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Genetic Engineering in Agriculture | Union of Concerned …

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While the risks of genetic engineering are often exaggerated or misrepresented, GE crops do have the potential to cause a variety of health problems and environmental impacts. For instance, they may spread undesirable traits to weeds and non-GE crops, produce new allergens and toxins, or harm animals that consume them.

At least one major environmental impact of genetic engineering has already reached critical proportions: overuse of herbicide-tolerant GE crops has spurred an increase in herbicide use and an epidemic of herbicide-resistant "superweeds," which will lead to even more herbicide use.

How likely are other harmful GE impacts to occur? This is a difficult question to answer. Each crop-gene combination poses its own set of risks. While risk assessments are conducted as part of GE product approval, the data are generally supplied by the company seeking approval, and GE companies use their patent rights to exercise tight control over research on their products.

In short, there is a lot we don't know about the long-term and epidemiological risks of GEwhich is no reason for panic, but a good reason for caution, particularly in view of alternatives that are more effective and economical.

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Genetic Engineering in Agriculture | Union of Concerned ...

Chaos Emerald of Immortality – Sonic News Network

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This object exists primarily within the Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog continuity.Information in this article may not be canonical to the storyline of the games or any other Sonic continuity.

The Chaos Emerald of Immortality being worn by Robotnikhotep.

The Chaos Emerald of Immortality is an object that appears in the Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog television series. It is one of the four magical Chaos Emeralds sought after by Dr. Robotnik in the Quest for the Chaos Emeralds Saga.

The Chaos Emerald of Immortality grants its wearer the ability to live forever. Additionally physical damage inflicted upon the wearer is rendered ineffective.

The Chaos Emerald of Immortality is kept in the Pyramid of Robotnikhotep I located in ancient Mobigypt. The mummy of Robotnikhotep literally wears the Emerald around his neck inside of his coffin. It grants him eternal life, but when he takes it off and gives it to Dr. Robotnik he turns to dust. With the help of a Mummified Hedgehog, Sonic is able to defeat Robotnik and return the Emerald to its rightful wearer.[1]

Later Robotnik returns to the Pyramid and steals the Emerald from Robotnikhotep once again. This, along with the other three emeralds transforms Robotnik into Supreme High Robotnik. However he is soon defeated and the Chaos Emerald of Immortality is returned to Mobigypt.[2]

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Chaos Emerald of Immortality - Sonic News Network

Blue Gene – Wikipedia

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Blue Gene is an IBM project aimed at designing supercomputers that can reach operating speeds in the PFLOPS (petaFLOPS) range, with low power consumption.

The project created three generations of supercomputers, Blue Gene/L, Blue Gene/P, and Blue Gene/Q. Blue Gene systems have often led the TOP500[1] and Green500[2] rankings of the most powerful and most power efficient supercomputers, respectively. Blue Gene systems have also consistently scored top positions in the Graph500 list.[3] The project was awarded the 2009 National Medal of Technology and Innovation.[4]

As of 2015, IBM seems to have ended the development of the Blue Gene family[5] though no public announcement has been made. IBM's continuing efforts of the supercomputer scene seems to be concentrated around OpenPower, using accelerators such as FPGAs and GPUs to battle the end of Moore's law.[6]

In December 1999, IBM announced a US$100 million research initiative for a five-year effort to build a massively parallel computer, to be applied to the study of biomolecular phenomena such as protein folding.[7] The project had two main goals: to advance our understanding of the mechanisms behind protein folding via large-scale simulation, and to explore novel ideas in massively parallel machine architecture and software. Major areas of investigation included: how to use this novel platform to effectively meet its scientific goals, how to make such massively parallel machines more usable, and how to achieve performance targets at a reasonable cost, through novel machine architectures. The initial design for Blue Gene was based on an early version of the Cyclops64 architecture, designed by Monty Denneau. The initial research and development work was pursued at IBM T.J. Watson Research Center and led by William R. Pulleyblank.[8]

At IBM, Alan Gara started working on an extension of the QCDOC architecture into a more general-purpose supercomputer: The 4D nearest-neighbor interconnection network was replaced by a network supporting routing of messages from any node to any other; and a parallel I/O subsystem was added. DOE started funding the development of this system and it became known as Blue Gene/L (L for Light); development of the original Blue Gene system continued under the name Blue Gene/C (C for Cyclops) and, later, Cyclops64.

In November 2004 a 16-rack system, with each rack holding 1,024 compute nodes, achieved first place in the TOP500 list, with a Linpack performance of 70.72 TFLOPS.[1] It thereby overtook NEC's Earth Simulator, which had held the title of the fastest computer in the world since 2002. From 2004 through 2007 the Blue Gene/L installation at LLNL[9] gradually expanded to 104 racks, achieving 478 TFLOPS Linpack and 596 TFLOPS peak. The LLNL BlueGene/L installation held the first position in the TOP500 list for 3.5 years, until in June 2008 it was overtaken by IBM's Cell-based Roadrunner system at Los Alamos National Laboratory, which was the first system to surpass the 1 PetaFLOPS mark. The system was built in Rochester, MN IBM plant.

While the LLNL installation was the largest Blue Gene/L installation, many smaller installations followed. In November 2006, there were 27 computers on the TOP500 list using the Blue Gene/L architecture. All these computers were listed as having an architecture of eServer Blue Gene Solution. For example, three racks of Blue Gene/L were housed at the San Diego Supercomputer Center.

While the TOP500 measures performance on a single benchmark application, Linpack, Blue Gene/L also set records for performance on a wider set of applications. Blue Gene/L was the first supercomputer ever to run over 100 TFLOPS sustained on a real world application, namely a three-dimensional molecular dynamics code (ddcMD), simulating solidification (nucleation and growth processes) of molten metal under high pressure and temperature conditions. This achievement won the 2005 Gordon Bell Prize.

In June 2006, NNSA and IBM announced that Blue Gene/L achieved 207.3 TFLOPS on a quantum chemical application (Qbox).[10] At Supercomputing 2006,[11] Blue Gene/L was awarded the winning prize in all HPC Challenge Classes of awards.[12] In 2007, a team from the IBM Almaden Research Center and the University of Nevada ran an artificial neural network almost half as complex as the brain of a mouse for the equivalent of a second (the network was run at 1/10 of normal speed for 10 seconds).[13]

The name Blue Gene comes from that it was originally designed to do, help biologists understand the processes of protein folding and gene development.[14] "Blue" is a traditional moniker that IBM uses for many of its products and the company itself. The original Blue Gene design was renamed "Blue Gene/C" and eventually Cyclops64. The "L" in Blue Gene/L comes from "Light" as that design's original name was "Blue Light". The "P" version was designed to be a petascale design. "Q" is just the letter after "P". There is no Blue Gene/R.[15]

The Blue Gene/L supercomputer was unique in the following aspects:[16]

The Blue Gene/L architecture was an evolution of the QCDSP and QCDOC architectures. Each Blue Gene/L Compute or I/O node was a single ASIC with associated DRAM memory chips. The ASIC integrated two 700MHz PowerPC 440 embedded processors, each with a double-pipeline-double-precision Floating Point Unit (FPU), a cache sub-system with built-in DRAM controller and the logic to support multiple communication sub-systems. The dual FPUs gave each Blue Gene/L node a theoretical peak performance of 5.6 GFLOPS (gigaFLOPS). The two CPUs were not cache coherent with one another.

Compute nodes were packaged two per compute card, with 16 compute cards plus up to 2 I/O nodes per node board. There were 32 node boards per cabinet/rack.[17] By the integration of all essential sub-systems on a single chip, and the use of low-power logic, each Compute or I/O node dissipated low power (about 17 watts, including DRAMs). This allowed aggressive packaging of up to 1024 compute nodes, plus additional I/O nodes, in a standard 19-inch rack, within reasonable limits of electrical power supply and air cooling. The performance metrics, in terms of FLOPS per watt, FLOPS per m2 of floorspace and FLOPS per unit cost, allowed scaling up to very high performance. With so many nodes, component failures were inevitable. The system was able to electrically isolate faulty components, down to a granularity of half a rack (512 compute nodes), to allow the machine to continue to run.

Each Blue Gene/L node was attached to three parallel communications networks: a 3D toroidal network for peer-to-peer communication between compute nodes, a collective network for collective communication (broadcasts and reduce operations), and a global interrupt network for fast barriers. The I/O nodes, which run the Linux operating system, provided communication to storage and external hosts via an Ethernet network. The I/O nodes handled filesystem operations on behalf of the compute nodes. Finally, a separate and private Ethernet network provided access to any node for configuration, booting and diagnostics. To allow multiple programs to run concurrently, a Blue Gene/L system could be partitioned into electronically isolated sets of nodes. The number of nodes in a partition had to be a positive integer power of 2, with at least 25 = 32 nodes. To run a program on Blue Gene/L, a partition of the computer was first to be reserved. The program was then loaded and run on all the nodes within the partition, and no other program could access nodes within the partition while it was in use. Upon completion, the partition nodes were released for future programs to use.

Blue Gene/L compute nodes used a minimal operating system supporting a single user program. Only a subset of POSIX calls was supported, and only one process could run at a time on node in co-processor modeor one process per CPU in virtual mode. Programmers needed to implement green threads in order to simulate local concurrency. Application development was usually performed in C, C++, or Fortran using MPI for communication. However, some scripting languages such as Ruby[18] and Python[19] have been ported to the compute nodes.

In June 2007, IBM unveiled Blue Gene/P, the second generation of the Blue Gene series of supercomputers and designed through a collaboration that included IBM, LLNL, and Argonne National Laboratory's Leadership Computing Facility.[20]

The design of Blue Gene/P is a technology evolution from Blue Gene/L. Each Blue Gene/P Compute chip contains four PowerPC 450 processor cores, running at 850MHz. The cores are cache coherent and the chip can operate as a 4-way symmetric multiprocessor (SMP). The memory subsystem on the chip consists of small private L2 caches, a central shared 8 MB L3 cache, and dual DDR2 memory controllers. The chip also integrates the logic for node-to-node communication, using the same network topologies as Blue Gene/L, but at more than twice the bandwidth. A compute card contains a Blue Gene/P chip with 2 or 4 GB DRAM, comprising a "compute node". A single compute node has a peak performance of 13.6 GFLOPS. 32 Compute cards are plugged into an air-cooled node board. A rack contains 32 node boards (thus 1024 nodes, 4096 processor cores).[21] By using many small, low-power, densely packaged chips, Blue Gene/P exceeded the power efficiency of other supercomputers of its generation, and at 371 MFLOPS/W Blue Gene/P installations ranked at or near the top of the Green500 lists in 2007-2008.[2]

The following is an incomplete list of Blue Gene/P installations. Per November 2009, the TOP500 list contained 15 Blue Gene/P installations of 2-racks (2048 nodes, 8192 processor cores, 23.86 TFLOPS Linpack) and larger.[1]

The third supercomputer design in the Blue Gene series, Blue Gene/Q has a peak performance of 20 Petaflops,[37] reaching LINPACK benchmarks performance of 17 Petaflops. Blue Gene/Q continues to expand and enhance the Blue Gene/L and /P architectures.

The Blue Gene/Q Compute chip is an 18 core chip. The 64-bit A2 processor cores are 4-way simultaneously multithreaded, and run at 1.6GHz. Each processor core has a SIMD Quad-vector double precision floating point unit (IBM QPX). 16 Processor cores are used for computing, and a 17th core for operating system assist functions such as interrupts, asynchronous I/O, MPI pacing and RAS. The 18th core is used as a redundant spare, used to increase manufacturing yield. The spared-out core is shut down in functional operation. The processor cores are linked by a crossbar switch to a 32 MB eDRAM L2 cache, operating at half core speed. The L2 cache is multi-versioned, supporting transactional memory and speculative execution, and has hardware support for atomic operations.[38] L2 cache misses are handled by two built-in DDR3 memory controllers running at 1.33GHz. The chip also integrates logic for chip-to-chip communications in a 5D torus configuration, with 2GB/s chip-to-chip links. The Blue Gene/Q chip is manufactured on IBM's copper SOI process at 45nm. It delivers a peak performance of 204.8 GFLOPS at 1.6GHz, drawing about 55 watts. The chip measures 1919mm (359.5mm) and comprises 1.47 billion transistors. The chip is mounted on a compute card along with 16 GB DDR3 DRAM (i.e., 1 GB for each user processor core).[39]

A Q32[40] compute drawer contains 32 compute cards, each water cooled.[41] A "midplane" (crate) contains 16 Q32 compute drawers for a total of 512 compute nodes, electrically interconnected in a 5D torus configuration (4x4x4x4x2). Beyond the midplane level, all connections are optical. Racks have two midplanes, thus 32 compute drawers, for a total of 1024 compute nodes, 16,384 user cores and 16 TB RAM.[41]

Separate I/O drawers, placed at the top of a rack or in a separate rack, are air cooled and contain 8 compute cards and 8 PCIe expansion slots for Infiniband or 10 Gigabit Ethernet networking.[41]

At the time of the Blue Gene/Q system announcement in November 2011, an initial 4-rack Blue Gene/Q system (4096 nodes, 65536 user processor cores) achieved #17 in the TOP500 list[1] with 677.1 TeraFLOPS Linpack, outperforming the original 2007 104-rack BlueGene/L installation described above. The same 4-rack system achieved the top position in the Graph500 list[3] with over 250 GTEPS (giga traversed edges per second). Blue Gene/Q systems also topped the Green500 list of most energy efficient supercomputers with up to 2.1 GFLOPS/W.[2]

In June 2012, Blue Gene/Q installations took the top positions in all three lists: TOP500,[1] Graph500 [3] and Green500.[2]

The following is an incomplete list of Blue Gene/Q installations. Per June 2012, the TOP500 list contained 20 Blue Gene/Q installations of 1/2-rack (512 nodes, 8192 processor cores, 86.35 TFLOPS Linpack) and larger.[1] At a (size-independent) power efficiency of about 2.1 GFLOPS/W, all these systems also populated the top of the June 2012 Green 500 list.[2]

Record-breaking science applications have been run on the BG/Q, the first to cross 10 petaflops of sustained performance. The cosmology simulation framework HACC achieved almost 14 petaflops with a 3.6 trillion particle benchmark run,[60] while the Cardioid code,[61][62] which models the electrophysiology of the human heart, achieved nearly 12 petaflops with a near real-time simulation, both on Sequoia. A fully compressible flow solver has also achieved 14.4 PFLOP/s (originally 11 PFLOP/s) on Sequoia, 72% of the machine's nominal peak performance.[63]

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Blue Gene - Wikipedia

How the NRA Rewrote the Second Amendment – POLITICO Magazine

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A fraud on the American public. Thats how former Chief Justice Warren Burger described the idea that the Second Amendment gives an unfettered individual right to a gun. When he spoke these words to PBS in 1990, the rock-ribbed conservative appointed by Richard Nixon was expressing the longtime consensus of historians and judges across the political spectrum.

Twenty-five years later, Burgers view seems as quaint as a powdered wig. Not only is an individual right to a firearm widely accepted, but increasingly states are also passing laws to legalize carrying weapons on streets, in parks, in barseven in churches.

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Many are startled to learn that the U.S. Supreme Court didnt rule that the Second Amendment guarantees an individuals right to own a gun until 2008, when District of Columbia v. Heller struck down the capitals law effectively banning handguns in the home. In fact, every other time the court had ruled previously, it had ruled otherwise. Why such a head-snapping turnaround? Dont look for answers in dusty law books or the arcane reaches of theory.

So how does legal change happen in America? Weve seen some remarkably successful drives in recent yearsthink of the push for marriage equality, or to undo campaign finance laws. Law students might be taught that the court is moved by powerhouse legal arguments or subtle shifts in doctrine. The National Rifle Associations long crusade to bring its interpretation of the Constitution into the mainstream teaches a different lesson: Constitutional change is the product of public argument and political maneuvering. The pro-gun movement may have started with scholarship, but then it targeted public opinion and shifted the organs of government. By the time the issue reached the Supreme Court, the desired new doctrine fell like a ripe apple from a tree.

***

The Second Amendment consists of just one sentence: A well regulated militia, being necessary for the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. Today, scholars debate its bizarre comma placement, trying to make sense of the various clauses, and politicians routinely declare themselves to be its strong supporters. But in the grand sweep of American history, this sentence has never been among the most prominent constitutional provisions. In fact, for two centuries it was largely ignored.

The amendment grew out of the political tumult surrounding the drafting of the Constitution, which was done in secret by a group of mostly young men, many of whom had served together in the Continental Army. Having seen the chaos and mob violence that followed the Revolution, these Federalists feared the consequences of a weak central authority. They produced a charter that shifted powerat the time in the hands of the statesto a new national government.

Anti-Federalists opposed this new Constitution. The foes worried, among other things, that the new government would establish a standing army of professional soldiers and would disarm the 13 state militias, made up of part-time citizen-soldiers and revered as bulwarks against tyranny. These militias were the product of a world of civic duty and governmental compulsion utterly alien to us today. Every white man age 16 to 60 was enrolled. He was actually required to ownand bringa musket or other military weapon.

On June 8, 1789, James Madisonan ardent Federalist who had won election to Congress only after agreeing to push for changes to the newly ratified Constitutionproposed 17 amendments on topics ranging from the size of congressional districts to legislative pay to the right to religious freedom. One addressed the well regulated militia and the right to keep and bear arms. We dont really know what he meant by it. At the time, Americans expected to be able to own guns, a legacy of English common law and rights. But the overwhelming use of the phrase bear arms in those days referred to military activities.

There is not a single word about an individuals right to a gun for self-defense or recreation in Madisons notes from the Constitutional Convention. Nor was it mentioned, with a few scattered exceptions, in the records of the ratification debates in the states. Nor did the U.S. House of Representatives discuss the topic as it marked up the Bill of Rights. In fact, the original version passed by the House included a conscientious objector provision. A well regulated militia, it explained, composed of the body of the people, being the best security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, but no one religiously scrupulous of bearing arms, shall be compelled to render military service in person.

Though state militias eventually dissolved, for two centuries we had guns (plenty!) and we had gun laws in towns and states, governing everything from where gunpowder could be stored to who could carry a weaponand courts overwhelmingly upheld these restrictions. Gun rights and gun control were seen as going hand in hand. Four times between 1876 and 1939, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to rule that the Second Amendment protected individual gun ownership outside the context of a militia. As the Tennessee Supreme Court put it in 1840, A man in the pursuit of deer, elk, and buffaloes might carry his rifle every day for forty years, and yet it would never be said of him that he had borne arms; much less could it be said that a private citizen bears arms because he has a dirk or pistol concealed under his clothes, or a spear in a cane.

***

Cue the National Rifle Association. We all know of the organizations considerable power over the ballot box and legislation. Bill Clinton groused in 1994 after the Democrats lost their congressional majority, The NRA is the reason the Republicans control the House. Just last year, it managed to foster a successful filibuster of even a modest background-check proposal in the U.S. Senate, despite 90 percent public approval of the measure.

What is less knownand perhaps more significantis its rising sway over constitutional law.

The NRA was founded by a group of Union officers after the Civil War who, perturbed by their troops poor marksmanship, wanted a way to sponsor shooting training and competitions. The group testified in support of the first federal gun law in 1934, which cracked down on the machine guns beloved by Bonnie and Clyde and other bank robbers. When a lawmaker asked whether the proposal violated the Constitution, the NRA witness responded, I have not given it any study from that point of view. The group lobbied quietly against the most stringent regulations, but its principal focus was hunting and sportsmanship: bagging deer, not blocking laws. In the late 1950s, it opened a new headquarters to house its hundreds of employees. Metal letters on the facade spelled out its purpose: firearms safety education, marksmanship training, shooting for recreation.

Michael Waldman is president of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law. He is the author of The Second Amendment: A Biography.

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How the NRA Rewrote the Second Amendment - POLITICO Magazine

Great Beach Vacations in Tennessee | USA Today

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Beach vacations in Tennessee (Photo: douglas lake image by gou from Fotolia.com )

The sandy shores of Tennessees lakes offer scenic settings for beach and water play. Summertime unleashes sunbathing, swimming, boating, fishing and camping fun along impounded and natural lakes. Tennessee state parks and federally managed areas create beach vacation hot spots for quality experiences.

A peaceful Tennessee beach vacation destination, Seven Points Campground at Hermitage sits along the 14,200-acre J. Percy Priest Lake. Nature surrounds the federally managed Seven Points with thousands of acres of grasslands and woodlands. Its a getaway for water lovers located just 10 miles from the heart of Nashville where a concert or backstage tour at the Grand Ole Opry is a perfect rainy day activity. In addition to a sandy beach and swimming options, the impounded waters provide boating and fishing for bass, bluegill, trout and other species. Seven Points features 59 campsites open April 1 through October. Campground amenities include water, a dump station, toilets, showers and a boat ramp.

Pickett CCC Memorial State Park at Jamestown is home to what is considered one of the Souths most scenic beaches. Framed by towering sandstone bluffs, the Arch Lake beach is open for swimming from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The park sits within the 19,200-acre Pickett State Forest and is adjacent to a 125,000-acre nature preserve. Water activities include fishing and paddling. Rowboat rentals are available during summer months. Ten hiking trails invite exploring nature within the Cumberland Plateau. In 2015, the park was designated an official dark sky viewing area by the International Dark Sky Association. When night falls, visitors enjoy a celestial show. Settle in to one of 20 cabins or 31 modern campsites for a great Tennessee beach vacation by day and night.

For beach lovers who prefer some of the comforts of home, Rock Island State Park at Rock Island offers fully equipped housekeeping cabins. Considered among the best cabins within the Tennessee State park system, amenities include a microwave, linens and an indoor fireplace to cozy up beside on chilly evenings. The park also offers 50 modern campsites and 20 tent sites. The parks natural sand beach sits at the headwaters of Center Hill Lake. Currents can be swift, so swimmers and paddlers are advised to use caution. The 870-acre park and lake sit at the confluence of three rivers to offer plenty of outdoor adventures to fill vacation days. Enjoy trophy fishing, kayaking, hiking, scenic overlooks of Caney Fork Gorge and a rushing 30-foot waterfall.

The federally operated Old Hickory Lake and Dam along the Cumberland River offers the choice of four swimming beaches. Choose one or make the rounds for a custom Tennessee beach getaway. Beaches are located at Cedar Creek, Laguardo, Lock 3 and include Old Hickory Beach. Expect to pay a nominal entrance fee to the beaches. Old Hickory Lake spans 22,500 acres. Water recreation includes scuba diving, boating, water skiing and fishing. Abundant wildlife and scenic views make it a popular site for photographers. Hiking options include Old Hickory Lake Trail, a part of National Trails System. Two seasonal campgrounds along the lake offer choice for settling in for a multi-day stay. Cages Bend campground at Hendersonville/Gallatin and Nashville sit along the lakes north shore. It offers 43 modern campsites. Cedar Creek campground along the lakes south side outside of Nashville offers 59 modern campsites. During summer months, the US Army Corps of Engineers offers a free, 90-minute guided tour of the Old Hickory Navigation Lock and Hydroelectric Dam from at the navigation lock at Old Hickory. Call the resource managers office at (615) 822-4846 or 847-2395 to submit a tour request.

Sally Barber is a 20-year veteran of the publishing industry. A specialist in business, travel, sustainable tourism and the environment, she has written for Virgin Atlantic Airways, the "Detroit Free Press," "Great Lakes Seaway Review" and various websites. Barber is also the author of three books.

Leaf Group is a USA TODAY content partner providing general travel information. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

Roadway to Lindsey Lake in David Crockett State Park, located a half mile west of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee.

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Great Beach Vacations in Tennessee | USA Today

Salman Spiritual :: Diamond Jubilee Sparks :: 2017Year of …

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Bismillahir Rahmanir RahimIn the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

SalmanSpiritual.Com :: Towards the Inner Vision of the Truth

Welcome to SalmanSpiritual.com. We are please to announce the launch of the Higher Spiritual Enlightenment Posts project. The Project started with jolt of aspiration and inspiration came on New Year's eve which led to the commitment of making 2017The Year for Higher Spiritual Enlightenment through the publication of Candle Post #138. My prayer for the Enlightenment Posts project is summarized below:

Let us pray to Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam to bless all of us with drops of Light into our spiritual hearts. The spiritual heart in each person is the representative of the soul, thus these luminous drops will start to illuminate and purify the ego, the vital, the mind and the body. The precise process is to usher Light into each cell of one's body through intense dhikr. This is the proven mechanism to eliminate all types of darknesses in our own personal world. This purification process will bring greater peace, light, delight and awareness within ourselves and will increase our aspiration to reach our own spiritual and luminous potential in the field of Higher Spiritual Enlightenment.

The Diamond Jubilee of Noor Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam (a.s.) has inspired me to write posts on the topic of Higher Spiritual Enlightenment. This project was started on January 9, 2017 to increase our knowledge and enhance our yearning through Dhikr and Angelic Salwat. The web page and PDF links to the 7 latest posts for this project are shown below. All posts can be accessed through the Table of Contents section on the index page of Higher Spiritual Enlightenment Posts project.

Please share information about the Higher Spiritual Enlightenment project with family and friends! May Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam bless you for this seva and may he fill your spiritual heart with his NOOR and nothing else! Ameen.

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SalmanSpiritual.Com :: Focus & Contents

New Dhikrs/Tasbis

Download mp3 audio track titled 'Noore Karim, Ya Majma al-Nurayn' from audio.salmanspiritual.com. In this mp3 track, Noore Karim, Ya Majma al-Nurayn is recited 40 times. Click here to see the explanation of this dhikr.

Download mp3 audio track titled 'Noore Karim Plus 21 Tasbis' from audio.salmanspiritual.com. Download PDF or click here to see the lyrics and explanation of the dhikr, and how to spread the benefit of this dhikr.

The Candle PostsA Vital ResourceIn his Irshad on July 11, 2007 and his firman of December 13, 2008, Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam has put the onus on us to search for higher spiritual enlightenment under his supervision and then use this spiritual enlightenment as a continuous internal guide in our daily lives. This calling from our beloved Holy Imam needs tremendous effort. Therefore, I have made a very humble niyat to send motivational gems for higher spiritual enlightenment in the form of candle posts. Click here to see the candle postings index page for Volumes 1-4.

New Candle Posts

Candle Post #138 :: 2017 The Year for Higher Spiritual EnlightenmentThe Diamond Jubilee of Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam has inspired me to make 2017 the Year of Higher Spiritual Enlightenment. Let us pray to Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam to bless all of us with drops of Light into our spiritual hearts. The spiritual heart in each person is the representative of the soul, thus these luminous drops will start to illuminate and purify the ego, the vital, the mind and the body. Read more...

Candle Post #137 :: Hazrat Bibi Fatimat-az-Zahra (a.s.), Majma al-NuraynThis candle post is about a new title, majma al-nurayn (The confluence of two lights), of Hazrat Bibi Fatimat-az-Zahra, Khatun-i-Jannat ('Alayhi-s-salam). She is also the 'mother of Imamate'. Read more...

Candle Posts PDF ArchiveThe PDF versions of Candle Posts 115 to 138 are now available on a separate page. Read more...

Holy Quran ResourcesSalmanSpiritual.com is pleased to bring to you searchable versions of Yusufali's and Pickthall's translations of the Holy Quran. In addition to this, hyperlinks are provided to Quran Explorer, which is like an electronic Quran complete with meanings & with sound. Arabic text and English transliteration & translation of the Holy Qur'an are also available on SalmanSpiritual.com. The original source of these materials is at http://www.sacred-texts.com. Click here to explore these resources.

Resources for Holy Ramadan & Idd-ul FitrIn order to be spiritually and esoterically engaged in the month of Holy Ramadan, a number of resources have been created over the past four years. Click here to see and download these resources.

Foundation of Faith :: Curriculum for Spiritual EnlightenmentThese resources provide foundational knowledge on key aspects of our faith and are arranged in a sequential manner. The knowlege base addresses the requirements of being an active Ismaili who is searching for higher spiritual enlightenment under the supervision and guidance of NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini (a.s.). Precious gems have been compilied from our literature which spans over a period of 1400 years. Click here to see and download these resources.

Higher Spiritual Enlightenment :: Educational ResourcesOver the past 10 years, especially over the extended Golden Jubilee year, a massive effort was expended to develop the concept of a Golden Noorani Didar in the forehead of a seeker of higher spiritual enlightenment. In addition to this, the concept of a spiritual and a luminous nazrana was also articulated to augment the concepts of material, and time and knowledge nazranas. Click here to see and download these resources.

Audio.SalmanSpiritual.ComThe audio subdomain of SalmanSpiritual.Com has mp3 tracks of Ayatul Kursi, Anant Akhado (500 verses), Anant Naa Nav Chhuga (90 verses) and Moti venti (50 verses), Durood O Salaam Qasida and Dhikr tasbis. Click here to explore these resources.

Our ardent prayer is:May our beloved NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini (a.s.) Hazar Imam bless us all with Noorani Didars during Bandagi and in Zaheri Noorani Didars with the different Jamats across the world during the Diamond Jubilee!Ameen

Rakh Mowla je Noor te Yaqeen (Certainly, we trust in Mowla's Light only)

Haizinda Qayampaya (Our Present Imam is Living and His NOOR is Eternal)

Your spiritual brother in religion,Noorallah Juma (noor-allah@salmanspiritual.com)SalmanSpiritual.comFriday, Jan. 5, 2018

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Salman Spiritual :: Diamond Jubilee Sparks :: 2017Year of ...

How Duterte’s drug war can fail | War on drugs | Philstar.com

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global policy shift is underway after the war on drugs that dragged on for decades saw no success. In the Philippines, the same war is just beginning and despite popular support, may be doomed to the same fate.

Over the past months, a country of 100 million watches President Rodrigo Duterte try applying nationally a formula his supporters find to have worked in Davao City, long hailed a haven to honest citizens and a hell to crooks. There, as mayor for 22 years, his iron-fist approach restored security amid vigilante killings and set up social services unusual in the underdeveloped south.

On the campaign trail, Duterte vowed an end to crime and illegal drugs within his first year as president. To do this, he chose to suppress the drug trade through an aggressive, even violent, crackdown on the market. An all-out war.

John Collins, executive director of London School of Economics IDEAS International Drug Policy Project, said the Philippines has declared a war "identical" to those launched in the United States and parts of Latin America and Asia in the past decades. The campaigns led to arrests and deaths but did little to hold back the stream of substances.

"The policies pursued, in this case prohibition and repression, don't succeed in reducing the size of the market and in many cases inflame the violence and corruption associated with the market," Collins told Philstar.com in an email.

In Duterte's early months as leader, installed by a record 16 million voters, about 3,500 people have diedalmost half were killed in police operations. Duterte's team, however, tried washing its hands over killings outside police function. His top cop, Director General Ronald dela Rosa, said the deaths should not be blamed on the government.

What the world witnessed in countries with wars against cartels like Mexico, however, were deaths and "spiraling levels of violence" which many experts have attributed to an ill-conceived government policy.

At least one thousand leaders, including those whose countries have waged war against drugs, admitted that it was ineffective, misguided and only led to disaster.

"What we find is that aggressive enforcement often spikes violence by disrupting cartel structures, leading to fragmentation of operations whereby members of cartel go to war with each other for control of the organization or splinter into rival groups competing over turf," Collins said.

At least 1,000 leaders, including those whose countries have waged a war against drugs, admitted most recently in April that it was ineffective, misguided and only led to disaster.

"In Latin America, the 'unintended' consequences (of war) have been disastrous. Thousands of people have lost their lives in drug-associated violence. Drug lords have taken over entire communities. Misery has spread. Corruption is undermining fragile democracies," wrote Brazil's President Fernando Henrique Cardoso in 2009.

The drug war in Thailand in 2003 was backed by public support, but the country eventually pulled back from the policy marked by related killings and shunning of drug users as it did little to curb demand. Instead, addicts consumed illegal substances in hiding and diseases eventually spread. Treatment was neither available in prisons.

The United States, where President Richard Nixon called drugs "public enemy number one" in 1971, saw a ballooning number of poor, black people behind bars while drug supply and production were only temporarily disrupted.

"(The war in the US) has destroyed policy-community relations in many areas, and has not noticeably reduced the size of the drug market, merely displaced it in certain cases," Collins said. "The Philippines is witnessing the same dynamic."

What Duterte and his men are not saying, however, is that the Philippines' experience is not at all unique, and some devastating results could already be seen.

Vanda Felbab-Brown, an urban violence and internal conflict expert at the Washington-based Brookings Institution, shared Collins' view. Having tracked and studied drug wars around the world, she observed that while anti-narcotics policies seeking to minimize petty crime and violence naturally target drug supply, there is something striking about Duterte's strategy.

"Duterte's policy is counterproductive and doing the opposite: it is slaughtering people, it is making the retail (drug) market violentas a result of state actions, extrajudicial killings and vigilante killings," she told Philstar.com in an email.

"Worse yet, it is hiding other forms of violence and murders as neighbors and neighborhood committee members put on the list of drug suspects their rivals and enemies and anyone can be killed and then labeled a pusher," she said.

In an open letter to Duterte, former President Cardoso and colleagues at the Global Commission on Drugs called the Philippines' war "unwinnable" with terrible costs.

"It is not a question of choosing between human rights and the safety of your people, as you have claimed, but the means employed to address crime must not result in further crimes against individuals whose conduct often causes very little harm," the open letter read.

The effects of belligerent, police-led campaigns suffered by other countries are contrary to Duterte's zero-crime and zero-drugs promises. One main reason for failure is how war could only disrupt the supply and demand cycle so far.

The system of drug control adopted around the world in the last century had aimed to eradicate illegal drugs by mainly trying to wipe their availability. Now localized by the Philippine government, the drug war only adds a new phase in buying and selling but cannot truly stop it, experts say.

Collins said the government's aim of controlling narcotics supply through a war is based on a mere "assumption" since the demand for illegal substances generally does not diminish.

"When there is a demand, there will be a supply," he said.

In the 2014 report "Ending the Drug Wars" by the London School of Economics' think tank, Collins explained that suppression has proved to increase drug prices only for a short time. The price hike afterward gave a new rise in supply and caused a shift in the supply chain, which then made prices lower. The result: Supply and prices returned to the way they were before the war.

"The likely outcome (based on evidence from other countries) is that the drug market will undergo changes in operation, but not necessarily size. It may shrink in the midst of the chaos of the war, but the likelihood is that it will reemerge since all of the conditions which fostered it in the first place will remain," Collins told Philstar.com.

Drug policy experts have found that demand increases amid "poverty, inequality (and) poor rule of law"conditions that make illegal drugs a particularly enticing option economically and psychologically.

Felbab-Brown noted that even in Latin America where drug wars of various intensities continued over several decades, supply has not been eliminated and drug use has increased. Not even a sustained campaign has proven effective.

"Drug markets will adjust. As long as there is demand, supply and retail will take another form," she said.

If the government suppresses one type of drug, evidence suggests that consumers are just as likely to switch to other types, said Collins. The much suppressed opium only led to the manufacture of heroin as a byproduct, while crack came from the prohibition of cocaine.

While resources go to suppressing supply, demand-reduction programs are usually left underfunded.

"Public health approaches to drug treatment should acknowledge addiction as an illness requiring medical treatment," she said.

Earlier this month, Malacaang and the chief of police declared the drug war a success, claiming that supply has been cut by 90 percent, with the government regaining authority at national penitentiary Bilibid where incarcerated leaders of cartels continue to control the narcotics chain from their swish cells.

The claim, however, comes from scant data. Collins noted that narcotics run within black markets, where transactions are difficult to measure. "I would take the claim of success with a great deal of skepticism," he said.

Supposed that drug supply has indeed contracted with severe prohibition, history shows that the production and consumption halt is temporary before they spike anew.

"Short-term supply changes as a result of police interventions are rarely (almost never) sustained into the medium-long term," Collins said. "They often produce spillover effects as people switch to other substances and criminal organizations regroup and fight over the drug market."

On September 2, a blast at a night market in Davao City killed at least 14 people and left scores of others hurt. The atrocity prompted Duterte to declare a nationwide "state of lawlessness" for an indefinite period, invoking the same constitutional provision that allows a Philippine leader to declare martial law.

"We're trying to cope with a crisis now. There is a crisis in this country involving drugs, extrajudicial killings and there seems to be an environment of lawless violence," Duterte said. Police chief Dela Rosa claimed the tragedy could be an act of "narco terrorism."

Duterte seems to have long considered what he calls a drug "crisis" officially recognized by the state. Even as he would dismiss his most controversial remarks as only made in jest, Duterte was consistent in proclaiming drugs as a national security threat, "an invasion of a new kind."

- President Rodrigo Duterte on declaring a state of lawless violence

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, one of Duterte's closest allies and his vice presidential candidate, repeatedly declared early in the campaign that the Philippines is on the verge of becoming a "narco state." Duterte's supporters recognized the crusade against drugs as a centerpiece of Duterte's winning platform.

The numbers, however, can tell a different story.

Cayetano cited findings that 92 percent of Metro Manila's barangays are affected by drugs. The data came from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Authority (PDEA), whose 2015 annual report recorded that while most of the capital region's villages are "affected" by illegal drugs, a majority of barangays nationwide are drug-free.

In rationalizing his war on drugs, Duterte estimates the number of drug userswhich he later revised to drug "addicts"in the country at 3.7 million. Even PDEA's proposed computations, however, cannot demonstrate the number.

In documents provided to Philstar.com, PDEA claims the figure is based on the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime's data that 5.2 percent of ages 15 to 64 used illegal drugs. The 5.2-percent figure, however, is the global average of drug use that could not validly be applied to the Philippines.

Citing last official data released in 2013, the UNODC's research section said the Philippines had an estimated prevalence rate of only 1.69 percent or 1.6 million of ages 10 to 69.

"This is a low prevalence rate compared to other countries. At the global level, UNODC's best estimate suggests that overall (global) drug use affects 5.2 percent of the population age 15 to 64," said Thomas Pietschmann, a data analyst at the UNODC, responding to Philstar.com.

At a Senate panel hearing on September 1, Assistant Secretary Benjamin Reyes of the Dangerous Drugs Board cited a nationwide household survey conducted in 2015ahead of its official release. Reyes said there are an estimated 1.8 million current drug users in the Philippines.

Data from the drugs board, established under President Fidel Ramos' term in the 1990s to address fears of a drug crisis, also showed a notable drop in drug prevalence from 6.7 million in 2004 to 1.3 million in 2012.

The improvement was attributed by the drugs board to its two-fold objective of reducing both supply and demandcombining law enforcement, monitoring and judiciary on the supply side with preventive education, treatment and rehabilitation and research on the demand side.

The count of drug users, however, rose to 1.8 million in 2015. Yet, the rate is only a fraction of drug use in other countries.

In East Asia, the Philippines does have the largest percentage share of population using amphetamine-type substances, the most popular of which is known locally as shabu, at 0.74 percent (ages 10 to 69) in 2012. The figure is small alongside the 18.3 percent of Iceland's population using cannabis, which remains illegal there. Australia, meanwhile, registered 3 percent of its population using ecstasy-type drugs.

The Philippines neither appears to be a major player in the world's illegal drug trade. The PDEA last year seized P5.4-billion worth of substances. While the amount is considerable, it pales beside a single $275-million (P12 billion) seizure of ice in a Melbourne estate, or a 512-million (P31.8 billion) cocaine seizure off Scotland.

The Philippines' location, however, is strategic to global trafficking. President Duterte said the country is a transshipment point of notorious Mexican cartel Sinaloa, among other international syndicates. In 2013, Thailand tagged the Philippines as part of the nexus for cocaine reaching its shores.

The Philippines had similarly been among the casualties of the crackdown of methamphetamine in 1951. The production moved from Japan to neighboring countries such as China, South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines. Collins identifies this as the "balloon effect" or the phenomenon where the trade is not truly abated when inhibited in one place, but only transfers elsewhere.

"Transshipment points emerge due to rule of law issues, poor governance, etc. The notion that further weakening the rule of law through a dirty 'drug war' suggests the Philippines is just as likely to witness a worsening of the problem," Collins said.

- John Collins Drug policy expert, London School of Economics

International drug monitoring bodies such as the UNODC, moreover, have not identified the Philippines as a major drug hub despite urging it to narrow enforcement gaps and curb corruption.

"Drug markets exist all over the worldwith a very small number of exceptions. The problems associated with these drug markets are often symptom of broader societal problems," Collins added.

The US Department of State earlier this year pointed out the Philippines' challenges in dealing with the drug problemsuch as in monitoring financial systems and gateways for money laundering linked to the international narcotics tradeand deficiencies, particularly a handicapped law enforcement capability, insufficient judicial tools and clogged court dockets.

Asked if the Philippines has characteristics of a narco state, Felbab Brown said there is no standard definition of the term, but it is usually applied to economies of which a vast segment depends on illegal drug production or trade, such as Bolivia in the 1980s and in recent years, Afghanistan and Guinea-Bissau.

The term could also mean that the drug trade has official sanctioning of government officials and "deeply permeates the institutions of the state."

Last year, about 200 government employees linked to drugs were arrested. Substances are also chronically seized in a series of raids at the national penitentiary Bilibid. While a culture of corruption that allows such practices is deeply entrenched, the Philippines' narcotics woes are comparatively moderate.

"There is little reason to believe that the Philippines is a narco state, whatever the definition," said Felbab-Brown, an author of several publications on illegal economies.

Sociologist Nicole Curato, a Canberra-based fellow at the Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis, said the war on drugs could be "legitimate" in the public's eyes, but it could have unintended implications.

"I'm just very cautious that when we use the word 'war' evidently we start looking at our fellow Filipinos as enemies who should be eradicated rather than fellow human beings that also deserve protection," Curato told Philstar.com in an online interview.

Duterte and his security officials are quick to point to the successes of the drug war two months in. The Philippine National Police regularly releases a toll of drug suspects arrested and killed during police operations. It also reports new numbers of dead found outside police efforts by unknown assailants. Duterte often cites the "voluntary" surrender of more than 700,000 drug sellers and consumers while vowing to wipe the last trace of the drug menace.

In examining a century of drug policies around the world, Georgetown University adjunct associate professor William B. McAllister warned governments against adopting a "zero tolerance" goal in their drug control strategies not because it is not laudable.

"But because it unrealistic by all historical standards of human behavior," McAllister writes in London School of Economics' series of reports on drug policies endorsed by five Nobel-prize winning economists.

McAllister said a way to define realistic success in drug policy is to set targets for use and abuse.

Such numerical targets are unheard of in Duterte's rhetoric.

"Imagine for example, that a particular country suffered a 10-percent heroin addiction rate among its population. A goal could be set to reduce to, say, 5 percent," he wrote.

"Programs could be implemented to achieve the target rate, and then to maintain the 'floor' percentage so that it did not rise."

But such numerical targets are unheard of in Duterte's rhetoric. (He did say once though that he would kill 100,000 criminals in his first six months in office). Several times, he pledged not to end the war or lift the state of emergency before the last criminal personality has fallen, while viewing human rights concerns a nuisance. Rather than being dismissed as illusory and crude, his statements are often seen as brave, practical goal-setting.

Curato said Duterte's campaign might be succeeding after all if the direction issued is to attack the trade from below through violence.

"If you base it on that level and [the policy is] very clear [in] saying that violence is very much part of it then yes, we are succeeding. But the broader question is, is that the policy that we really want to take?" she said.

Felbab-Brown, meanwhile, finds Duterte's directive as self-defeating, and can even induce survival of the fittest among drug offenders.

"Dealers who remain on the streets will only be those who can either violently oppose law enforcement and vigilante groups or bribe their way to the highest power," she said.

"By eliminating low-level, mostly non-violent dealers, Duterte is paradoxically and counterproductively setting up a situation where more organized and powerful drug traffickers and distribution will emerge."

The very premise of a "war on drugs," for Collins, ignores the fact that drugs could not be completely rooted out, although their effects on society could be minimized.

"[A drug war] is the equivalent of using a sledgehammer to conduct surgery," he said.

- Nicole Curato Sociologist, Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis

Even the mass surrender of 700,000 so far does not indicate victory.

Police chief Dela Rosa aims to have 1.8 million drug users surrender to authorities. Following official estimates, this means enforcers want 100 percent of all drug users listed down and monitored, if they are not killed first.

"This is like saying a violent war on poverty has been 'successful' because thousands of poor people had 'surrendered'. Now what? There is no treatment infrastructure in place," he said.

He suggests that resources be channeled to more productive programs such as health interventions since drugs are primarily a "public health problem."

Felbab-Brown also said no war, even if sustained for a number of years, has successfully lowered the supply of drugs. Instead, she suggests a number of more effective policies for the Philippines without resorting to a witch hunt and letting the bodies pile up.

Vanda Felbab Brown, expert at Booking Institution

"The right objective should be to minimize violence in criminal markets and maximize public health. For both of those objectives, the war on drugs in the Philippines unleashed by Duterte is not only ineffective but outright counterproductive," Felbab-Brown said.

University of Maryland professor Peter Reuter, a top analyst on illegal markets, told the BBC last year that illegal drugs are a problem that can't be solved, but should instead be managed.

"Choose your problem. There is no solution. Use of psychoactive drugs is a social problem like a whole lot of other social problems. We manage it. And we may manage it better or worse, but the notion that we solve a problem is simplistic," he said.

If there is a consensus among drug policy experts, it is that the existence of a drug market only points to larger, more serious concerns that gave rise to narcotics trade and abuse in the first place. Among these are poverty, poor public health systems and weak rule of law.

The paradox is that the means used to confront the drug menace in the past decades, most recently in the Philippines, usually involve human rights violations that, experts say, further corrode rule of law and vilification of drug users who are mostly poor, underemployed or sick. Its long-term effects, looking at experience of other countries, involve worsening of the very troubles drugs are feared to create.

A national household survey by the Dangerous Drugs Board in 2008 found that more than a third of drug users in the country were unemployed. While that might not seem striking, the unemployment rate then was at 7.3 percent, indicating that drug users are a lot more likely to be jobless.

The mass killings in the Philippines will not dry up demand for drugs.

Duterte himself responded to critics who complained that only the small fry have been subjected to police efforts. The rich, he said, use less potent heroin and cocaine, while the poor take meth or "shabu" that could potentially reduce them to a bestial state.

"There are many poor people (arrested and killed) because they are an easy target," Duterte said.

Collins said Duterte's current strategy "will not work on its own merits, since it is entirely unscientific or public health based."

He said already overflowing prisons will be more packed while camps without treatment facilities will be put up to intern those who surrendered. These can lead to more problems.

"The health and welfare conditions in these facilities will go from bad to worse. Disease will spread. Drug markets will likely become established within them. And individuals will lose existing ties with their communities. These are the opposite of the conditions needed to help people with drug dependence issues," Collins said.

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John McAfee: Verge (XVG) is the Best Buy; XVG Price …

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It appears that Verge currency is ready to take off and possibly join the big leagues after renowned entrepreneur and businessman John McAfee mentioned it in one of his recent Tweets, even going as far as to call it the best buy.

McAfee is a vocal advocate of cryptocurrencies and believes that privacy-centric coins, such as Monero, Zcash and Verge are going to go big in the future as governments scramble to get a grip on cryptocurrency transactions around the globe.

Getting mentioned in the same sentence as Monero and Zcash, and that too from someone like John McAfee, did wonders for Verge, which shot up from 55 Satoshi on December 13 to its current price of around 117 Satoshi.

McAfees recommendation even threw some people off, who may have thought he mentioned it accidentally, instead of other, more popular coins. However, he not only clarified that he was talking about XVG, he went on to call it the best buy.

Verge cryptocurrency may not be as well known as other privacy-centric coins, but its been supported by a very passionate community and their efforts, coupled with recent development progress have started to show results as Verge gains traction.

Verge has a very big year ahead. 2018 is going to be filled with new releases, partnerships and privacy software.

One of the biggest supporters of Verge is XVG Whale, and this October he actually took a trip to see John McAfee and shared his experience on Youtube. His discussion with McAfee about Verge may have also played a major part in getting the famous entrepreneur to recommend the coin.

Last month, however, Verge holders who used the CoinPouch wallet app, received bad news, as the wallet got hacked, and it is still unclear as to whether the users will be able to recover their coins, which at the time were worth 84.5 Bitcoin.

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Drugs.com – Official Site

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[Posted 02/05/2018]ISSUE: The FDA is evaluating recent reports of venous thromboembolism (VTE), including pulmonary embolism (PE), in patients who received autologous immune cell therapy with the CELLEX Photopheresis System by Therakos, Inc. The onset of these events typically occurred during, or shortly after, active treatment sessions.Since 2012,...

Posted today in Medical

-- Sinusitis occurs when the lining of the hollow passages in your cheeks, forehead or below your eyes become inflamed.When swelling persists for more than two weeks, it may signal a sinus infection.The American Rhinologic Association mentions these typical symptoms of sinusitis:Nasal obstruction or congestion.Thick and discolored drainage.Decreased...

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-- A persistent cough may transmit an illness and keep you up at night, but there are things you can do to help tame your discomfort, the U.S. National Library of Medicine says.A cough may be triggered by conditions including asthma, allergy, the common cold, a lung infection and sinusitis with postnasal drip.The agency suggests how to ease your...

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Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:Former CDC Chief Warns of Dangers of Cuts to Agency FundingThe Trump administration's funding cuts to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention programs to prevent epidemics in other countries could pose a serious risk to the U.S., the former...

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If your child is among the 10 percent of kids with asthma, you want to do everything you can to control it.Start by working with your child's allergist to identify his or her unique asthma triggers and ways to avoid them.Common asthma triggers include:Secondhand smoke from cigarettes, wood-burning stoves and campfires,Pet dander from furry...

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More U.S. children may be living with brain damage from prenatal drinking than experts have thought, a new study suggests.The study of four U.S. communities found that at least 1 percent to 5 percent of first-graders had a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, or FASD.The prevalence ranged depending on the community. And when the researchers used a less-strict...

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Most dogs are excited to hear the words "Want to go for a walk?" But one-third of pug dogs have an abnormal gait, and this may be a more serious health problem for this breed than previously thought, researchers say.The finding was based on survey responses from 550 owners of pugs registered with the Swedish Kennel Club. All dogs were 1, 5 or 8 years...

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People born with a hole in their heart face an increased risk for stroke after surgery, a new study finds.This common type of birth defect -- known as patent foramen ovale (PFO) -- is a hole between the upper chambers of the heart that does not close after birth."We already knew that a PFO increases the risk of a second stroke in people who have previously...

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Hospital wastewater systems may play a role in antibiotic resistance, a new study suggests.U.S. National Institutes of Health researchers collected samples from pipes beneath a hospital's intensive care unit and from manholes covering sewers draining hospital wastewater.Most of the samples tested positive for bacterial plasmids (ring-shaped pieces...

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When it comes to mumps prevention, an extra jab may do the trick.During a mumps outbreak, doctors can provide an optional third dose of mumps vaccine, according to the 2018 recommended immunization schedule from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).This recommendation was clarified last October by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...

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We are proud to announce that Drugs.com has been awarded a Silver Award for Best Consumer General Health Site in the 2017 eHealthcare Leadership Awards. Jane Weber Brubaker, chair of the eHealthcare Leadership Awards, notes that Winners range from small and large healthcare provider organizations, to business-to-business and medical device companies, but they share these []

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The team at Drugs.com is humbled and heartened to have been recognized as the Health Information Website Brand of the Year in the 2017 Harris Poll EquiTrend Study. The annual Harris Poll EquiTrend Study measures and compares a brands health over time and against key competitors. Other categories measured include travel, financial, automotive and entertainment. []

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REMS Overview Fact: Prescription drugs are complicated, and they are getting more complicated every day. Issues with complex drugs and side effects is not just a concern for the healthcare provider, it directly impacts the patient and caregiver, too. Weve all heard the long list of adverse effects and warnings that unfold during a primetime []

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Ethereum Price Forecast: Crypto Hits 3-Month Low as Senate Hearings Begin

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Ethereum News Update
It is no surprise that Ethereum prices fell 5.5% on Tuesday morning, given that U.S. senators will place cryptocurrencies under the microscope today.

More specifically, the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs will hear testimony from two of the most important regulators on the planet: Jay Clayton of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and J. Christopher Giancarlo from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

Together, Clayton and Giancarlo oversee cryptocurrencies within the U.S.

Both have launched lawsuits against shady crypto organizations, while also stressing the need for continued innovation. It is.

The post Ethereum Price Forecast: Crypto Hits 3-Month Low as Senate Hearings Begin appeared first on Profit Confidential.

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Chaos Emerald of Immortality – Sonic News Network

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This object exists primarily within the Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog continuity.Information in this article may not be canonical to the storyline of the games or any other Sonic continuity.

The Chaos Emerald of Immortality being worn by Robotnikhotep.

The Chaos Emerald of Immortality is an object that appears in the Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog television series. It is one of the four magical Chaos Emeralds sought after by Dr. Robotnik in the Quest for the Chaos Emeralds Saga.

The Chaos Emerald of Immortality grants its wearer the ability to live forever. Additionally physical damage inflicted upon the wearer is rendered ineffective.

The Chaos Emerald of Immortality is kept in the Pyramid of Robotnikhotep I located in ancient Mobigypt. The mummy of Robotnikhotep literally wears the Emerald around his neck inside of his coffin. It grants him eternal life, but when he takes it off and gives it to Dr. Robotnik he turns to dust. With the help of a Mummified Hedgehog, Sonic is able to defeat Robotnik and return the Emerald to its rightful wearer.[1]

Later Robotnik returns to the Pyramid and steals the Emerald from Robotnikhotep once again. This, along with the other three emeralds transforms Robotnik into Supreme High Robotnik. However he is soon defeated and the Chaos Emerald of Immortality is returned to Mobigypt.[2]

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Best PhD Degrees in Biotechnology 2018

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Biotechnology is the science that exists at the intersection where the natural, living world meets market demands for products useful to the human species. Biotechnology specialists work in several key areas, including medicine, agriculture, food technology, biological engineering, biodegredation and education. With a PhD in Biotechnology, a graduate is highly qualified to work in a supervisory position at a number of publicly and privately funded organizations, laboratories, companies and institutions. Furthermore, a PhD in Biotechnology program will press candidates to take on intellectual and professional challenges that will prepare them for success in tackling any problem in their working careers.

PhD in Biotechnology programs are offered by universities and institutions of higher learning all across the world, from Malaysia to the USA. PhD candidates generally work for several hours in the laboratory, but also balance this time with teaching or assisting professors, writing or collaborating on scholarly articles and assisting colleagues with other research projects. Through independent research culminating in a dissertation, which is peer-reviewed and published, PhD in Biotechnology candidates are given the opportunity to pursue their own research interests and enhance their practical knowledge in a supportive, well-facilitated setting.

To learn more about the opportunities for enrolling in a PhD in Biotechnology, simply scroll down and click to read more.

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Best PhD Degrees in Biotechnology 2018

StemGenex – Stem Cell Therapy, Stem Cell Treatments, Stem …

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Multiple sclerosis (or MS) is a degenerative disease involving the deterioration of nerve cells. MS attacks the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves.

Autoimmune diseases are conditions in which the patients immune system generates cellular and antibody responses to substances and tissues normally present in the body.

In each condition there is chronic obstruction of the flow of air through the airways and out of the lungs, and the obstruction generally is permanent and may be progressive over time.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the bodys own tissues, specifically the synovium, a thin membrane lining the joints. As a result, joint fluid builds up, causing pain in the joints and inflammation thats systemic.

Parkinson's disease is a chronic progressive neurological disease that affects nerve cells (neurons) in an area of the brain known as the substantia nigra.

Osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease, is the most common type of arthritis. It is caused by the degradation of a joints cartilage.

With the onset of Alzheimers disease, information transfer at the synapses (the connection between the nerve cells and extensions) starts to break down, and the number of synapses decreases significantly.

Diabetes is the condition in which the body does not properly process food for use as energy. When you have diabetes, your body either doesn't make enough insulin or can't use its own insulin as well as it should.

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StemGenex - Stem Cell Therapy, Stem Cell Treatments, Stem ...

Talk:Extropianism – Wikipedia

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Meliorism?[edit]

Should contain link or reference to meliorist/meliorism?

I can read through this article and follow the external links and I still don't know exactly what Extropianism or extropy mean. Can someone come up with a concise one-sentence definiton?

The first paragraph should have something like:

"Extropianism, also referred to as extropy, is a philosophical viewpoint within transhumanism, describing a conscious, pro-active self-directed approach to human evolution and progress. It is defined by a set of principles blah blah blah ..."

I'm only guessing in this case. I think that's what it is, but I don't know. There needs to be something like that though. Take a look at Humanism, Progressivism or Socialism. They all manage to give a concise definition right from the beginning. The rest of the article then fleshes out that definition.--?Pucktalk? 12:19, 12 January 2006 (UTC)

- Yeah, I've got to agree here. This article reads like the authors head is slowly disappearing up one of his orifices. How can this be cleaned up in well-written and clear english, while explaining key terms along the way? AdamSebWolf 00:34, 6 May 2007 (UTC)

I understand Extropianism to describe a fulfillment of the human condition anticipated by transhumanism; a consummating consilience of a rich history of transhuman work and thought, rather than a splintered sect within that tradition. When I call myself an extropian, I am not evangelizing for a transhuman denomination, I am not advancing a doctrine; rather, I mean that I Am Part of Making the Posthuman Condition Happen, Right Now. I am careful to say "a" fulfillment rather than "the" fulfillment, because beyond the extropians there will be stages of evolution that we cannot yet imagine; regardless of how intimidating one's endowment in the frontal lobe.

Responsible futurists understand that We Just Can't Know how transhumanism will actually play out. We can, however, express an abiding confidence in the fact that it will play, indeed is playing out, and within that merry happenstance we are committed to Being Ever Present; maintaining engaged minds, productive imaginations, and transcendent hopes aligned with the best case scenarios for human longevity and evolution.

An important difference between transhuman theory and extropian practice, as I understand it, is the active commitment to Being There and Making It Happen. Personally, I do not believe we are merely theorizing as earlier transhumanists, of necessity, were resource-bound to do. Forty years ago, when F.M. Esfandiary introduced the idea of transitional humans, even those who agreed with him rightly suspected that they would not survive quite long enough to make the transition. As extropians, we expect to be part of the transhuman migration and are in one sense self-selecting guinea pigs saying "pick me" for the implants, the neuroprosthetics, the gangly first-generation meat-machine interfaces that the average risk-averse human would actually eschew in favor of death.

Accordingly, one might suggest that we would be well advised to A.) begin with Max More's own definition and B.) incorporate PuckSmith's laudable petition for clarity. One suggestion:

"Extropianism, also referred to as extropy, is an evolving framework of values and standards for continuously improving the human condition. Extropianism describes a pragmatic consilience of transhumanist thought guided by a conscious, pro-active, self-directed approach to human evolution and progress."

--metavalent 05:57, 29 March 2006 (UTC)

http://www.extropy.com/future.htm

NEXT STEPS - Extropy Institute is closing its doors and opening a window for a proactive future.

Dear Members of Extropy Institute and new core group network,

This letter is an announcement of the events taking place at Extropy Institute as a result of its Strategic Plan 2006. A copy of the Plan is included for your review. The Plan identifies some factors that ExI's Board has considered in assessing the future of ExI and the best possible course of action to take for ExI, its members, and other stakeholders.

The Past. ExI was formed in 1990 by Max More and Tom Bell with a mission to bring great minds together to incubate ideas about emerging technologies, life extension and the future. ExI's goals were to (1) develop an elegant, focused philosophy for transhumanism-the philosophy of "Extropy"; (2) encourage discussions and debates on improving the human condition; and (2) develop a culture for activists, energized and devoted to bringing these ideas to the public. The initiatives which realized these goals are (1) Extropy: the Journal of Transhumanist Thought; Principles of Extropy; Extro Conferences 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5; public forums such as the famed "extropians" and "extropy-chat" email lists; public presentations in the news, radio, televised documentaries, talk shows, and films; and the VP Summit of 2004 addressing the backlash from conservatives against technological advancements.

The Present. ExI deems its mission as essentially completed. With this said, and in respect for Extropy Institute's legacy of achievement, the Board voted and has unanimously agreed to close Extropy Institute's doors.

Extropy Institute's website is being memorialized by turning it into a reference "Library of Transhumanism, Extropy, and the Future," -the beginnings, currents, and future of Transhumanism.

On behalf of our members, I would like to thank Max for authoring the philosophy of Extropy1 and for his many efforts in working with others to steer the philosophical development of transhumanism, which is truly treasured by so many people in so many places.

The Future. As you will see by reviewing the Strategic Plan, the Proactionary Principle stands first and foremost as the concept with the most potential for being of great service to humanity and transhumanity as we go forward. The Proactionary Principle (ProP) can help society by bridging the growing gap between conservative views and progress-oriented views, and educating society about the future. Meeting these two challenges by providing an active course of action can be of tremendous benefit to us all.

In respect for the philosophy of Extropy and the Principles of Extropy, the Board of Extropy Institute believes that Extropy Institute has served its mission and achieved its goals and, in practicing the Principles of Extropy, our next step is to focus on developing worldwide awareness of the ProP and a network for proactive futures.

With my most sincere thanks for your support,

Natasha Vita-More Extropy Institute, President

--Loremaster 12:28, 3 May 2006 (UTC)

I'm moving this to talk for now as it smells of original research:--Eloquence* 22:59, 23 July 2006 (UTC)

Many participants in the Transhumanist community criticize various members of the community as self-promoters who spend too much time attempting to claim credit for achievements or coining a term rather than making legitimate progress towards the goals and objectives of Transhumanism. For instance, note that the Transhumanism article on Wikipedia spends as much time discussing the history of Transhumanism and assigning credit for various achievements to various people as it does describing the actual philosophy and objectives of Transhumanism. It is felt by many Bioconservatives, and more moderate Transhumanists, that this is a heavy restriction which holds the movement back from attaining its objectives as efficiently as it would prefer. Though Transhumanists assert that this is something to be countered, Bioconservatives generally feel that it is endemic and inherent to a movement which, so they believe, is based entirely upon self-aggrandizement.

seems to me that given this is a similar subject some reference would be in order, though i'm not confident enough of the respective definitions to do this myself JavaByte 19:02, 9 May 2007 (UTC)

with Extropy as these two articles seem to be about the same thing. Xme (talk) 19:15, 12 September 2009 (UTC)

Not exactly. When Perry Metzger (not Max or Tom) started "extropians", the Institute did not yet exist, if I remember right; the list was conceived for fans of the magazine. Tamfang (talk) 06:10, 7 October 2010 (UTC)

I think that "extropism" should redirect to that specific section under the extropianism article, instead of just redirecting to the beginning of that article (I typed this: [[1]], to no avail). I tried to change it myself but didn't realize that only administrators have this power. Thanks. Shanoman (talk) 03:33, 17 August 2012 (UTC)

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Blockchain: The Complete Guide | WIRED

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Depending on who you ask, blockchains are either the most important technological innovation since the internet or a solution looking for a problem.

The original blockchain is the decentralized ledger behind the digital currency bitcoin. The ledger consists of linked batches of transactions known as blocks (hence the term blockchain), and an identical copy is stored on each of the roughly 200,000 computers that make up the bitcoin network. Each change to the ledger is cryptographically signed to prove that the person transferring virtual coins is the actual owner of those coins. But no one can spend their coins twice, because once a transaction is recorded in the ledger, every node in the network will know about it.

DigiCash was founded by David Chaum to create a digital-currency system that enabled users to make untraceable, anonymous transactions. It was perhaps too early for its time. It went bankrupt in 1998, just as ecommerce was finally taking off.

E-gold was a digital currency backed by real gold. The company was plagued by legal troubles, and its founder Douglas Jackson eventually pled guilty to operating an illegal money-transfer service and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Cryptographers Wei Dai (B-money) and Nick Szabo (Bit-gold) each proposed separate but similar decentralized currency systems with a limited supply of digital money issued to people who devoted computing resources.

Now a cryptocurrency, Ripple started out as a system for exchanging digital IOUs between trusted parties.

RPOW was a prototype of a system for issuing tokens that could be traded with others in exchange for computing intensive work. It was inspired in part by Bit-gold and created by bitcoin's second user, Hal Finney.

The idea is to both keep track of how each unit of the virtual currency is spent and prevent unauthorized changes to the ledger. The upshot: No bitcoin user has to trust anyone else, because no one can cheat the system.

Other digital currencies have imitated this basic idea, often trying to solve perceived problems with bitcoin by building new cryptocurrencies on new blockchains. But advocates have seized on the idea of a decentralized, cryptographically secure database for uses beyond currency. Its biggest boosters believe blockchains can not only replace central banks but usher in a new era of online services outside the control of internet giants like Facebook and Google. These new-age apps would be impossible to censor, advocates say, and would be more answerable to users.

Several companies are already taking advantage of the Ethereum platform, initially built for a virtual currency. The startup Storj offers a file-storage service, banking on the idea that distributing files across a decentralized network is safer than putting all your files in one cabinet.

Meanwhile, despite the fact that bitcoin was originally best known for enabling illicit drug sales over the internet, blockchains are finding acceptance in some of the world's largest companies. Some big financial services companies, including JP Morgan and the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, are experimenting with blockchains and blockchain-like technologies to improve the efficiency of trading stocks and other assets. Traders buy and sell stocks rapidly, but the behind-the-scenes process of transferring ownership of those assets can take days. Some technologists believe blockchains could help with that.

There are also potential applications for blockchains in the seemingly boring world of corporate compliance. After all, storing records in an immutable ledger is a pretty good way to assure auditors that those records haven't been tampered with.

It's too early to say which experiments will work out or whether the results of successful experiments will resemble the bitcoin blockchain. But the idea of creating tamper-proof databases has captured the attention of everyone from anarchist techies to staid bankers.

The original bitcoin software was released to the public in January 2009. It was open source software, meaning anyone could examine the code and reuse it. And many have. At first, blockchain enthusiasts sought to simply improve on bitcoin. Litecoin, another virtual currency based on the bitcoin software, seeks to offer faster transactions.

One of the first projects to repurpose the bitcoin code to use it for more than currency was Namecoin, a system for registering ".bit" domain names. The traditional domain-name management systemthe one that helps your computer find our website when you type wired.comdepends on a central database, essentially an address book for the internet. Internet-freedom activists have long worried that this traditional approach makes censorship too easy, because governments can seize a domain name by forcing the company responsible for registering it to change the central database. The US government has done this several times to shut sites accused of violating gambling or intellectual-property laws.

Namecoin tries to solve this problem by storing .bit domain registrations in a blockchain, which theoretically makes it impossible for anyone without the encryption key to change the registration information. To seize a .bit domain name, a government would have to find the person responsible for the site and force them to hand over the key.

Ethereum and other blockchain-based projects have raised funds through a controversial practice called an "initial coin offering," or ICO: The creators of new digital currencies sell a certain amount of the currency, usually before theyve finished the software and technology that underpins it. The idea is that investors can get in early while giving developers the funds to finish the tech.The catch is that these offerings have traditionally operated outside the regulatory framework meant to protect investors, although thats starting to change as more governments examine the practice.

Bitcoins software wasnt designed to handle other types of applications. In 2013, a startup called Ethereum published a paper outlining an idea that promised to make it easier for coders to create their own blockchain-based software without having to start from scratch, without relying on the original bitcoin software. In 2015 the company released its platform for building smart contracts, software applications that can enforce an agreement without human intervention. For example, you could create a smart contract to bet on tomorrows weather. You and your gambling partner would upload the contract to the Ethereum network and then send a little digital currency, which the software would essentially hold in escrow. The next day, the software would check the weather and then send the winner their earnings. At least two major "prediction markets" have been built on the platform, enabling people to bet on more interesting outcomes, such as which political party will win an election.

So long as the software is written correctly, there's no need to trust anyone in these transactions. But that turns out to be a big catch. In 2016 a hacker made off with about $50 million worth of Ethereum's custom currency intended for a democratized investment scheme where investors would pool their money and vote on how to invest it. A coding error allowed a still unknown person to make off with the virtual cash. Lesson: It's hard to remove humans from transactions, with or without a blockchain.

Even as cryptography geeks plotted to use blockchains to topple, or at least bypass, big banks, the financial sector began its own experiments with blockchains. In 2015, some of the largest financial institutions in the world, including JP Morgan, the Bank of England, and the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), announced that they would collaborate on open source blockchain software under the name Hyperledger. Several pieces of software have been released under the Hyperledger umbrella, including Sawtooth, created by Intel for building custom blockchains.

The industry is already experimenting with using blockchains to make security trades more efficient. Nasdaq OMX, the company behind the Nasdaq stock exchange, began allowing private companies to use blockchains to manage shares in 2015, starting with a company called Chain. Similarly, the Australian Securities Exchange announced a deal to use blockchain technology from a Goldman Sachs-backed startup called Digital Asset Holdings to power the post-trade processes of Australias equity market.

Despite the blockchain hypeand many experimentstheres still no "killer app" for the technology beyond currency speculation. And while auditors might like the idea of immutable records, as a society we don't always want records to be permanent.

Blockchain proponents admit that it could take a while for the technology to catch on. After all, the internet's foundational technologies were created in the 1960s, but it took decades for the internet to become ubiquitous.

That said, the idea could eventually show up in lots of places. For example, your digital identity could be tied to a token on a blockchain. You could then use that token to log in to apps, open bank accounts, apply for jobs, or prove that your emails or social-media messages are really from you. Future social networks might be built on connected smart contracts that show your posts only to certain people or enable people who create popular content to be paid in cryptocurrencies. Perhaps the most radical idea is using blockchains to handle voting. The team behind the open source project Soverign built a platform that organizations, companies, and even governments can already use to gather votes on a blockchain.

Advocates believe blockchains can help automate many tasks now handled by lawyers or other professionals. For example, your will might be stored in a blockchain. Or perhaps your will could be a smart contract that will automatically dole out your money to your heirs. Or maybe blockchains will replace notaries.

It's also entirely possible that blockchains will evolve into something completely different. Many of the financial industry's experiments involve "private" blockchains that run on servers within a single company and selected partners. In contrast, anyone can run bitcoin or Ethereum software on their computer and view all of the transactions recorded on the networks respective blockchains. But big companies prefer to keep their data in the hands of a few employees, partners, and perhaps regulators.

Bitcoin proved that its possible to build an online service that operates outside the control of any one company or organization. The task for blockchain advocates now is proving that thats actually a good thing.

This guide was last updated on January 31, 2018.

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Nsa in Memphis, TN with Reviews – YP.com

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When I went to pay to get my car back, I saw that they had taken my wheel off of my car. They said that it "fell off" however, the lugs were missing, which means that it was purposely taken off. The woman in the office was extremely rude and rushed me. She had major attitude and tried to get me to sign a paper without giving me a chance to read it first. I paid to have it towed to an auto shop, but the woman wouldn't dispatch a tow truck for me. I had to wait 15 minutes and ask again for her to do so, but again she had major attitude. Also, they messed with my passenger hub bearing. Thanks to Bartlett Towing I now have a broken axle, roter, and strut. I also have slight frame damage, which they are denying having anything to do with. Also, I am sure they tried to file for a Lost Title paper on my car. DO NOT use Bartlett Towing, unless you are willing to have your car stripped and deal with extremely low non-existent professionalism.

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Ripple Price Prediction: Clues That Point to an XRP Renaissance

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Ripple News Update
January was a crushingly bad month for cryptocurrencies. Whether you want to judge it against past years, months, weeks—it doesn’t matter. January was simply awful.

But fast-forward a few years. Does it still look as bad?

Bitcoin topped $1,000 in its early years. Then it crashed to almost nothing. Watching it happen was like watching Armageddon in slow motion...except it didn’t last very long. Bitcoin prices recovered—they are trading above $7,500 today.
Ripple (XRP) Price Chart.

The post Ripple Price Prediction: Clues That Point to an XRP Renaissance appeared first on Profit Confidential.

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Victoria, Seychelles – Wikipedia

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Victoria is the capital city of Seychelles and is situated on the north-eastern side of Mah island, the archipelago's main island. The city was first established as the seat of the British colonial government. In 2010, the population of Greater Victoria (including the suburbs) was 26,450 out of the country's total population of 90,945.[2]

The principal exports of Victoria are vanilla, coconuts, coconut oil, fish and guano.[3]

Attractions in the city include a clocktower modelled on that of Vauxhall Clock Tower in London, England,[3][4] the Courthouse, the Victoria Botanical Gardens, the Victoria National Museum of History, the Victoria Natural History Museum and the Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market.[3] Victoria Market and the brightly coloured fish and fruit markets are the local hotspot for the Seychellois people. Also nearby is the gallery of local artist Georges Camille.

The city is home to the national stadium, the International School Seychelles and a polytechnic.

Victoria is served by Seychelles International Airport, completed in 1971.[3] The inner harbour lies immediately east of the town, where tuna fishing and canning forms a major local industry.[3] One of the largest bridges in Victoria was destroyed by tsunami waves from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.[4]

The area that would become Victoria was originally settled in 1778 by French colonists after they claimed the island in 1756, but it was not until after the Treaty of Paris of 1814 was signed that the British formally established Victoria and gave it its modern name.[5][6]

Victoria proper is composed of parts of three Districts of Seychelles:

Greater Victoria encompasses these three, and five more of the 25 Districts of Seychelles as follows:

Victoria is twinned with:

Victoria features a tropical rainforest climate (Kppen climate classification Af) with high temperatures throughout the course of the year. The capital does have noticeably wetter and drier periods during the year, with June and July being its driest months and December through February being the city's wettest months. However, since in no month does the average monthly precipitation falls below 60mm in Victoria, the city does not have a true dry season month. This lack of a true dry season month is a primary reason why the climate falls under the tropical rainforest climate category. The capital averages about 2,000mm of precipitation annually. Although being very rainy, skies are usually clear to partly clear and completely cloudy days remain scarce throughout the year even during the rainiest months.

Coordinates: 43700S 552700E / 4.6167S 55.4500E / -4.6167; 55.4500

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Victoria, Seychelles - Wikipedia

World Pantheism – The online community for scientific pantheists

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This community is the bestplace to find and network with fellow scientific pantheists locally, nationally and globally. Here you can express, inspire and take action for Nature and the planet, human and animal rights, and respect for science. You can explore aspects of practical living from a pantheist point of view and plan activities and gatherings. This community is life and Earth-focused, notsuitable for religious or abstract debate.

This community differs from Facebook in worthwhile ways. Our insights and shares don't vanish down the timeline: they stay for us to learn from. You can join a local group here easily. More groups are created as needed - suggest one HERE. You can search for and friend members near you. You can join many groups for various life stages,health & fitness, healthy eating,nature, interestsandcauses. If a group you are interested in is inactive - post something interestingand start it rolling!

Pleaseadd a photo it makes a huge difference! Introduce yourself in theCommon Room.We suggest you turn off notificationsexcept the ones you want to see.Scroll down to see the latest activity!For more details about scientific pantheism, visitwww.pantheism.net.

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World Pantheism - The online community for scientific pantheists

Stem Cell Therapy | Neuropathy and Pain Centers of Texas

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At Neuropathy & Pain Centers of Texas three convenient locations, including Fort Worth, non-invasive medical procedures are the mainstay of our practice. Using the most up to date techniques, our staff treats patients as whole people, providing a comprehensive diagnostic assessment in order to design a customized strategy for relief from medical concerns in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The technology has advanced to a point that, at Neuropathy & Pain Centers of Texas, we apply stem cell treatments designed to help our patients attain their wellness goals and achieve a higher quality of life.

For instance, until recently, treatment options for people with osteoarthritis of the knee were limited. Steroid injections, joint replacement surgery, and physical therapy were often the only treatment options. Now, regenerative injections for knee osteoarthritis are available at Neuropathy & Pain Centers of Texas. Regenerative cellular therapy also has applications for treating Achilles tendonitis, rotator cuff tendonitis, and degenerative arthritis.

Stem cell research has made it so these injections work with the bodys natural ability to heal itself. Unlike treatments that simply address the symptoms, stem cell therapy actually promotes repair of the body, restoring degenerated tissue. Stem cell injections also contain hyaluronan, which eases pain and restores mobility by lubricating joints and tendons. This therapy fits well with Neuropathy & Pain Centers of Texass integrated approach to wellness, addressing the source of issues, rather than just treating the symptoms. To learn if youre a candidate for stem cell therapy, contact one of our locations, including Fort Worth to get more info and set up a free consultation with one of our specialists.

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