars.

Perhaps in our lifetimes, we will huddle around the television like our relatives did in 1969 to watch the first human being set foot on the surface of the red planet. NASAs work is well worth our funding. Not only is it good for our economy and good for our technology, it is good for the American spirit of adventure and connectedness. Something, I daresay, we could use more of these days.

Olivia Richter is a junior in the School of Communication and a columnist for The Eagle.

orichter@theeagleonline.com

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Space exploration programs must continue - The Eagle

DELINGPOLE: NASA to Stop Shilling for Big Green, Restart Exploring Space – Breitbart News

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Danzig

I do hope that Gavin Toast Schmidt, the head of NASAs Goddard Institute of Space Studies (GISS), followed the advice I gave him a few months back. Because it now looks very much as if he and many of his colleagues are about to face exciting new job opportunities, hopefully in areas best suited to their talents, such as thechallenging world of fast-food retail.

Yes, as we predicted, NASA is going to be stripped ofthe two main roles it enjoyed under the Obama administration Muslim outreach and green propaganda and return to its original day (and night) job as an agency dedicated to space exploration.

The U.S. Senate passed legislation recently cutting funding for NASAs global warming research.

The House is expected to pass the bill, and President Trump will likely sign it. Supporters say itre-balances NASAs budget back toward space exploration and away from global warming and earth science research. Republicans plan to end the more than $2 billion NASA spends on its Earth Science Mission Directorate.

By rebalancing, Id like for more funds to go into space exploration; were not going to zero out earth sciences, Texas Republican Rep. Lamar Smith, who chairs the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, told E&E News. Id like for us to remember what our priorities are, and there are another dozen agencies that study earth science and climate change, and they can continue to do that.

Before we shed too many tears for the plight ofGavin Schmidt and the rest of his global warming research team, though, lets just pause to reflect on how much damage they have done to the cause of honest science over the years and what eye-wateringly vast quantities of our money they have wasted.

A good place to start is this excellent pieceby Steve Goddard, entitled The Pause Is Real: NASA Temperatures Arent.

Here is the damning chart that says it all:

How did a supposedly respectable government agency get away with such blatant fraud?

Well, one answer is that it was encouraged to do so by the US government which paid its Earth Science research division $2 billion a year, while giving only$781.5 million and $826.7 millionto its astrophysics and space technology divisions. Obama wanted global warming to be real and dangerous: and lo! thanks to the magic of his crack prestidigitators at NASA, NOAA and the rest, it was.

But the longer answer is that this is what happens when green ideologues are allowed to infiltrate and hijack government institutions. As weve reported before, NASA has been caught out fiddling temperature data on an unbelievable scale. So too has NOAA. Thats because their global warming departments are mostly run by true believers scientists who want to show the world that global warming is a major threat in urgent need of more grant funding, regardless of what the actual temperature data shows. Hence the many, many adjustments.

This has done tremendous damage not just in the US but across the world because it has enabled green propagandists to point at the dodgy adjusted data from NASA and NOAA and claim: The Experts say

Now, thanks to Donald Trump, that fraud is about to come to a sudden and painful end. It never ceases to amaze and nauseate me that more people, especially on the right, arent more grateful for what is being done here.

While mainstream media commentators on both left and right bloviate about Trumps style (clearly they prefer Obamas empty rhetoric) and stoke up fake news stories about Russian plots, Trump is busily getting on with one of the most valuable and important missions ever conducted by a US president: he is putting an end to the biggest and most expensive scientific scam in history.

Oh, and he is also working wonders for property rights and business by rescinding such damaging regulations as the Waters Of The US and the Climate Action Plan.

A source briefed on the matter told The Washington Post one of the orders will instruct the Environmental Protection Agency to begin rewriting the 2015 regulation that limits greenhouse-gas emissions from existing electric utilities and order the Interior Departments Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to lift a moratorium on federal coal leasing.

Trump will issue a second order instructing the EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to rewrite the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule that expanded federal control over rivers, streams and wetlands even those on private property.

If ever a swamp needed draining, its the swamp of the $1.5 trillion environmental scam. This could have gone on for ever and ever. Our grandchildrenought to be properly grateful to President Trump that it didnt.

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DELINGPOLE: NASA to Stop Shilling for Big Green, Restart Exploring Space - Breitbart News

Revealed: Trump’s secret plans for MASSIVE military expansion amid WW3 fears – Daily Star

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Danzig

THE US military is drafting expansion plans amid fears of World War 3, it has been claimed.

A defence official has leaked unauthorised information on the US militarys expansion plans after Donald Trump vowed to rebuild the nations depleted force last week.

According to the unconfirmed plans the army, air force and navy are set to receive increased man and weapon power.

The expansion plans comes as tensions continue to rise between the US and several countries including Russia, North Korea, China and Iran.

Washington has said to be flexing its military muscles after Chinese military bosses declared war between the US and China is now a reality.

GETTY/US AIR FORCE/US DEFENCE

GETTY

Our country will never have had a military like the military we're about to build and rebuild

An unnamed defence official has claimed draft plans have been set in motion to increase the US Army by around 30,000 men by October.

The US Air Force is also said to want to expand their airmen by roughly the same amount but over the next five to six years.

While the US Navy as part of the proposed expansion has asked for 82 more ships and submarines which would be a 30 percent increase in the size of the fleet.

It comes after the nations marine corps unveiled their new lethal amphibious combat vehicles.

As Donald Trump has promised to start an arms race, we take a look at the futuristic weapons being developed for the US military.

1 / 9

A projectile fired from an electromagnetic rail gun. Rail Guns use an electro magnet to propel a projectile at speeds up to 2500 meters per second.

They plan to add at least 200 of the deadly vehicles to their arsenal by 2023.

Trump said: "Our country will never have had a military like the military we're about to build and rebuild."

The US is set to deploy its first F-35A Joint Strike Fighter jets to the Pacific amid growing threats from North Korea and China.

In a pre-inauguration day speech, Trump promised to beef up the US military in a bid to make America great again.

The Donald had made increased military spending a key part of his election campaign and after being named the 45th president pledged to strengthen the nations nuclear weapons in a $3 trillion expansion.

Acting Pentagon press secretary Capt Jeff Davis added: The budget submissions that DOD makes to the president will come from Secretary Mattis.

They will reflect his thinking, and his priorities, which are to rebuild combat readiness of America's military, while being faithful stewards of every taxpayer dollar we spend on defence.

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Revealed: Trump's secret plans for MASSIVE military expansion amid WW3 fears - Daily Star

Psychedelics May Help Reduce Opioid Addiction, According To … – Huffington Post

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Danzig

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 percent reduced risk of past-year opioid dependence and 40 percent reduced risk of past-year opioid abuse. Other than marijuana use, which was associated with 55 percent 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.

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 healthcare and criminal justice paradigms.

Jag Davies is the director of communications strategy for the Drug Policy Alliance. This piece first appeared on the Drug Policy Alliance Blog.

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Psychedelics May Help Reduce Opioid Addiction, According To ... - Huffington Post

All I Want for Christmas Is TMS 2K17 – Supply & Demand Chain Executive

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Danzig

This past holiday season, my son received NBA 2K17 for Xbox One from his grandmother. He opened it up, popped it in and started playing. A couple of hours later, he asked me to play against him. I grabbed the box to read the manual. Silly me. There is no manual for these games. Well there is, but it is a small page with a link to the online users guide. Im guessing not many 13-year-old boys are studying that webpage.

If you ever played this game before, you know that it is some complicated software. It is no doubt every bit as complex as many of the commercial and enterprise applications of the last decade. But something changed. Why is it that teenage kids (and younger) can so quickly learn and master very advanced applications such as NBA 2K17, yet companies must budget and plan for days of classroom training for new transportation software, inventory solutions or warehouse applications?

The reality is, as software evolves and as younger generations enter the supply chain talent pool, far too many supply chain software vendors failed to follow suit. One of my favorite studies of all time was conducted by the Sand Hill Group. When asked how to best define success, both software providers and buyers indicated value realization. Seventy percent of those surveyed believed that user adoption was the primary driver of success. Only 1 percent felt that features and functions ruled the day. I think the vast majority of supply chain software users would agree.

While leading vendors in traditional software have the benefit of deep, mature functionality, they are also saddled with applications that likely have hundreds of screens designed a decade ago or longer. While many added slick new skins that appear more modern, few are willing to invest the millions of dollars necessary (and years and risk) to fundamentally change how the application is used. The return on investment (ROI) can be difficult to prove and requires a core belief from senior management to make this kind of bet.

With that in mind, I would submit that companies looking for new supply chain software (or any enterprise software, for that matter) must reconsider how they evaluate software. The traditional requests for proposal (RFPs) and demo scoresheets used by consultants and buyers alike are almost entirely checklists of features and functions. The more, the better! But doesnt feature bloat usually lead to even more confusing user interfaces?

Changing how you evaluate software is not easyboth literally and culturally. It is a natural temptation to add features you may need four years from now just in case. Likewise, how do you objectify ease of use?

To help, Id like to offer five warning signs (and evaluation tips) of old-fashioned software design.

Cluttered screens with far too much information on them stem from good intentions. Software vendors simply want to ensure that any possible data a user might need in the theoretical future is available on the screen. Take a look at one of your most commonly used screens (i.e., a shipment screen). If you find that you dont need half of the data on the screen, you have a problem.

One sure sign of feature bloat is how many clicks it takes to perform a frequently used function. Good, experienced design teams have usability labs to measure this exact metric. During the demonstration, evaluators should pick a couple of important features, such as tendering a load or approving an invoice, and measure click count. I strongly recommend not telling your vendor this in advance as data can be pre-staged and unrealistic shortcuts can be taken to give a false reading.

This may sound silly, but you can tell a lot about an application by its menu structure. How wide and how deep is the menu? If a menu has more than 10 selections on it, it is probably too cumbersome. If it goes two or three layers deep, that is also a worrisome sign. Vendors occasionally talk about positional memory as a design strategy, but that is usually an excuse for feature bloat. The one exception to this is configuration, which by its very nature, is complex. However, good software hides this from everyday users.

What does your vendors training look like? Do they advertise a university? If you need a four-year degree to master your new software (or five days of training just to start your project), then you might have a problem. Good software design should allow you to start exploring and executing within a couple of hourskind of like the NBA 2K17 tutorial.

OK. This last suggestion is a little devious. But, how long does it take for your vendor to prepare for a web-demo overview with data that is similar to yours? If it takes more than a day or two, that should tell you something. If the company needs two to three weeks to prepare for a scripted demo, that should also be factored in to your evaluation. If the people who use the software every day need a lot of time to get ready to show you their best side, what does that mean for a team of people who are going to be new to the system?

Its been a month and I think I am finally ready to take on my son in NBA 2K17. I didnt learn it quite as quickly as he did and Im pretty sure Ill lose by 30, but Im guessing its not the design. Maybe Im just old.

David Landau is the executive vice president of Cloud Logistics.

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All I Want for Christmas Is TMS 2K17 - Supply & Demand Chain Executive

5th Annual Big Idea Competition Nets Three Winners Colorado … – Colorado College News

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Danzig

Colorado Colleges fifth annual Big Idea competition, with $50,000 in seed money at stake, yielded three very different and very creative winners.

In first place was FlyPhone, which received $30,000. The was team comprised of six seniors: John Silvester, Dan Keogh, Ben Tweedy, Kiki Kauffman, Teddy Corwin, and Matt Levitan. Pitching the idea to the panel of judges were Tweedy and Kauffman, who explained FlyPhones concept of using a drone to turn a cellphone into a personal cameraman. The essence of their pitch states that By leveraging the power of your smartphone, our purpose-built software and drone body capture HD video from a more natural distance than a selfie stick, while affording a more intimate shot than any other drone on the market.

In second place was Chica Chocolate, which received $10,000. Team members Cassidy Lam 19 and Elise Morgan, who attends the University of Colorado, have been friends since they met in seventh-grade gym class (as did Ben and Jerry, they noted). Their high-quality chocolate truffles are infused with a Chinese herbal formula designed to ease monthly hormone cycles. Chica Chocolates are delivered to customers on a subscription basis.

Also receiving $10,000 was third-place Ogugu, made up of team members Harvey Kadyanji 18 and John Roy Ballossini Dommett 18. Ogugu is a business analytics platform empowering owners of micro enterprises with inventory management, bookkeeping, and operations reporting and forecasting. Initially aimed at Tanzanian micro enterprises, it offers an affordable mobile solution aimed at improving the performance, efficiency, and growth of Tanzanian commerce.

Two other teams made it to the final competition, culled from an initial field of 17 teams. They were Spindle, a neurotechnology company that uses a sleep headband to optimize mental performance and expand the capabilities of the human mind. Team members were Ben Hicks 18, Alec Sheffield 18, and Henry Alderson-Smith 18. Also making it to the finals was TREEhouse, which provides a treehouse vacation with a social and environmental emphasis. Team members include Kat Jacaruso 17, Erin Burk 17, and Cora Lubchenco 17.

The judging panel featured entrepreneurs Meriwether Hardie 09, Richard Koo 82, Kishen Mangat 96, Susan Smith Kuczmarski 73, and five-time judge Bob Selig 61.

It was a spectacular job on the part of all five teams, Kuczmarski says, noting the uniqueness and creativity of each. As a judge, Kuczmarski considered each proposal based on a set of criteria: the need for it, its uniqueness, the scalability of the project, financial viability, and what competitive advantage would it have in a market setting. All had different strengths, and it was hard to pick the winner. The first- and second-place winners will advance to the Angel Capital Summit, held March 21 at the University of Denver, where they will compete in the University Startup Challenge.

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5th Annual Big Idea Competition Nets Three Winners Colorado ... - Colorado College News

Is There Space For Political Correctness In Fashion? Gucci Says Maybe Not – Refinery29

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Danzig

Guccis "pineapples" were born out of some obvious origins. There was the 80s hair metal dude. The nebbish nerd. The Palm Springs grandma. The guy who likes Wes Anderson too much. Japanese paper parasols adorned with flora and fauna motifs in the beginning of the show transformed into oversized velvet lampshades at one point. Bamboo walking sticks became gold-tipped arrows that became a Godfather-esque scepter adorned with a white cat and a brass knuckles. Chinese peony prints decorated a qi pao in Look 9 by Look 112, it was on a ruffled blouse that looked more Swiss than Shanghai. This collection was as much about borrowing Oriental symbols (especially symbols associated with Western depictions of Orientalism, like Chinoiserie, rather than real Asian cultures) as it was about making the argument that parasols, peonies, and bamboo belong to the world, not just one culture. Plus, those elements have been an integral a part of Gucci's historic iconography and Michele has proven to be a master of tapping into Gucci's archive to present old tropes in new ways. It's worth mentioning that this has led to incredible financial and cultural success, even outperforming the cash-cow that was Hedi Slimane's Saint Laurent.

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Is There Space For Political Correctness In Fashion? Gucci Says Maybe Not - Refinery29

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