No God? No Problem: Atheism in AA as a Human Right – TheFix.com

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Is AAs God as we understand Him as inclusive today as it was intended in 1939? A debate over the sacredness of AA language and rituals started in Toronto Intergroup and landed at the doorstep of the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal. The Fixcovers the press release here.

I couldnt grasp what seemed to be the integral concept: the concept of God. I began to consider God as an acronym for Great Others Divine, Sharon, a Toronto AA member tells The Fix. However, in my cognitive struggle, there was the literature so chock full of Him with the capital H. I was unable to reconcile what I saw to be a rift too incongruent. I could not shake the ever-present notion that I was failing to grasp something key and, by extension, that I was a failure.

Sharon first came to Toronto AA in 1975, and a 38-year in-and-out struggle began. Sharons first agnostic meeting was in 2014. When I was walking out of that first We Are Not Saints secular meeting, This could work for meas incredulous as it seemedfilled my mind. Seeds of connection were planted. Sharon has remained sober and active in her agnostic group and as a regular in hospital and other AA meetings.

Lawrence was a member of We Agnostics in Toronto. His group was de-listed by Intergroup in 2011. Sincere efforts were made by Toronto AAs broader-path members to restore unity. A vote to re-list the two agnostic groups in 2012 failed and Torontos third secular group was de-listed, too. In 2014, while Sharon was finding lasting sobriety in agnostic AA, Lawrence filed a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Commission. Both the Greater Toronto Area Intergroup (GTAI) and AA World Services (AAWS) were named in the discrimination complaint. AA came under the microscope of the Human Rights law which states:

The Ontario Human Rights Code (the Code) states that it is public policy in Ontario to recognize the dignity and worth of every person and to provide equal rights and opportunities without discrimination. The aim is to create a climate of understanding and mutual respect for the dignity and worth of each person, so that each person feels a part of and able to contribute to the community.

In AA, member rights, or AAs Code, is found in the six warranties contained in Concept XII in the AA Service Manual.

The AA Traditions accord the individual member and the AA group extraordinary liberties ... Because we set such a high value on our great liberties and cannot conceive that they will need to be limited, we here specially enjoin our General Service Conference to abstain completely from any and all acts of authoritative government which could in any way curtail AAs freedom

So there seems to be no conflict between AAs individual and group rights vs. the Human Rights Code. Anyone with a desire to stop drinking can declare themselves a member. There is no vetting. Bill W. expressed AAs radical inclusion policy in AA Grapevinein 1946:

AA membership[does not] depend on money or conformity. Any two or three alcoholics gathered together for sobrietymay call themselves an AA Group.This clearly implies that an alcoholic is a member ifhesays so; that we cant deny him his membership; that we cant demand from him a cent; that we cant force our beliefs or practices upon him; that he may flout everything we stand for and still be a member So long as there is the slightest interest in sobriety, the most unmoral, the most anti-social, the most critical alcoholic may gather about him a few kindred spirits and announce to us that a new Alcoholics Anonymous Group has been formed. Anti-God, anti-medicine, anti-our recovery program, even anti-each otherthese rampant individuals are still an AA Group ifthey think so!

Lets compare how 1940s early AA America looked? Judeo/Christian adherents were 95% of Americans, 5% had no religion and 0% were other religions.Statistically, this means that less than half of 1% of 1940 Americans practiced a faith that wasnt monotheistic.

Statistically, God as we understand Him resonated with 95% of early AA members. In more fluid AA language, our narrative would use more contemporary language that would include a growing population of members who have more progressive spiritual or secular views. Heres some data from Pew Research:

The religiously unaffiliated population is expected to nearly double in size, growing from 59 million in 2010 to 111 million in 2050. The number of Muslims is expected to nearly triple, from more than 3 million as of 2010 to more than 10 million in 2050, making Muslims the third largest religious group in the region by mid-century.

The first group(s)like Larrys We Agnosticsthat took God out of the 12 Steps were Buddhists. In 1955 on page 81 of AA Comes of Age,Bill found himself defending non-theists' AA Steps to AA traditionalists:

To some of us, the idea of substituting good for God in the Twelve Steps will seem like a watering down of AAs message. But here we must remember that AAs Steps are suggestions only. A belief in them, as they stand, is not at all a requirement for membership among us.

Celebrating 30 years of atheism in AA, original-six member Jim B., in a 1968AA Grapevine, coaches other AA non-believers. Jims article shared that The AA Fellowship became my Higher Power for the first two years, and, Gradually, I came to believe that God and Good were synonymous and were found in all of us.

The first North American AA for atheists and agnostics group (Quad-A) started in 1975 in Chicago. In 2017, around the world, secular AA gatherings happen about 400 times a week. The first international gathering for Secular AA was in Santa Monica in 2014, then Austin in 2016, and Toronto welcomes the world of AA non-believers in 2018.

How does Toronto Intergroup defend doing their own thing? Conceived by an unelected Ad Hoc Sub-Committee Re: Human Rights Complaint in Toronto Intergroup, the following legal defense was made as public record which included:

In order to be part of GTAI [Intergroup], a group must be prepared to practice the 12 steps and thus the members of the group must have a belief in God GTAI also submits that it is a bona fide requirement that groups that wish to be part of this Intergroup must have a belief in the higher power of God.1

Imposing requirements for a belief-in-God for AAs violates the Ontario Human Rights Code. People are free to believe in God in Ontario, but they cant impose views on others.

The right to be free from discrimination based on creed reflects core Canadian constitutional values and commitments to a secular, multicultural and democratic society. People who follow a creed, and people who do not, have the right to live in a society that respects pluralism and human rights and the right to follow different creeds.

What was AAWSs role in all of this? In the 2016 interim decision, it was still to be determined if AAs General Service Office was guilty of willful blindness. Delegates and concerned AAs, including Lawrence, made GSO aware that an unlawful practice was probably going on in Toronto, and an intervention was sought to encourage Intergroup inclusivity and toleranceand follow the rule of law. Heres where GSO may have been off-side, per the Code:

Organizations must ensure that they are not unconsciously engaging in systemic discrimination. This takes vigilance and a willingness to monitor and review numerical data, policies, practices and decision-making processes and organizational culture. It is not acceptable from a human rights perspective for an organization to choose to remain unaware of systemic discrimination or to fail to act when a problem comes to its attention.

Around AA, from coffee shops to secret Facebook groups, GTA Intergroups mandatory obedience to God requirement was a hot topic. Even the most adamant anti-agnostic deacons couldnt get behind Toronto Intergroups religious requirements for inclusion in AA.

The showdowns next step was mediation.

Kate Sellar, a lawyer with the Human Rights Legal Support Centre explained the process to The Fix regarding how the Tribunal can order remedial action if a respondent is found to violate the Code.

First, the Tribunal wants to put the applicant back in the position that he or she would have been in if the discrimination hadnt happened.

Secondly, the Tribunal can do what they call "remedies for future compliance." The Tribunal can order a respondent to put a human rights policy in place where policies and procedures were not in place before, or to participate in human rights training.

In the eleventh hour, mediation succeeded and a hearing was averted. AAWS appeared to side with Lawrences wish to have his group included without Intergroup governance. AAWS did not side with Intergroups view that the 12 Steps are sacred and a belief in God is mandatory. AAWS was released by the complainant.

GTA Intergroup agreed to return agnostic groups as rights-bearing equals. In a report to Intergroup, GTA Intergroup acknowledgesthat the manner in which individual AA members or groups of AA members interpret and apply the Steps and Traditions in their own lives is a matter for those individuals alone."

Is there a place for secular AA? Sharon, who recently celebrated three years of sobriety, deserves the final word: Now there are no thoughts that I am failing in any way. Now I have a firm foothold in the fellowship and I reap the same rewards as recognized by and accessible to others for decades. I credit agnostic Alcoholics Anonymous with saving my life and then giving me a life very much worth living.

Jesse Beach is a researcher/columnist for Rebellion Dogs Publishing.

In 2013, Rebellion Dogs Published the first secular daily reflection book for addicts/alcoholics, Beyond Belief: Agnostic Musings for 12 Step Life by Joe C., foreword by Ernest Kurtz http://rebelliondogspublishing.com

Ontario Human Rights File Number: 2014-18832-1, Adjudicator Laurie Letheren, Interim Decision February 17, 2016

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No God? No Problem: Atheism in AA as a Human Right - TheFix.com

Trump Picks HR McMaster, Army Strategist, As National Security Adviser – New York Magazine

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Ad will collapse in seconds CLOSE February 20, 2017 02/20/2017 4:23 p.m. By Adam K. Raymond

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President Donald Trump has found his national security adviser and once again, its a general. On Monday, Trump named Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster as his replacement for former NSA Michael Flynn and called the 54-year-old a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience.

Trump made the announcement while sitting on a golden couch at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, where he also said that acting NSA Keith Kellogg, a retired lieutenant general, will serve under McMaster as chief of staff. Additionally, Trump said that former U.N. ambassador John Bolton, a candidate for the NSA job, will be asked to work with us in a somewhat different capacity.

A career Army officer, McMaster previously served as the director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center, described by USA Today as an internal think tank that looks at future threats and how to deal with them. In 2014, he was named to Time magazines 100 most influential list and called the architect of the future U.S. Army. In the magazine, retired Lieutenant General Dave Barno described McMaster as an iconoclast who repeatedly bucked the system and survived to join its senior ranks.

The West Point graduate also has a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His dissertation was turned into the 1997 book Dereliction of Duty, which CNN said in 2006 is considered the seminal work on militarys responsibility during Vietnam to confront their civilian bosses when strategy was not working.

While McMasters academic bona fides may stand in contrast with Trumps the Times says hes seen as one of the Armys leading intellectuals he shares the presidents opinion that the U.S. military is too small. We are outranged and outgunned by many potential adversaries, he said at a 2016 hearing of the Air-Land subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Our army in the future risks being too small to secure the nation.

McMaster, who has been described as a blunt-spoken bulldog, joins Defense Secretary James Mattis, whose nickname is Mad Dog, and Homeland Security head John Kelly, a no-nonsense pragmatist, as one-time generals who have signed up to work in the Trump administration.

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Trump Picks HR McMaster, Army Strategist, As National Security Adviser - New York Magazine

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US-Mexico border shooting case at Supreme Court today – Yahoo News

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The Supreme Court hears arguments on Tuesday in a dispute over a Mexican familys ability to sue a U.S. Border Patrol officer who killed their son in a cross-border incident. Both governments filed briefs in the case, on opposite sides of the dispute.

Sergio Adrian Hernandez Guereca, 15, died in 2010 as he stood on Mexican soil by a border officer who fired his gun while on United States soil in Texas. The agent claimed Hernandez and others were throwing rocks at him as he was attempting to detain an illegal immigration suspect; the family says Hernandez was playing a game with his friends at the border location between El Paso and Juarez.

Hernandezs family sued the agent for damages, but in 2015 the Fifth Circuit Appeals Court said the family had no standing to sue because the teen was a Mexican citizen and not protected by the Fifth Amendment under its Due Process clause or by the Fourth Amendment. The full appeals court had unanimously ruled in favor of the agent.

The Supreme Court took the appeal in October 2016 and it also added a question about determining if the parents had a constitutional right to sue a Border Patrol officer.

The controversy will likely get its share of new attention because of the political situation involving the new Trump administration in Washington and its stance on immigration and Mexico.

However, the federal government brief in this case was filed by the Obama administration and it supports Jesus Mesa, Jr., the border agent. Among the arguments made by the Justice Department was that courts werent the proper location to settle a dispute that could involve foreign policy considerations, and that allowing such lawsuits would allow U.S. military and intelligence agencies to be sued for injuries incurred abroad.

The government of Mexicos brief argues that Mexico has a responsibility to maintain control over its territory and to look after the well-being of its nationals. It is a priority for Mexico to see that the United States has provided adequate means to hold the agents accountable and to compensate the victims.

In 2015, Constitution Daily Supreme Court correspondent Lyle Denniston explained to our readers the core constitutional issue in this case.

Overseas, or offshore, application of the rights spelled out in the Constitution was dealt a major setback in 1990, when the Supreme Court ruled that a Mexican national who was being held prisoner inside the United States had no Fourth Amendment right to challenge a search of his home in Mexico by a joint investigative team from the two countries, Denniston said, referring to a case called United States v. Verdugo-Urquidez.

Even a quarter-century later, however, just what that decision actually means about extraterritorial reach for the Constitution remains a matter of considerable debate. The main opinion said that constitutional rights do not apply outside the country to an individual who had no voluntary links to the United States. But Justice Anthony M. Kennedy supplied a necessary fifth vote to make a majority in that case, and his separate opinion suggested that he thought that the specific context of each case might actually make the difference in the analysis.

Then, Justice Kennedy wrote a major opinion for the Court in Boumediene v. Bush in 2008 extending the constitutional right of habeas corpus to the foreign nationals that the U.S. was then holding (and scores of whom it still holds) at the military prison at Guantanamo Bay.

That opinion, if understood to apply beyond the specific factual situation of the detainees at Guantanamo, would appear to stand for the proposition that the extraterritorial application of the Constitutions guarantee of rights depends upon objective factors and practical concerns (as Kennedy put it in the opinion), rather than the nearly categorical approach of the Verdugo-Urquidez decision in 1990, Denniston explained.

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US-Mexico border shooting case at Supreme Court today - Yahoo News

Trump Travel Ban Awaits as High Court Hears Border-Shooting Case – Bloomberg

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U.S. Supreme Court justices may offer a preview of how they would approach President Donald Trumps travel ban when they take up a case involving a shooting across the Mexican border.

The high court on Tuesday will hear an appeal from the parents of Sergio Hernandez, a Mexican teenager who was shot to death by a U.S. Border Patrol agent in 2010.

At issue is whether constitutional protections apply to Hernandez even though he wasnt in the U.S. when he was shot. The question is a variation of one of the central issues in the legal fight over the stalled travel ban, which Trump has promised to revise by issuing a new order this week.

Hernandez, 15, was shot while in a culvert whose center is the international border between El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico. His parents say Sergio and his friends were playing a game that involved running up the incline on the U.S. side, touching the fence there and then running back into Mexican territory.

The FBI at one point said the youths were throwing rocks, although Hernandezs parents say video evidence refutes that account. The parents say they should be able to sue under the Constitutions Fourth and Fifth Amendments.

"This court should make clear that our border is not an on/off switch for the Constitutions most fundamental protections," the parents argued in court papers.

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In both cases, a key precedent is a 2008 Supreme Court decision that said inmates being held at Guantanamo Bay, the U.S. naval base in Cuba, have constitutional rights and may seek release in federal court.

Justice Anthony Kennedy cast the deciding vote in that case, saying the overseas reach of the Constitution was governed by "functional" considerations, not formal questions about sovereign borders.

The case will be the first Supreme Court argument since Trump became president Jan. 20. Although Trump has diverged sharply from former President Barack Obama on border and immigration issues, the case will showcase continuity, rather than change, from one administration to the next.

In a brief filed before the inauguration, the Obama administration urged the court to throw out the lawsuit. Government lawyers pointed to a 1990 Supreme Court ruling that said the Fourth Amendment didnt apply to the search of a Mexican citizens property in Mexico by U.S. drug agents.

That ruling "held that the Fourth Amendment generally does not apply to aliens abroad," the government said. Deputy Solicitor General Edwin Kneedler, a longtime Justice Department lawyer, will press that argument in court Tuesday.

The government also argues that the Hernandez family lacks the legal right to sue, no matter how far the Constitution reaches. While a 1971 Supreme Court ruling lets victims of police misconduct in the U.S. sue on a claim their Fourth Amendment rights were violated, the government says that ruling shouldnt be extended to cover foreigners abroad.

The case is one of several on the courts docket touching on issues that could arise should Trumps immigration and deportation policies reach the Supreme Court. The court in November considered whether foreigners have a right to periodic bond hearings while they are in custody during deportation proceedings.

Another case argued in January asks whether foreigners who were detained for months after the Sept. 11 attacks can sue former Attorney General John Ashcroft and other officials. The court will decide the cases by June.

"The court is really grappling this term with a bunch of questions that are also implicated" by the travel ban, said Stephen Vladeck, a University of Texas law professor who is helping represent the Hernandez family. "I have to think that theyre not unaware of the connection."

The border-shooting case is Hernandez v. Mesa, 15-118.

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Trump Travel Ban Awaits as High Court Hears Border-Shooting Case - Bloomberg

Second Amendment champions check out stylish options at concealed carry fashion show – Akron Beacon Journal

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Second Amendment champions check out stylish options at concealed carry fashion show - Akron Beacon Journal

Limbaugh: The First Amendment Doesn’t Give the Press ‘Immunity … – Breitbart News

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Monday on his nationally syndicated radio show, conservative talker Rush Limbaugh said the reaction of the media to President Donald Trumps tweet labeling them an enemy of the American people was because some journalists believe the First Amendment gives them immunity from criticism.

I want to thank F. Chuck Todd of NBC for opening my eyes to this. For the longest time Ive been genuinely curious why it is that media people think that they cannot be criticized.

And they really do. They really think they can go out and research people and they can dig up dirt from anybody they want, their pasts, and they can broadcast it all over. And if somebodys life, somebodys marriage, somebodys relationship, somebodys kid gets destroyed or ruined, fine and dandy.

They can do all of that they want, but you turn it around and you start investigating your favorite journalist to find out how many illegitimate kids he or she might have had in college or how many DUIs they had, you know, or how many communist sympathizer meetings they went to, then all hell breaks loose and they start squealing like stuck pigs, You cant do that! Were journalists!

I said, Where does this come from? Its more than just hubris. I finally found out. You know what it is, Mr. Snerdley? These clowns actually believe that since they are recognized in the First Amendment that they have constitutional immunity.

Criticizing them is attacking the First Amendment. They really believe this. Criticizing them is akin to attacking the Constitution, and thats un-American, and thats why you hear these journalists say. Its un-American to criticize. Its un-American for Trump to be destabilizing. Its un-American for Trump to be going out there and trying to do damage to the media. Weve got First Amendment protection.

Well, so does the president, and the president happens to be mentioned in the Constitution before the media. The presidents mentioned in Article 2. The media doesnt make it til the First Amendment. But yet the media thinks theres nothing bad about running around and trying to attack political figures and destroying them.

This is what it is, folks. They are so far gone, they really think that they are the last line of defense between freedom and democracy and tyranny. And attacking them and challenging their reputation is no more and no less than attacking the Constitution and trying to destroy America and democracy. Thats what they think. That explains why you cant go after them.

Anyhow, lets take another brief break here.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

Look, the only thing the First Amendment does for the press is the same thing it gives everybody else. They can say what they want to say. Thats essentially what the First Amendment says for the press like it says it for you and me. It singles them out and references them in terms of their importance, a free and unintimidated, whatever, unattached media. And nobody objects to that, but it does not grant them immunity from criticism. It does not grant them freedom to be disagreed with. It does not grant them freedom from opposition.

They seem to think that it does. And I think it all falls under the notion of how really poorly constitutional education, American history educations been for decades in this country. Not to mention the kind of poison thats injected into the young skulls full of mush populating journalism schools all over the United States. But really, folks, its the one thing that, as far as the medias concerned, justifies what theyre doing.

Now, as I say, you wont even get them to admit what theyre doing. You wont even get them to admit theyre trying to destroy Trump. They come up with some, No, no, no, no. It is the job of the media to hold powerful people accountable. Yeah. Right. Why doesnt that apply to powerful Democrats? And dont tell me that it does, because everybody knows you give em a pass. Each and every time something comes up with em, you cover for em. Its a joke.

(h/t Mediaite)

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN

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Limbaugh: The First Amendment Doesn't Give the Press 'Immunity ... - Breitbart News

Ticino plans to launch local cryptocurrency ‘Ticinocoin’ – EconoTimes

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Tuesday, February 21, 2017 4:43 AM UTC

Ticino, a region in southern Switzerland, has revealed its plans to issue its own local digital currency for everydayuse.

The announcement comes on the heels of the City Council of Zug in the east Switzerland launching a pilot project allowing paying for municipal services with bitcoin last May. During the initial phase of the programme, the maximum amount payable with the cryptocurrency was limited to 200 Swiss francs. The city authorities are not opposed to extending the experiment to other cryptocurrencies.

Called Ticinocoin (TIC), the future cryptocurrency is a brainchild of computer scientists Claudio Rossini and Michele Fiscalini. The developers have already tested the currency: the pilot phase of the project was completed last week, Tribune de Geneve reported.

According to Fiscalini, circulation of TIC may be limited to local services and products from Ticino. The exchange rate of TIC is expected to be one Swiss franc. The operations with ticinocoin may require obligatory authorisation by FINMA, the Swiss monetary regulator, the release said.

Ticinocoin is not the first local currency in Switzerland. In 2015, Lmanic Arc introduced the regional currency Lmans, which now accounts for over 100,000 units in circulation. The launch of the electronic version of Lman is due in March. Furthermore, Valais may introduce its own complementary currency Farinet this year.

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Ticino plans to launch local cryptocurrency 'Ticinocoin' - EconoTimes

Cryptocurrency Trading Techniques for Novices – newsBTC

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BTC trading is relatively anonymous, and many online brokerages will not require any proof of identification when trading this cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin, or BTC, is a cryptocurrency that is traded as a commodity at many online brokerages. It is unique in many ways. For starters, BTC is not subject to central bank policy and it operates outside of the realms of regulation. BTC trading is relatively anonymous, and many online brokerages will not require any proof of identification when trading this cryptocurrency. BTC has revolutionized the way that retailers, buyers, and traders interact with one another and the markets. Many folks are now dabbling in Bitcoin trading in much the same way as they do with traditional currency pairs like the AUD/USD, GBP/EUR and USD/JPY among others. Fortunately, you dont need much trading experience to get involved in digital currency trading since everything is relatively easy to understand. However, novices will want to avoid the following pitfalls:

Most every financial trade can go one of two ways up or down. As a trader, you must be prepared for losses, and you should allocate a bankroll with that in mind. When you trade highly speculative financial instruments like BTC, losses are commonplace. This is especially true for novices who have little experience in currency trading, or digital currencies like Bitcoin. The golden rule is never to invest money that you need for everyday expenses. If youre going to trade BTC online, make sure that you have a diversified financial portfolio to act as a hedge against any losses you may accrue.

Trading currencies, commodities, indices, and stocks is inherently volatile. Trading cryptocurrency is especially volatile. It is extremely important to go into a trade knowing what goals you have in mind. You should always have a figure in mind when you take profits, or a figure at which you cut your losses. You do not want to be trading with an emotional mindset thats a recipe for disaster. Greed is the Achilles heel of many a trader. When a currency is rising relative to its peers, it is normal to want to continue benefiting on the upside, or downside when it appears that there is significant momentum at play. However, greed has led to more losses than anything else. Always keep target prices in mind. One way you may wish to do this is by trading with strategies. A good example of a BTC trading strategy is the trendline strategy. You certainly do not want to be trading in a euphoric state of mind, or in a state of mind where you are despondent. It is better to trade when an asset is rising in price, before it peaks, and before it bottoms out.

When you set a stop loss, you are setting an automatic liquidation of your trade. Once the trade hits a certain value, a sell order will be initiated and your trade will be closed out. If you are losing money, the stop loss will prevent you from losing more. The reason stop losses are so popular with traders is that it is impossible to keep your eye on hundreds of trades simultaneously, so the automatic stop loss will sell your losing trade to prevent further losses. Stop losses are important when youre using high levels of leverage. They prevent you from hemorrhaging cash when the trade is not going your way.

Technical analysis and fundamental analysis are important components of your trading arsenal. Even if you have little mathematical or statistical ability, it behooves you to research a little about charts and market trends. Once you understand the basics of chart reading, you will find that your BTC trades are much more successful. Several types of charts are available to you, including candlestick charts which display price movements over time intervals. You will note things like opening prices of BTC, closing prices, low prices, high prices and the trading range.

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Cryptocurrency Trading Techniques for Novices - newsBTC

This Is The World’s First Cryptocurrency Issued By A Hedge Fund – Forbes

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Forbes
This Is The World's First Cryptocurrency Issued By A Hedge Fund
Forbes
But if you both held the same cryptocurrency, and it went up in value together, maybe there would be more collaboration. He believes the currency will incentivize the data scientists to make better stock market prediction models, thereby improving ...

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This Is The World's First Cryptocurrency Issued By A Hedge Fund - Forbes

Bitcoin Channels its Inner Energizer Bunny in Rampant Run – CryptoCoinsNews

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As mused in the most recent column, it seems that the 2/20/17 timeframe was, in fact, an acceleration. A couple hours ago Bitcoin jumped close to $40 per coin. It hit resistance at 1093, which of course made me wonder if $1100 might be a swing high. However, I note that the weekly bar, now only a single day old, has punctured the 3rd arc pair of a bull setup from the Aug 2015 low. Of course, there are still 6 days to go before the candle closes, so this does not qualify as a buy signal on the weekly chart. But still, it is rather bullish

The daily chart has closed above the 4th arc pair on a bull setup from the same Aug low. This is a buy signal on the daily chart. Stops might be placed just below the arc, which should hold, if the breakout is to continue.

The 4-hour chart shows that price closed just above the 0 line of a long-term pitchfork. It is testing that line for support as these words are being typed. My guess is that support will hold, given the bullish pictures on the longer-term charts seen above. All in all, it seems that resistance has been broken on most, if not all, timeframes. Again.

For a purely theoretical conjecture, I want to relate a recent experience. A man I dont know well, but respect, recently forecasted a $2300 bitcoin high later this year, in the October timeframe. This is quite a bit higher than any of my setups forecast. Not even my weekly setup gets that high. So, while my initial reaction was to dismiss the forecast, my respect for his thoughts led me to look at my charts and see if there are any larger setups that would support that price ~ October 2017. To my pleasant surprise, there was one two that I found, actually. Indeed, when looking closely at one of these setups, pricetime has been respecting the setup so far. So, while I am not saying he is correct, I am saying: it is possible 🙂

We will see

Happy trading!

Remember: The author is a trader who is subject to all manner of error in judgement. Do your own research, and be prepared to take full responsibility for your own trades.

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Bitcoin Channels its Inner Energizer Bunny in Rampant Run - CryptoCoinsNews

Bitcoin Price Technical Analysis for 02/21/2017 Buyers Gaining Confidence – newsBTC

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Bitcoin price is making northbound momentum once more as investor confidence improved on recent industry developments.

Bitcoin Price Key Highlights

Bitcoin price is making northbound momentum once more as investor confidence improved on recent industry developments.

Technical Indicators Signals

The 100 SMA is above the longer-term 200 SMA on the 1-hour chart, signaling that the path of least resistance is to the upside. In other words, the uptrend is more likely to continue than to reverse. The gap between the moving averages is getting wider, reflecting stronger bullish pressure that might be enough to take bitcoin price to the ceiling at $1080 and beyond.

The 100 SMA lines up with the channel support at $1035, adding to its strength as a floor in the event of another correction. A larger pullback, on the other hand, can last until the 200 SMA dynamic inflection point at $1010, which could be the line in the sand for this ongoing rally.

Stochastic is indicating overbought conditions and is turning lower, suggesting that bearish pressure could return. RSI is also turning lower to indicate that buyers might need to take a break from here.

Market Events

Now that news on Chinese regulations on bitcoin exchanges appears to have taken the back seat, traders are turning their attention to the anticipated SEC approval of the Winklevoss bitcoin ETF COIN. If this pushes through, it could mean a strong boost to demand for the cryptocurrency and therefore a big push higher for bitcoin price.

On the other hand, another batch of setbacks could cast doubts on the viability of bitcoin as a traded instrument and mainstream payment vehicle, potentially dampening recent gains. US markets are poised for strong gains as big retailers print their earnings reports and Trumps tax plan announcement could also have a huge impact on dollar action and market sentiment.

Charts from SimpleFX

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Bitcoin Price Technical Analysis for 02/21/2017 Buyers Gaining Confidence - newsBTC

Yves Lamoureux Predicts Bitcoin will Hit $25000 – newsBTC

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A recent article by Yves Lamoureux states that Bitcoin price is going to hit $25,000 in the future. Read more...

Bitcoin is known for its volatile nature, which allows people to come up with their own predictions based on their observations, analysis or even guesswork at times. There are many occasions where Bitcoin has been declared dead (121 times according to Bitcoin Obituaries), but each time cryptocurrency has proven them all wrong.

Yves Lamoureux, the president of a market research firm Lamoureux & Co., has recently published an article where he has predicted the digital currencys price to hit $25,000. The prediction sounds sweet yet unbelievable. However, Yves goes on to explain his reasoning behind the forecast.

According to Yves, the prediction is not some guesswork but has a firm mathematical basis. For starters, the finite supply of Bitcoin, capped at 21 million tokens prevents the value of Bitcoin from diluting. He reiterates the familiar comparison between gold and bitcoin.

Gold is one of the most trusted assets out there. People love to invest their money in gold to prevent its value from getting diluted with time. This way, they can conserve the purchasing power of their money even in the future. The same can be applied to Bitcoin as well, and the growing demand for blockchain technology across industries is going to provide further credence to the digital currency.

The article states that like housing, tech stocks, etc., there is a need for increased public participation for any new asset to gain significant traction. The present-day numbers of Bitcoin traders indicate that the digital currency is going the right way at the moment.

In the article Yves states,

People trade today as they did last year, as they did 100 years ago. The psychology remains the same. Behavior does not change. Provide the same set of incentives throughout time, and the Pavlovian bell rings the same.

Even though Bitcoins price is predicted to hit $25,000, it is not going to happen right away. Before the cryptocurrencys price reaches that point, the digital currency will have to overcome the current skepticism and the inevitable pressure from the government and regulators.

While the prediction of Bitcoin price reaching $25,000 sounds plausible, it has its own challenges, including the scalability issue currently being faced by the network. If all goes well, the Bitcoin community is going to have a great time looking at their investment grow multiple folds.

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Yves Lamoureux Predicts Bitcoin will Hit $25000 - newsBTC

Comets’ season ends in 58-45 loss in opening round of 5A North … – YourGV.com

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FALLS CHURCH The season has ended for the Halifax County High School varsity boys basketball team.

Two rallies by the Comets in the third quarter allowed them to erase all but one point of an 11-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter, but George C. Marshall High School was able to make the plays it needed down the stretch to stave off the Comets 58-45 Monday night in an opening-round game of the 5A North Region Tournament at George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church.

"Hats off to my guys," remarked Comets Head Coach Sterling Williams.

"We had a great season. The guys gave me everything they had every day. This is a really good group of guys, and I'm thankful and blessed to have had the opportunity to coach them."

The Comets (16-9 overall) were led in scoring by James Smith Jr. who tallied a game-high 20 points. Tyliek Powell was next in line with eight points, Shelquon Edmonds chipped in five points and Tysean Dunkley and Ford Morrison scored four points each.

Halifax County High School struggled early, falling behind 15-2 in the first five minutes of the game as the Statesmen hit a trio of three-point shots and got a basket inside from 6-11 center Jack Foley during its early run.

From that point on, the Comets faced a daunting task to get back into contention. With baskets from Powell, Morrison and Jordan Williams in the last 1:55 of the first quarter, the Comets closed the deficit to seven points at 15-8 at the end of the first quarter.

The Statesmen stretched their lead back to 11 points at 25-14 on a basket from Daniel Deaver with 1:35 left in the first half. Smith answered with a couple of baskets, but Deaver hit a 3-point shot at the buzzer to give his team a 29-16 lead at halftime.

Halifax County High School made its best push of the game in the second half, putting together an 11-3 run over the first 3:18 of the third quarter to get to within four points at 32-28 on the last of three baskets from Smith in the run.

The Statesmen's Joseph Lampman broke the Comets' rally with a 3-point basket and teammate Marhel Harrison followed with a basket to put their team up 37-28 with 3:41 left in the third quarter.

Halifax County High School fell behind by 10 points at 40-30, but outscored George C. Marshall High School 7-1 over the last 1:41 of the quarter with a bucket from Edmonds, a three-point play from Bailey and a basket from Powell to close to within four points at 41-37 at the end of the period.

Smith brought the Comets to within a point at 41-40 by completing a three-point play on the Comets's first possession of the fourth quarter. The Comets never got that close again.

Foley answered for the Statesmen with a dunk in the paint, made one of two free throw attempts after a Comets turnover, and after a missed shot by the Comets, hit another basket from deep in the paint to put the Statesmen up 46-40 with 6:22 left in the game.

In that sequence, the Comets failed to score on five straight possessions after having gotten the early play from Smith that allowed the Comets to close to within a point.

It was a gradual descent for the Comets after that as they fell behind by 10 points at 50-40 with 3:10 left in the contest. Over the final two minutes the Comets were forced to foul in an attempt to get the ball back but the Statesmen hit 9 of 10 attempts from the charity stripe over the last 1:46 of the game to seal the win.

Williams said the Comets' slow start to the game was the difference in the outcome.

"I feel if we had battled in the first quarter like we did in the middle of the second quarter, third quarter and part of the fourth quarter it would have been a different outcome," Williams said.

"We came out a little flat. I don't know if it was the long bus ride or long day or what it was, but we came out a little flat. We didn't play hard. Our intensity wasn't there. We couldn't get the stops defensively that we normally do. Offensively, the shots weren't going in. We used so much energy to get back into the game that we couldn't seal the deal on those possessions that we needed to score.

"Hats off to Marshall," added Williams.

"They ran their stuff offensively and kept getting the ball inside to the big guy (Foley). They kept running it until we broke down defensively."

Lampman led the Statesmen in scoring with 14 points. Foley followed with 13 points and Ryan Robinson chipped in 11 points.

With the win, George C. Marshall High School (19-7 overall) advances to Tuesday night's quarterfinal round where it will face Potomac High School in Dumfries.

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Comets' season ends in 58-45 loss in opening round of 5A North ... - YourGV.com

Comets’ special teams key in comeback win – Sports – Uticaod … – Utica Observer Dispatch

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Ben Birnell

The Utica Comets special teams clicked at the right time against the Albany Devils.

For the second time in as many days, Uticas penalty kill and power-play units each scored goals. This time, though, strong efforts from Darren Archibald and Jordan Subban helped key a comeback against their North Division rival.

Subbans power-play blast which busted the water bottle on the net with 6:37 remaining helped cap a two-goal third period and help the Comets rally past the Devils 3-2 in a rare Monday afternoon game in front of an announced crowd of 2,469 at the Times Union Center in Albany. It was the fourth time in 23 games the Comets won when trailing after two periods.

The defensemans heavy shot followed Archibalds game-tying goal and helped the Comets (21-23-6-2, 50 points) score an important win over Devils (30-23-1-1, 62 points). The Comets, who snapped a two-game skid with the victory, are 3-7-1-1 in their last 12 games. The Comets are five points back of St. Johns in the division with 24 games remaining in the regular season.

The Comets, who are 4-1-1 against the Devils this season, finished 1-for-6 on the power play, while stopping each of Albanys six power-plays.

Borna Rendulic continued a five-game point streak with a goal to help support goaltender Richard Bachman, who turned in a solid performance with 33 saves to improve his record to 12-11-2-1 this season. It was the eighth one-goal game for the Comets, who are 13-8-6-2 in such contests this season.

First period

Utica controlled play for much of the opening 20 minutes, but couldnt find a way to put one of its 14 shots past Mackenzie Blackwood (32 saves).

Bachman wasnt tested much, but had solid stops on back-to-back chances with about seven minutes remaining, including one from Ryan Kujawinski.

However, the Devils took a 1-0 lead on their sixth shot of the game not long after the Comets second power play ended. After a solid Comets chance against Blackwood, the Devils went the other way and Carter Camper scored past Bachman with 3:07 left.

Second period

The battle continued with the teams trading goals 21 seconds apart and the Devils keeping their one-goal advantage. The teams combined for 28 shots.

For the fifth consecutive game, Rendulic figured into the Comets first goal of the game. After a turnover at center ice, Marco Roy back in the lineup after 11 games as a healthy scratch pushed the puck to Rendulic, who broke into the zone and scored his eighth of the season over Blackwoods glove with 11:56 remaining.

The Devils answered on the ensuing faceoff, though when Kujawinski scored to put Albany up 2-1 with 11:35 left.

Both Bachman and Blackwood were solid the rest of the frame, turning aside some solid chances.

Third period

The Comets' comeback started less than five minutes into the frame.

Archibald's career-season continued when hemade it 2-2 with his team-best 16th goalwith 15:36 remaining.On the goal, the forward snapped a five-game goalless streak when he broke into the zone shorthanded and stuffed the puck just past Blackwoods skate on the left side of the crease. It was the fourth consecutive Comets' game a shorthanded goal was registered.

The Comets grabbed the lead on their sixth power play of the game with under seven to play. With Andrew MacMillian off after boarding Archibald, Evan McEneny sent a pass to Subban, who busted the water bottle, sending the puck past Blackwood from the top of the left circle. It was Subbans team-best eighth goal on the man-advantage.

The Devils pulled Blackwood late, but Bachman and the Comets shut the door for the win.

Up next

A busy schedule Utica plays a total of five games this week continues Wednesday when the Comets play their second game this season in an NHL arena against the Rochester Americans at 7 p.m. at KeyBank Arena in Buffalo. The game is scheduled to be on MSG (channel 16 in the Utica area). In the last meeting between the teams Dec. 31, Rochester picked up a 6-3 victory in Utica.

NOTES: Rendulic has five goals and two assists in the last nine games. McEneny has a four-game point streak. Cody Kunyk had a four-game point streak end. The Devils have allowed nine shorthanded goals this season. Derek Hulak (32 consecutive games), John Negrin (19 consecutive games) and Mike Zalewski (two consecutive games) all missed Mondays game with injuries.

Comets 3, Devils 2

Utica 0 1 2 3

Albany 1 1 0 2

1st Period-1, Albany, Camper 5 (Straka, Jacobs), 16:53. Penalties-Stollery Alb (high-sticking), 7:53; Pedan Uti (checking to the head, fighting), 10:13; Quenneville Alb (fighting), 10:13; Gibbons Alb (cross-checking), 14:43; Thomson Alb (tripping), 18:27. 2nd Period-2, Utica, Rendulic 8 (Roy, Pelletier), 8:04. 3, Albany, Kujawinski 4 (Rooney), 8:25. Penalties-Robak Uti (high-sticking), 5:34; Lappin Alb (slashing), 13:36; Pelletier Uti (slashing), 15:50. 3rd Period-4, Utica, Archibald 16 (Cassels), 4:24 (SH). 5, Utica, Subban 12 (McEneny), 13:23 (PP). Penalties-Sexton Alb (slashing), 1:14; Bancks Uti (slashing), 3:34; Cassels Uti (high-sticking), 9:42; MacWilliam Alb (boarding), 12:01; Shields Uti (tripping), 13:52. Shots on Goal-Utica 14-12-9-35. Albany 8-16-11-35. Power Play Opportunities-Utica 1 / 6; Albany 0 / 6. Goalies-Utica, Bachman 12-11-2 (35 shots-33 saves). Albany, Blackwood 11-8-2 (35 shots-32 saves). A-2,469. Referees-Peter Tarnaris (17), Michael Mullen (7). Linesmen-Mike Emanatian (69), Francois Dussureault (60).

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Comets' special teams key in comeback win - Sports - Uticaod ... - Utica Observer Dispatch

Comets prevail; Braves ease past McDonald’s – Saipan Tribune

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Defending champions Comets won their early rematch against the Little Legals, while the NSA Braves coasted to victory over McDonalds as competition in the Major division of the 2017 Saipan Little League Baseball kicked off last Saturday at the Miguel Tan Ge Basa Pangelinan Ballfield.

The first encounter between the Comets and Little Legals since their 2016 title showdown had the former posting a 4-1 triumph in a low-scoring game. The Comets, who cruised to a 12-2 victory over the Little Legals in last seasons finale, scored late in the match to take their season-opening win.

Alvin Hocog and Jesus Sablan each hit an RBI single at the bottom of the fourth inning to put the Comets in front, 2-1, after going scoreless in the first three. Sablan also made it home in the fourth off a Little Legals miscue, while the Comets added one more run in the fifth off another booboo from their foe.

Earlier at the top of the first, Little Legals leadoff batter Anthony Dikito registered the first run of the 2017 season after reaching home off a passed ball. That was it for the Little Legals as Comets pitcher Jason Reyes threw a one-hitter the rest of the way and finished with 13 strikeouts in an impressive debut with the defending champions.

In the Braves-McDonalds tiff, the former got off to a strong start to set up the easy win.

The Braves scored nine runs in the first two innings and were never threatened from thereon. Four of the Braves six runs at the bottom of the first came off passed balls, while three in the second were made from McDonalds defensive lapses.

McDonalds showed some promise in the third when it collected four runs, however the Braves countered with five in the fifth inning for more cushion.

Tyler Sablan, Patrick Celis, and Taisei Desebel scored three runs apiece in the Braves season debut victory, while L.J. Reyes had two runs and went 3-for-4 on a losing effort for McDonalds.

Joining McDonalds and the Comets on the win column in the opening day of the Major division were the Falcons, who topped the OlAces, 11-1.

The Falcons needed only four innings to beat the OlAces, as the formers pitcher Keoni Serrano nearly threw a no-hitter for their teams early win via mercy rule. Serrano allowed a single in the third inning and gave up no earned run, while striking out nine batters.

On offense, the Falcons gained seven runs in the second inning to take full control of the match. Jonathan Renguul went 2-for-2 at bat, scored two runs, and had two RBIs and a double. Noah Aguon and Serrano also hit 2-for-2 and combined for five runs.

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Comets prevail; Braves ease past McDonald's - Saipan Tribune

UAC MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT Comets win 15th in a … – Stanly News & Press

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The long win streak of the North Stanly mens basketball team continued on Wednesday night with a blowout win over the Union Academy Cardinals, 78-42, in the semifinals of the Uwharrie Athletic Conference Tournament at Pfeiffer University.

Cameron Lee led North (18-7) with 34 points by hitting 13 shots from the field and 3-of-4 at the free throw line. His performance Wednesday was his fifth game this season of 30 or more points.

Bryson Childress added 19 as the Comets won the teams 15th game in a row.

North also won with three players sidelined due to sickness: Carson Lowder, Hilton Stepp and Jason Doerr.

Derek Young led the Cardinals (14-11) with 14 points.

North finished the game shooting 31-of-63 overall (49.2 percent) and 6-of-9 at the foul line while UnionAcademy was 18-of-51 overall (35.3 percent) and 3-of-6 at the free-throw line.

The Cardinals opened the game with a three-point play, but North answered with a 9-0 run. Union Academy got as close as three points before 3-pointers from Bryson Childress and Lee put the Comets up 18-9 with 1:13 left in the opening quarter.

The Cardinals opened the second period with an 8-2 run and made it a one-point game, 20-19, with 6:08 on the clock.

North answered by outscoring UnionAcademy 10-2 over the next three minutes. The Comets scored the final five points of the first half in the final minute of the second and led at hafltime 35-23.

The Comets offense had its best shooting quarter in the third, hitting 10-of-17 shots (58.8 percent). North opened with a 7-0 run and outscored Union 15-2 over the final 5:56 of the period to lead by 30 after three quarters, 59-29.

In the fourth, the Comets outscored the Cardinals by six, including dunks from Lee and Tate Cord en route to advacing to the tournament finals.

We went zone some tonight to give the guys a break because we didnt have as much depth, North head coach Chris Misenheimer said.

Misenheimer added he was happy with the teams defensive efforts, but he felt the Comets have to rebound better.

UA 11 12 6 13 42

NS 18 17 24 19 78

UA Dillon Harrison 10, Ja. Anderson 2, Jo. Anderson 2, Davidson 3, Derek Young 14, Phonebarger 7, Eilerman 4.

NS Cameron Lee 34, Bryston Childress 19, Rylei Smith 11, P. Childress 5, Cord 6, Talbert 3.

Contact Charles Curcio at (704) 982-2121, ext. 26, or email charles@stanlynews Brpress.com.

Charles Curcio is sports editor of The Stanly News & Press. Contact him at (704) 982-2121 ext. 26, charles@stanlynewspress.com or PO Box 488, Albemarle, NC 28002.

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UAC MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT Comets win 15th in a ... - Stanly News & Press

Falcons, Comets start strong in junior league – Marianas Variety

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21 Feb 2017

FIRST baseman Kumuch Francisco fired a three-run triple and left fielder Froilan Camacho hit a two RBI single to boost the Talaabwogh Falcons offense against the Enforcers in the opening game of the Saipan Little League Baseballs junior division at the Francisco Tanko Palacios Baseball Field over the weekend.

With one out in the top of the first, the Falcons had back-to-back base hits and two unearned runs in a row before catcher Nixon Smith drove in a run with a single to put up a strong lead.

Enforcers top of the lineup catcher Tom Agulto doubled and first baseman Jonathan Santos loaded the bases with a walk before short stop Justin Agulto had an RBI walk to keep pace close behind.

The Falcons pulled away in the top of the third with Camachos two RBI single and Franciscos one-run single. They tightened their defense and the

Enforcers could only trim the deficit a bit.

With Franciscos three-run triple backed up by third baseman Zack Reyes two-run double, right fielder Joels RBI walk and second baseman IJ Teigitas RBI double, the Falcons stretched the lead in the fourth.

Santos added another run-scoring single in Enforcers attempt to catch up but the Falcons fielders blanked them out in the sixth to end the game, 16-7.

Comets 11, Braves 6

The Comets wiped out Braves lead in the bottom of the fourth with center fielder Sneak Sumors two RBI double and they went on to seize the game, 11-6.

The Braves established the lead on RBI singles apiece from left fielder Josenio Alvarez and catcher Leveque Iguel. Short stop JP Celis RBI single in the second and right fielder Peter Pangelinans RBI in the third widened the gap.

With one out in the bottom of the fifth, catcher Reid Teregeyo blasted a two RBI single and short stop Sab Saures a two RBI double, and the Comets eliminated the Braves advantage and grab the win.

Ol Aces vs. Bank of Saipan rescheduled

The Docomo Ol Aces were leading big time over Bank of Saipan in the top of the fifth inning when the umpire had to stop the game for safety reason.

BOS was in at-bats when Ol Aces catcher Trevon Lieto and first baseman Andray Macaranas collided while trying to catch the foul.

Macaranas gloved the ball but the SBBLs safety officer had to stop the game to ensure safety of the players. The game is rescheduled on a later date.

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Falcons, Comets start strong in junior league - Marianas Variety

Psoriasis drug approved with boxed warning – ModernMedicine

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A new drug to treat moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis carries a black box warning that suicidal ideas and behavior, including completed suicides, have occurred in patients during the drugs clinical trials.

While FDA recently approved Siliq (Valeant Pharmaceuticals), the agency said the drug is only available through a restricted program under a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) called the Siliq REMS Program. Prescribers must be certified with the program and counsel patients about this risk. Pharmacies must also be certified with the program and can only dispense Siliq to patients who are authorized to receive it.

Related:Clear skin within reach for psoriasis patients

In addiiton, patients must sign a Patient-Prescriber Agreement Form and be made aware of the need to seek medical attention should they experience new or worsening suicidal thoughts or behavior, feelings of depression, anxiety or other mood changes.

Valeant plans to start marketing the drug in the second half of 2017.

Siliq is intended for patients who are candidates for systemic therapy (treatment using substances that travel through the bloodstream, after being taken by mouth or injected) or phototherapy (ultraviolet light treatment) and have failed to respond, or have stopped responding to other systemic therapies.

Related:6 facts to know about the new psoriasis drug

"Moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis can cause significant skin irritation and discomfort for patients, and todays approval provides patients with another treatment option for their psoriasis," said Julie Beitz, MD, director of the Office of Drug Evaluation III in the FDAs Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, in a FDA statement. "Patients and their health care providers should discuss the benefits and risks of Siliq before considering treatment."

Siliqs safety and efficacy were established in 3 randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials with a total of 4,373 adult participants with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who were candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy. More patients treated with Siliq compared to placebo had skin that was clear or almost clear.

The most common adverse reactions reported with the use of Siliq include joint pain (arthralgia), headache, fatigue, diarrhea, throat pain (oropharyngeal pain), nausea, muscle pain (myalgia), injection site reactions, influenza, low white blood cell count (neutropenia) and fungal (tinea) infections.

Read more:New biosimilar for RA to save millions

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Psoriasis drug approved with boxed warning - ModernMedicine

Monitoring treatment response in psoriasis: current perspectives on the clinical utility of reflectance confocal … – Dove Medical Press

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Back to Browse Journals Psoriasis: Targets and Therapy Volume 7

Marina Agozzino,1 Cecilia Noal,2 Francesco Lacarrubba,3 Marco Ardig4

1Dermatology Unit, Second University of Naples, Naples, 2Dermatology Unit, University of Trieste, Trieste, 3Dermatology Clinic, University of Catania, Catania, 4Clinical Dermatology Department, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, Italy

Abstract: Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) evaluation of inflammatory skin diseases represents a relatively new technique that, during the past 5years, has attracted increasing interest, with consequent progressive increment of publications in literature. The success of RCM is directly related to the high need for noninvasive techniques able to both reduce the number of skin biopsies and support clinical diagnosis and patient management. RCM helps to visualize microscopic descriptors of plaque psoriasis (PP) with good reproducibility between observers and a high grade of correspondence with histopathology. Several clinical tests are used for the therapeutic management of PP, but they are limited by subjective interpretation. Skin biopsy presents objective interpretation, but the procedure is invasive and not repeatable. RCM has been used not only for the evaluation of skin cancer or inflammatory skin diseases, but also for monitoring the efficacy of different treatments in PP. In this review, we present some examples of RCM applications in therapeutic psoriasis follow-up.

Keywords: reflectance confocal microscopy, psoriasis noninvasive follow-up, psoriasis monitoring

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

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Monitoring treatment response in psoriasis: current perspectives on the clinical utility of reflectance confocal ... - Dove Medical Press

Granular layer thickness differed in palmar psoriasis and hand eczema – Healio

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There was a significant difference in thickness of the granular layer in patients with palmar psoriasis vs. those with hand eczema, according to study results recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of hematoxylin-eosinstained biopsies of 96 patients who presented at an outpatient clinic at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Anyang, Republic of Korea. The patients were diagnosed with palmar psoriasis, hand eczema or hyperkeratotic hand dermatitis.

The patients were categorized into four cohorts: Palmar psoriasis (n=16; group A); hand eczema without atopic dermatitis or nummular dermatitis (n = 41; group B); hand eczema with atopic dermatitis or nummular dermatitis (n = 14; group C); or hyperkeratotic hand dermatitis (n = 25; group D).

Aa greater proportion of patients in the palmar psoriasis cohort (group A) experienced loss of granular layer (62.5%) compared with group B (24.4%; P = .047) and group C (0%; P = .002).

The proportion of patients experiencing psoriasiform epidermal hyperplasia were 36.6% in group B, 35.7% in group C and 72% in group D. The diagnosis favored the hyperkaratotis hand dermatitis cohort (group D) over group B (P = .01) and group C (P = .043).

There were no significant histologic differences between [palmar psoriasis] and [hyperkeratotic hand dermatitis], the researchers concluded. Most of the characteristic histologic features of psoriasis did not help in the differential diagnosis. Further studies involving the use of other useful diagnostic tools such as immunohistochemical staining should be performed. by Bruce Thiel

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.

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Granular layer thickness differed in palmar psoriasis and hand eczema - Healio