text:
Basics Of Bitcoin
Bitcoin For Beginners
Bitcoin Frauds And Crimes
Strategy For Bitcoin
[ January 17, 2021 ] Ingenious Blockchain Solutions To Enterprises Through Smart Contracts	Blockchain
[ January 17, 2021 ] Why The Future Of Altcoins Hinge On This Month's Close	Altcoin
[ January 17, 2021 ] IMF Says Only 23% of Central Banks Can Legally Issue Digital Currencies	Bitcoin
[ January 17, 2021 ] Marathon Patent Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:MARA), PayPal Holdings (NASDAQ:PYPL) – Will Bitcoin Or Ethereum Grow More By 2022?	Ethereum
HomeMoneroA Different Kind of Virus
A Different Kind of Virus
December 29, 2020 John Monero 0
As if dealing with COVID-19 were not enough, 2020 turned out to be a banner year for another troublesome strain of virus— ransomware. Malicious actors grew more sophisticated, daring and brutal. They also hit a number of high-profile targets.
For those of you who didn't keep up with all of the developments in the ransomware space, we've broken down some of the most important events and trends of the year here.
Growing in Scale and Scope, More Leakware
Unfortunately, ransomware has proven to be a very effective way for criminals to make money, so it's not surprising that it's gaining popularity. For example, the United States saw a 139% year-over-year jump in ransomware attacks by the end of Q3.
Leakware in particular is growing especially quickly. Unlike traditional ransomware, which only encrypts data, "leakware" also steals sensitive data in plaintext before it encrypts it. The ransomware actors then threaten to release the sensitive data to the public if the victims don't pay up.
Some of the big names who fell victim to extortion this year include a New York law firm that represents celebrities like Lady Gaga, Madonna, and Elton John. After the firm refused to pay up, the attackers auctioned off sensitive data belonging to Madonna for $1 million USD.
Auctions are just one example of how ransomware gangs deployed new methods for blackmailing their victims. There was also increasing use of social media, blogs and the dark web to spread sensitive data. One gang even published Facebook ads advertising a leak to try to intimidate a victim into giving in to their demands.
Additionally, there's a security dimension to the rising tide of data leaks. Defense contractor Westech International's systems were compromised this year. This is alarming news since they produce intercontinental ballistic missiles designed for delivering nuclear weapons— not exactly the kind of data you want getting into the hands of criminals.
Furthermore, 2020 stood out for a rather grim milestone — the first ransomware-related murder investigation. A woman in need of critical care died when a hospital in Germany was paralyzed by a ransomware attack and her ambulance had to be routed to another hospital 30 km away.
Overall, attacks in 2020 not only became more numerous but also more damaging; the average ransom amount demanded increased from ~$110,000 in Q1 of 2020 to ~$170,000 in Q3.
Specialization and Franchises
One of the reasons ransomware attacks became so much more dangerous this year is due to different groups of nefarious individuals specializing in certain aspects of ransomware attacks. For example, 2020 saw an increase in so-called ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) software.
This is a business model where a dedicated team of programmers works with teams of malicious actors who specialize in finding exploits or breaking into systems by phishing attacks.
The ransomware developers make their money by taking a percentage of the profit, and the affiliate that breaks into the system makes more money since the software has special features and updates that make it harder to detect. It's a win-win — except for the victim, of course.
Sodinokibi was the most prolific RaaS gang in 2020, followed by the Phobos and Dharma groups.
Honor Among (Some) Thieves
A number of ransomware gangs, including DoppelPaymer and Maze, made promises not to shut down emergency services or healthcare facilities during the COVID pandemic. Others, however, made no such promises. Notably, the Ryuk gang continued to target healthcare facilities.
It's unclear if those gangs that decided to spare healthcare services are doing so out of concern for people's health or because they are aware that they might become a higher priority for law enforcement if they do.
In any case, healthcare facilities will continue to be attractive targets for those malicious actors who are willing to attack them, as the urgency of medical services means hospital administrations may be more willing to pay ransoms.
Increasing Use of Anonymous Cryptocurrencies
Bitcoin has long been the favorite currency for ransomware gangs, but it comes with some drawbacks. Bitcoin transactions are fully transparent, so it is possible to trace transactions and identify funds that were gained through digital crime.
The Sodinokibi ransomware gang made headlines early this year when they started to demand ransom payments in Monero, an alternative cryptocurrency with added privacy and anonymity features.
The use of Monero makes it considerably more difficult for law enforcement to investigate ransomware attacks, although there are efforts underway to crack Monero's privacy features.
The U.S. firm Chainalysis has received a number of lucrative contracts with the U.S. government to assist in tracking cryptocurrency-related crime. The IRS also issued a $625,000 bounty to any researchers who can figure out a way to trace Monero transactions.
Sanctions Compliance: More for Ransomware Victims to Worry About
The United States' Office for Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) announced a regulatory crackdown in October designed to prevent ransoms from being paid to groups on the "sanctioned entities" list.
This further increases the already complex and stressful process of dealing with a ransomware attack, which has led to the rise of a growing number of ransomware response specialists.
These specialists increasingly have to combine cybersecurity skills with legal and regulatory knowledge as well as negotiation skills in order to minimize damage for ransomware victims.
Ransomware Starts Targeting Linux Servers
Until this year, the vast majority of Ransomware attacks targeted systems running Windows. In June, however, a new strain of Ransomware emerged targeting Linux servers.
The vast majority of servers run on Linux, so this considerably increases the amount of damage a single ransomware attack can do both in terms of shutting down an organization's operations and accessing sensitive data.
Phishing Attacks Becoming the Preferred Ransomware Delivery Method
Ransomware attacks are becoming increasingly targeted. In past years, many ransomware gangs searched the entire web for vulnerabilities and then preyed on anyone with weak cybersecurity practices.
As companies and organizations around the world have increased security in response to the threat, malicious actors have adapted by employing more phishing attacks.
To conduct an attack of this nature, these nefarious individuals identify potential targets and conduct extensive surveillance. They may then try to trick employees into clicking a malicious link or downloading a file containing the virus by impersonating a trusted organization or individual.
This means that it is no longer enough to just have solid cybersecurity practices— it's also necessary to train staff in best practices for avoiding phishing attacks.
For example, employees may need to verify that the individual or organization that asks them to click a link or download a file is authentic before doing so.
This presents serious challenges; in high profile cases, the attackers may hack the email of a trusted person or organization in order to impersonate them and gain the victim's trust.
The worsening ransomware situation has a lot of organizations nostalgic for the days when you could get away with lax cybersecurity. It doesn't look like those days are going to return any time soon.
Most ransomware gangs operate in countries that are unwilling to prosecute or extradite them, so even if police track down the attackers, there is little they can do to stop them. This means a political solution is required.
This means that, for now, organizations of all shapes and sizes are settling into a "new normal" of higher vigilance against phishing and generally improved cybersecurity practices.
About the Author: Jeff Stout is Chief of Business Development and Marketing at BeforeCrypt. His focus is on educating companies and individuals on the increasing threat of ransomware attacks. Jeff helps companies in reviewing and developing their cybersecurity policy to minimize their chances of being compromised.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in this guest author article are solely those of the contributor, and do not necessarily reflect those of Tripwire, Inc.
Six Blockchain Predictions for 2021 – BlockTribune
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Yung Kidd: Appreciate bro
olanht: Thank you :)
Rasathurai Sivaram: Look at this repo If u interested, put a starhttps://github.com/rcvaram/wolf_scanner
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text:
You can now download the release version of Windows 8.1, boxed option available in stores from tomorrow
by Ben Woods — in Microsoft
Microsoft's update to Windows 8.1 is now widely available to download, free for Windows 8 users, from the Windows Store.
The new software brings updates to core apps like Mail, Calendar and XBox Music but also sees the introduction of completely new ones like Health + Fitness.
Another major change for the operating system is a revamp of the Start screen, which now provides more options for customization and layout. The upgrade also finally brings side-by-side multitasking of Windows 8 apps, which was another criticism of the original Windows 8 release. You can also now boot directly to the desktop, bypassing the Start screen altogether.
While the update is free for users upgrading from Windows 8, people coming from Windows 7 will need to simply buy the Windows 8 upgrade ($119, or $199 for Windows 8 Pro) and then make the upgrade for free.
Microsoft said that in-store customers will be able to buy a boxed version of the software from tomorrow, and that PCs sold from October 18 would come with 8.1 pre-installed. If for some reason you buy a new computer and it still hasn't been updated to the newer version of the OS, you will of course be able to download it for yourself for free.
With a number of changes to the OS, you'll probably want to check out our guide to some of the newest and best features you'll find under the hood.
Featured Image Credit – Getty Images
Read next: Microsoft Windows 8.1 review: A more customizable, coherent experience with a nod to desktop diehards

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
AIM ImmunoTech Inc. to Present at the Fall Investor Summit on September 16th-17th in New York City
ACCESSWIRE September 13, 2019
OCALA, FL / ACCESSWIRE / September 13, 2019 / AIM ImmunoTech Inc. (NYSE American:AIM), an immuno-pharma company focused on the research and development of therapeutics to treat multiple types of cancers and immune-deficiency diseases - such as myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) - will be presenting at this year's Fall Investor Summit on September 16th-17th in New York City.
The Fall Investor Summit will take place at the Essex House, featuring 160 companies and over 1,000 institutional and retail investors.
About AIM ImmunoTech
AIM ImmunoTech Inc. is an immuno-pharma company focused on the research and development of therapeutics to treat multiple types of cancers. AIM's flagship products include the Argentina-approved drug rintatolimod (trade names Ampligen® or Rintamod®) and the FDA-approved drug Alferon N Injection®. Based on results of published, peer-reviewed pre-clinical studies and clinical trials, AIM believes that Ampligen® may have broad-spectrum anti-viral and anti-cancer properties. Clinical trials of Ampligen® include studies of cancer patients with renal cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma, colorectal cancer, advanced recurrent ovarian cancer and triple negative metastatic breast cancer. These and other potential uses will require additional clinical trials to confirm the safety and effectiveness data necessary to support regulatory approval and additional funding. Rintatolimod is a double-stranded RNA being developed for globally important debilitating diseases and disorders of the immune system.
Some of the statements included in this press release may be forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. For example, no assurance can be given as to whether the current or planned trials will be successful or yield favorable data and the trials are subject to many factors including lack of regulatory approval(s), lack of study drug, or a change in priorities at the institutions sponsoring other trials. In addition, initiation of planned clinical trials may not occur secondary to many factors including lack of regulatory approval(s) or lack of study drug. Even if these clinical trials are initiated, we cannot assure that the clinical studies will be successful or yield any useful data. Among other things, for forward-looking statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any forward-looking statements set forth in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. We do not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof. This press release and prior releases are available at www.aimimmuno.com. The information found on our website is not incorporated by reference into this press release and is included for reference purposes only.
Crescendo Communications, LLC
Email: aim@crescendo-ir.com
Email: James@HaydenIR.com
AIM ImmunoTech Inc.
Email: IR@aimimmuno.com
SOURCE: AIM ImmunoTech Inc
https://www.accesswire.com/559459/AIM-ImmunoTech-Inc-to-Present-at-the-Fall-Investor-Summit-on-September-16th-17th-in-New-York-City
'My story might have turned out very differently if I had been black': Michael Bloomberg
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Livingston is een plaats (census-designated place) in de Amerikaanse staat New Jersey, en valt bestuurlijk gezien onder Essex County.

Demografie
Bij de volkstelling in 2000 werd het aantal inwoners vastgesteld op 27.391.

Geografie
Volgens het United States Census Bureau beslaat de plaats een oppervlakte van
36,5 km², waarvan 36,0 km² land en 0,5 km² water.

Plaatsen in de nabije omgeving
De onderstaande figuur toont nabijgelegen plaatsen in een straal van 8 km rond Livingston.

Geboren
 Claudio Reyna (1973), voetballer
 Me'Lisa Barber (1980), atlete
 Mikele Barber (1980), atlete
 Jozy Altidore (1989), voetballer
 Connor Lade (1989), voetballer
 Bobbi Kristina Brown (1993-2015), actrice en tv-persoonlijkheid

Externe link

Plaats in New Jersey

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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text:
Q: How to get application.js which doesn't include compressed code? When I run Rails server, I want to use application.js which doesn't include compressed JavaScript code.
In my environment, a compressed one already exists in public/assets/application.js. Though I added a code as follows to development.rb, I still get application.js with compressed code.
config.assets.compress = false

Can I get it without executing rake assets:clean or deleting public/assets folder?

A: Running rake assets:clobber or rake assets:clean should help.
rake assets:clobber                     # Remove compiled assets
rake assets:clean[keep]                 # Remove old compiled assets

You probably ran assets:precompile which compiles the assets and places them at the public folder. And rails will serve any files that are present there. So cleaning it should solve your problem.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


We had a great Forensic Lunch today with our guest Arman Gungor (@armangungor) from metaspike.com, talking about his research posted on the meridian discovery blog (like this one https://www.meridiandiscovery.com/articles/email-attachment-timestamps-forensics-outlook/ ) and his work on Forensic Email Collector. Matt and I also talked about the upcoming Defcon CTF and our planned live streams from Defcon providing commentary.
There will be another Forensic Lunch next Friday 7/27/18, looking forward to seeing you then!


text:
The point of talking about reparations is to reckon with generations of racial injustice
You Are Here: Home » Blog » Reparations » The point of talking about reparations is to reckon with generations of racial injustice
HR 40 is about more than money. It's about grappling with history.
By The Christian Century —
In a widely discussed 2014 essay in the Atlantic titled "The Case for Reparations," Ta-Nehisi Coates wrote that a debate on recompensing African Americans for the injustices of slavery might locate a debt "so large it can't be imagined, let alone calculated and dispensed." Even so, Coates said, addressing the question is essential to the nation's well-being.
Rep. John Conyers Jr. of Detroit tried to get that conversation going for decades. Every year from 1989 to his retirement in 2017, Conyers introduced House bill 40, a proposal to form a commission to study the impact of slavery and to "consider a national apology and proposal for reparations for the institution of slavery, [the nation's] subsequent de jure and de facto racial and economic discrimination against African Americans, and the impact of these forces on living African Americans." The commission would also recommend "appropriate remedies." This year HR 40 was introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston, and a similar bill was introduced in the Senate by Cory Booker of New Jersey. Booker is one of several presidential candidates to endorse the legislation. Recently the center-right New York Times columnist David Brooks wrote that he had changed his mind on reparations. They would be, he writes, "a concrete gesture of respect that makes possible the beginning of a new chapter in our common life."
The idea of reparations for slavery frequently elicits assertions about the impossibility of calculating and paying a monetary debt for something that happened so long ago and involves people who are long dead. But that is not the primary thing that HR 40 is asking for. The proposed commission would study how laws and policies through the years have systematically injured African Americans and violated their rights and then make recommendations for laws and policies that would address the injuries. The debate about money is secondary to the work of grappling with history.
The conversation about reparations is about not only the history of slavery but the effects of more recent policies, including Jim Crow laws and practices, the routine denial of housing loans to black citizens and black communities, and discrimination in education. It's about how the benefits of the GI bill that were available to white military veterans were denied to black veterans. It's about the social and political mechanisms that have led to the average white person having 13 times the wealth of the average black person (a wealth gap that has persisted unchanged since 1970). This history may be complicated, but it is explicable—and concrete actions can be taken toward remedy.
It's understandable that many Americans fear opening up this conversation. We don't know where it will go or how our view of ourselves might change in the process. We have a lot to reckon with. James Baldwin wrote, "People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them." To free ourselves, we have to confront the searing injustice at the heart of our nation's story.
American HistoryCory BookerEconomic InequalityEconomic JusticeHistoryHR-40Institutional RacismJohn ConyersReparationsReparatory JusticeSheila Jackson LeeSlaverySystemic RacismTa-Nehisi CoatesU.S.
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It reminds me of the true story about the famous scientist, Albert Einstein.
Einstein was taking a trip on a train. When the clerk came through asking for everybody's ticket, Einstein couldn't find his. Worried, he quickly searched through his pockets and suitcase.
A few minutes later the ticket clerk saw Einstein still looking for his ticket.


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text:
Gov.vc
Donation of Electrical Items to the Ministry of Transport and Works
On Tuesday, March 19th, 2020, the Electrical Inspectorate Division in the Ministry of Transport, Works, Urban Development and Local Government received a donation of items from Electrum Sales Ltd. UK.
The items received were:
Crabtree Elypse Electrical Wiring Accessories Switched and Socket Outlets
Crabtree Batten Lampholders
Wylex 5 Way Consumer Units with RCD circuit protection and their associated Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCBs).
The items were donated by Electrum Sales Ltd., a UK based company and shipment was facilitated by Coreas Hazell Inc.These items will be used in the Electrical Re-inspection Project which is geared towards reducing and managing risk of electrical arch flash hazard, shock, equipment damage, fire and electrocution. The time-frame for this project is three years and it will be conducted in phases. One hundred and twenty (120) home owners are expected to benefit from the project. In the first phase, forty (40) homes will be upgraded and retrofitted to the 18th edition wiring.
Mrs. Hetlyn Francis, Electrical Inspector (Ag) on receiving the donations stated that, "the Electrical Inspectorate Division is guided by the 18th edition standard of wiring which is the latest British Standards BS 7671:2018 requirements for Electrical Installations, IET Wiring Regulations". She went on to note that, "in our society there are persons who are termed "vulnerable" or "indigent" who currently use the first edition wiring system, where their distribution boards are re-wirable fuses which can cause fires, injuries, damage to property and even death. These homes need to be upgraded and become electrically safer. Hence, these are homes which would be targeted under Phase 1 of the project."
Mrs. Francis further expressed gratitude to Electrum Sales Ltd. UK's Mr.Alistair Eaton, Export Manager and Mr. Merlyn Norville, Regional Sales Representative for the donation on behalf of the department. She also thanked Mr. Brian George of Coreas Hazels Inc. for facilitating the shipment of the items. It is believed that these items will assist in transforming the National Electrical Landscape in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
SOURCE: Electrical Inspectorate Division and Information Technology Services Division
Electrical Inspectorate Division
Lands and Surveys
Physical Planning
Mr. Hudson Nedd
PBX: (784) 456-1111 Ext. 452
Fax No: (784) 457-1289
Email: ps.mtw@gov.vc
Halifax Street
(same compound as Ministry of Education)
office.mtw@gov.vc
Website developed and managed by the
Information Technology Services Division
© 2018, Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines


As a mother, protecting your children is possibly the most important issue one can face in your life. But what happens when you need protecting from your own child because of lapses in their mental health? How could you separate your need to protect from your need for safety, and how could you build a life around that every day? For Kathy Swanson of St. Louis Park, her entire life was a dichotomy of this magnitude.
On November 15, 2010 Kathy's seventeen-year old son Michael walked into the Crossroads Convenience Store in Algona, Iowa wearing a mask. He told the cashier, Vicky Bowman-Hall, to empty the cash drawer. When Bowman-Hall said she couldn't understand him, Michael removed his mask. She began to taunt him, laughing about the inept manner in which he was robbing the store of the little money it contained. As he was about to leave with the cash, Bowman-Hall said she'd be calling the police. Michael then turned and shot the 47-year old cashier with the Beretta pistol he'd brought with him. After leaving the scene, Swanson realized he didn't have enough money to head down to Mexico to hide out, so he traveled next to Humboldt. There he robbed the Kum and Go convenience store on 8th Street, where again he shot the cashier, 61-year old Sheila Myers. Swanson's spree finally ended when police caught up with him at the McDonald's in Webster City, Iowa. He remained in jail in Kossuth County until his murder trial in summer of 2011, which garnered national attention due to the seeming lack of remorse Swanson displayed in front of the jury and the media. One of the most famous pictures from that time, captured by Andrea Melendez of the Des Moines Register (and shared with the Minneapolis Star Tribune) showed Swanson laughing in front of jury members as the judge read his guilty verdict. This apparent lack of remorse sent shockwaves throughout the Midwest, causing many anguished friends and family of the victims to lash out against this young man who, they said, clearly understood what he was doing and did not care.
Was Michael simply dead to the emotional current many of us would have felt in this horrific instance? Did he, as the prosecution argued in his murder trial, fully know and understand the consequences of his actions and carry them out anyway? After the incident, as news outlets looked into Swanson's past and his family situation, more information came to light regarding his mental health. Yet in all the anguish shed over this young man's terrible decisions, including the Iowa jury's 45-minute deliberation to put him away for life without the possibility of parole, some important signs were missed in the rush to judgement. A closer look at Michael's history shows that this young man indeed suffered from mental health issues, most prominently bipolar disorder. More important is how many times a system set up to provide relief to families dealing with these issues failed repeatedly. Also of note is the help that Michael could have received from psychiatrists at the University of Minnesota, who instead of treating him attempted to place him into a clinical drug trial instead. The possible ethical lapses in judgement within the U's Psychiatry Department, led by Charles Schultz, have received much attention over the past year, with recent spotlights being shone by former Governor Arne Carlson and the Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor, whose chief Jim Nobles released a report in March 2015 on all of this.
Michael Swanson was described to me as a "nice kid, polite and friendly" by Andrea Turgeon, an IT Systems Analyst who has known the Swanson family for a few years. Turgeon told me she noticed Mike's mental health "got worse every year" and would conclude with a big episode every six months. Ronda Wubbena-Tomasko and her husband Brandon have known the Swansons since the days when both their boys played hockey together in school. Ronda said when Mike was around eleven she would "keep my eyes on him" and "didn't trust him one hundred percent." She also told me Mike could never understand why he couldn't have what he wanted all the time, and that they "never knew which Mike" they were dealing with most days. Bob Windels, Youth Ministry Director with Gethsemane Lutheran Church in St. Louis Park, who has known the Swansons for nearly a decade, described Mike as "quiet" but said he could always get him to smile. He told me Mike "liked to laugh" and "didn't act better than others" when he attended Windels' confirmation program. All of the people who knew the Swanson family told me they witnessed the family's multiple attempts to get help through the mental health system, and none of them seemed surprised that an incident like this finally took place. Why was this allowed to happen?
The immediate questions surround where Michael was placed in the months leading up to the incident: Hennepin County Home School. Described as "a state-licensed residential treatment center for juveniles ages 13 to 20 who have been committed by the court," where these young people can experience "a safe, secure, and healthy environment on a 167-acre rural setting," Michael was first sent here in July of 2010 after several incidents in which he stole valuable items from his parents. When his parents first met with administrators, they shared Michael's previous instances of manic behavior, including hiding potential weapons around their home and stealing their car to make an out-of-state trip. Michael's mother Kathy related how she felt the need to sleep with a stick in her bed at night out of fear of her own son. She and her husband asserted that they did not want their son coming home. Michael O'Malley, the probation officer Mike had at the time, expressed his surprise that Mike was being placed at the Home School rather than in long term care. O'Malley also backed up the fact that Michael's parents did not want him to return home anytime soon.
Michael was enrolled in the Short-Term Adolescent Male Program (STAMP) at the Home School, which is termed as "a 90-120 day intervention program for low to moderate risk youth." Despite having a previous stayed court order mandating long-term treatment for this young man, he was enrolled in a shorter program nonetheless. A soft-spoken woman in her fifties with sandy-brown hair and glasses, Kathy Swanson declares that when it came to identifying or treating her son for bipolar disorder they "never did anything," but were worried about his chemical use, which is common in people with the disorder as they self-medicate. Michael did have a history of using various substances, marijuana being the most prominent, but these issues paled in comparison to his mental health. This would not be the only misdiagnosis. As we sat at her kitchen table in St. Louis Park, Kathy related to me another instance, in August of 2010, when Michael reported heart palpitations. Instead of understanding this as an anxiety attack, the Home School sent him to Hennepin County Medical Center twice; Mike returned the second time with a halter monitor strapped to his chest. This sight came as a shock to his parents, who met with him that same month at a barbeque the school was hosting, as they had not been told anything about it.
I contacted the Hennepin County Home School to discuss procedures and policies surrounding the STAMP program. I spoke with Randy Bacon, acting superintendent to discuss how the facility works with youth and their families. He confirmed that youth need a court order to attend its programs, and told me the Home School has its own contract for medical services through Corizon, which covers an on-call psychiatrist and a "mid-level mental health professional." Bacon told me that most of the youth here are between the ages of 14-17, and said that "almost all" of the youth that come here are already under probation, but may still be active in their community or going to school.
No one at the Home School deemed any of this worthy of follow up until counselors discovered what Kathy described as "weird writings" that Michael had been compiling in a notebook. By this point Mike was, according to Kathy, "breezing through the program" and had a few days remaining in his 90-day program. Michael stated to counselors that they were song lyrics that, while disturbingly sexual and violent, were mostly copied from his memory. This incident was what finally got the Home School to understand her son was dealing with some serious mental health issues and therefore would need a psychological evaluation.
The recommended medication was Abilify, which Kathy understood at the time to be an add-on medication for depression and did not know it was being used off-label as an anti-psychotic. A social worker with the Home School claimed Mike told him he'd "never had a sober day," which according to Kathy was completely untrue; he had gone months without touching any kind of drug. When she met with Senior Counselor Dan Lehnherr to review Michael's chemical use chart they discussed what Michael had said. Kathy asked him if this could be part of a manic episode. She indicated that she was still afraid to have Michael home and reiterated to him again the bizarre behavior he had shown and how she had to sleep with a stick. She told him that Michael had indicated to her that he was not on any medication and asked him why he was not on the Abilify that was recommended. Lehnherr was not aware Michael was not on the medication, and stated that they would need to discuss this with the psychiatrist at a meeting scheduled for November 3rd, when they would go over the evaluation, treatment plan and medication.
This would not be the first time a professional associated with the university had wandered into this kind of territory. Carl Elliott, a professor with an MD and PhD who works in the Bioethics Center at the U of M, told me he's witnessed this type of behavior for over a decade. A simple Google search pulls up this man's prolific career as a lone voice in the wilderness calling for the reforms needed at this institution. Maura Lerner of the Star Tribune covered his contentious opposition with the university last year, Science Magazine profiled his "lonely crusade", and he upholds a blog devoted to "fear and loathing in bioethics." He has also written numerous papers and articles, and a book on these subjects. In a phone interview Mr. Elliott said he perceives "serious problems" with "patients who were severely ill" in clinical trials like the one Dr. Jensen was trying to put Michael into. Elliott covered the Dan Markingson case extensively, telling me that young man was "pressured to be enrolled in studies." He spoke of extensive "coercion of patients" in these drug trials and about the "financial pressure of the U" on the psychiatrists responsible for these trials. He was also very critical of the number of pharmaceutical dollars "sloshing around," and said there was a "big oversight problem" at the university. I asked Carl why the U seems to be immune from oversight, and he said there is "very little external policing of research." Combine that with a lackluster Internal Review Board that essentially rubber stamps the previous doctor's findings and you get to a point of "untouchability," as he characterized it. In May the FDA concluded a second look at part of the Markingson case but still refrained from placing blame on the U of M psychologist who recruited him for the study.
Mike Howard, a friend of the Markingson family, had similar things to say in an interview conducted before the Legislative Auditor's report was released. An ex-retail consultant who has assisted Markingson's mother Mary Weiss in the wake of her son's death in a clinical trial over ten years ago, Howard described to me the web of deceit this family encountered at the Psychiatry Department. The university is "hiding behind statutory immunity," he told me as we sat around Ms. Weiss's kitchen table in Cottage Grove. He said that in the ten years since Dan's death, the U has found "zero" new information on treating mental health. He believed Charles Schulz, the former head of the department, was brought in as a "cash cow" for Big Pharma's research, saying that "money is what drives them." Howard said the biggest problem here was patient safety, which the U simply didn't consider in the Markingson case. He said despite repeated denials by the U, there was never an official exoneration by the Medical Review Board or the state Attorney General's office.
Mr. Elliott and other critics of the U would see vindication in a landmark report prepared by the Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor. Jeremy Olson, a reporter with the Star Tribune who has also reported on the Swanson case, covered the release of the report. In his story he noted that the report recommended the university cease all drug trials until previous "lapses in patient protections and ethical oversight are addressed in its psychiatry department." Olson quoted Jim Noble's staff as saying "We are especially troubled by the response of University leaders … they have made misleading statements about previous reviews and been consistently unwilling to discuss or even acknowledge that serious ethical issues and conflicts are involved." University President Eric Kaler, while still disputing some of the report, nevertheless said his school would "suspend enrollment in current and upcoming psychiatric drug studies until an independent board reviews them and informs university administrators that they can safely proceed." Arne Carlson, the former Minnesota governor who has been a tireless advocate for patients' rights in these cases, penned a recent OpEd for the StarTribune calling for Kaler's resignation, a point he also raised in a wide-ranging interview with Susan Perry of MinnPost.
All of this came too late for Michael Swanson. The fact of the matter was that Dr. Cullen's study had wrapped up by this November 2010 encounter. Dr. Jensen made no mention of this at the meeting, which was the only time Kathy Swanson said she ever spoke with him. It is her belief that Dr. Jensen was attempting to steer Mike into Cullen's trial for his own benefit rather than any help it could have provided for her son. My later research into this study revealed that Cullen's trial wasn't even receiving bipolar patients, and that she filed the results a month after Michael's fateful trip to Iowa.


TechPlay TCP2 is a great beginners turntable. Plays all your vinyl size and speeds. The Pitch control lets you adjust the speed to the exact setting. Use the headphone jack for your privet screening. With FM reception. Use the built-in speakers for your pleasure, or connect through RCA Line out to your Amplified speaker system.
LED lights , 110/240 UL listed AC adapter for use world-wide.
45RPM Adapter and dust cover included.


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better protein pharmacokinetics with a tail
A combined protein/polymer-engineering approach prolongs protein circulation and enhance drug accumulation in tumours.
Consider insulin and you will have no doubts that a protein could be a drug. As proteins are coded by a corresponding DNA, the application of recombinant DNA has been largely exploited in clinics to provide patients with therapeutic 'recombinant' proteins. Among the advantages of owing a potential pharmacon on a plasmid, and growing such a marketable molecule in cell cultures, is the possibility to engineer the drug protein to ameliorate its efficacy. Therefore, one could change few amino-acids to improve some binding activities, combine two protein moieties to obtain a new double-edged drug and so on, depending on the creativity of the medicinal chemist synthetic biologist.
Some proteins like interferon-α2a are effective against cancer, but are toxic also for other cells. Therefore, some engineering could maximize protein delivery to tumours while minimizing its bioavailibility to other organs. Gao and colleagues from Duke University, reasoned about a potential trick to do this job. The microvasculature of tumours is leaky compared with that of most normal tissues, therefore a drug complexed with a 'bulk' polymer would leak slowly from healthy microvessels, but quickly from the microvessels supplying tumours. As a proof of concept, they injected a normal green fluorescent protein in the mouse tail vein and monitored its accumulation in the tumour. Then, compared it with a second GFP in which its C-terminus was used as a docking site to grow a long polymer tail.
A post-translational protein splicing strategy was used to install a polymerization initiator at the C terminus, followed by in situ living methacrylate polymerization. The resulting 20-nm polymer–protein conjugate did indeed experience longer circulation times, and it leaked into tumours in mice 50 times more efficiently than the unmodified protein. In conclusion, the pharmacokinetic profile of therapeutic proteins could be significantly ameliorated by protein engineering.
Synthetic biology has been previously blamed to be nothing but a cool divertimento for junior scientists less serious than the senior medicinal chemist. The work of Gao and colleagues indeed demonstrate that plasmid juggling can provide us with better drugs, lets play the game again and again.
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Gao, W., Liu, W., Christensen, T., Zalutsky, M., & Chilkoti, A. (2010). In situ growth of a PEG-like polymer from the C terminus of an intein fusion protein improves pharmacokinetics and tumor accumulation Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107 (38), 16432-16437 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1006044107


Whenever I take something in to the charity shop, I have a look at the jewellery. Last week I found this beauty. It is sterling silver and cost me €1. I love jewellery with roses on so this was right up my alley.
Sterling silver jewellery often looks awful when it is tarnished but a quick dip in a silver bath and a polish with a silver cloth and it looks fantastic!
I have found some beauties in charity shops but the key is going often and being thorough when you look. This one was at the bottom of a huge plastic bucket full of tangled chains and single earrings.


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Eliminating Bad Smartphone Behavior – With Smartphones
June 9, 2013 ·	by Matt Collins ·	in mobile, mobile apps	· Leave a comment
Like the scene in "Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer" when Santa realizes that the eponymous feature he and others had treated as if it were nasal leprosy actually could be really, really useful, the idea for this blog entry came in a moment of pure annoyance.
Rudolph annoys Santa into a state of creative problem solving.
I attended my daughter's annual dance recital today. Its organizers spend months planning it and thus take it very seriously. It occurs in a high school auditorium complete with a sound and lighting crew. The studio where my daughter dances also teaches martial arts, and both disciplines come together in this performance for a mash-up of muscle flexing and elegance. It's a terrific idea that has benefits on recital day as tutus and black belts mingle to give the program real texture.
As polished and well-executed as the show was, audience behavior descended to a new low. Despite repeated requests not to take flash photography, the theater twinkled in the dark as phone users fumbled with their devices' camera function. Occasionally, instead of capturing video, some users accidentally played them back at levels that I'm sure could be heard backstage. Others were checking sports scores and email. In other words, we couldn't keep our hands off the powerful portable computers in our pockets and purses at precisely the moment when etiquette and respect called for turning them off.
My experience is hardly unique. We've all seen bad smartphone behavior. It got me thinking: what could the recital organizers have done to reduce it? Though there is no way to completely eliminate the possibility that someone will flaunt "no cellphone allowed" rules, there are some things they can do to cut down on smartphone distractions. Here are three examples of these distractions and three mobile-friendly solutions.
Problem #1: Smartphone cameras being used in a recital hall.
Solution: Make it easy for smartphone users to order professionally-captured photos and videos via a mobile-friendly website after the curtain falls, and enforce a strict no-smartphone policy in the theater during the performance.
The most common reason why smartphone users were lighting up what should have been a darkened theater was because guests wanted to take pictures and videos of their dancers and warriors. To meet this demand next year, the organizers should set up a room just for taking photos, complete with proper lighting and background, on the day of the event. Invite families to shoot there, but also open it to a professional photographer and videographer, who then will capture every kid in every number during the show and publish the photos to a mobile-friendly website immediately after it has ended. Use bar codes to link the photos and videos to every child and performance, just as Disney does with its PhotoPass program. Then, throughout the venue, place links, QR codes and NFC tags to the website where attendees purchase a package that memorializes the event.
Why it would work: Seeing a photographer and videographer take professional photos and having immediate access to their pictures will serve as a constant reminder that we in the audience do not need to take our own. For those who still decide to do it themselves, a no-exceptions policy will result in a theater experience the way it was meant to be. It also stands to become a bigger money maker for the event organizers.
Problem #2: Smartphones on the restaurant table.
Solution: Enable guests to order their drinks and meals from their mobile devices while they wait for a table.
I feel so discouraged when I see families dining out but with their noses in their smartphones. Silent glows light the air that five years ago would have been filled with conversation. Those phones tend to disappear when the food arrives because even the most hardcore user wants to keep his phone out of his french fries. So why not cut down the amount of time it takes for the food to arrive by enabling these smartphone users to place their orders while they wait for their tables?
Why it would work: Restauranteurs already know how to manage waiting areas. Many provide guests with coaster-sized transponders that vibrate and glow when a table becomes available. It wouldn't be hard to link the transponder to a customer's mobile website-enabled meal order. This would decrease the likelihood that a customer would abandon her wait while increasing the number of turns the restaurant could achieve during a service. That, in turn, would result in more money for the owners, and more time eating and less idle time for customers.
Problem #3: The dude in the front row talking on his smartphone during a baseball game.
Solution: Scoreboard slide show featuring "Hall of Shame" fans who talk on their phones during the game.
I'm actually excited about what mobile can do to improve the fan experience at sporting events. I love baseball, and I'd be thrilled to have between-inning access to the official scorer. I'd appreciate knowing which concession stand has just beer, where I can get a hot pretzel, and which bathroom has the shortest lines. But I can't stand seeing fans occupying the best seats in the stadium while yammering away on their phones. Fixing that by broadcasting these offenders on the stadium Jumbotron would shame them into putting their phones away and deter others from taking them out in the first place. In the meantime, providing useful mobile tools, such as access to stats between hitters and stadium maps, would be a sign of progress.
Organizations that work so hard to produce a memorable experience, whether it be at a dance recital, restaurant, or ballgame, owe it to themselves and their bottom lines to focus their customers on that experience as much as possible. While there is nothing anyone can do to eliminate bad behavior, these mobile-friendly solutions can go a long way to reducing it.
Tags: bad smartphone behavior, mobile phones, mobile web, smartphones
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