Seattle Newspaper for the People by the People

Category archive

Headline News - page 21

Washington’s National Park Fund – Over the Top!!

Washington’s National Park Fund Hosts ‘Over the Top’ $750,000 goal for our Big Three national parks in Washington State

Seattle – Washington’s National Park Fund (WNPF) and its new Discovery Group will host an ‘Over the Top’ event on Friday, September 22 at the Georgetown Ballroom. This fundraiser will award all monies raised to projects voted on by attendees throughout the evening.

The Discovery Group ‘Over the Top’ Event is a fusion of two distinct groups at Washington’s National Park Fund. The Discovery Group, millennial-based constituents, supports the Fund through community fundraisers and volunteerism; the Over the Top Society of individuals provide $1,200 annually in unrestricted giving. The event is designed to provide an engaging and diversified atmosphere for the audience to mingle with like-minded supporters of our Big Three parks.

Each attendee is awarded 5 raffle tickets to designate toward any project of their choice, with stations and park rangers leading discussions and presentations throughout the ballroom. Projects are in the areas of Science and Research, Youth and Family, Visitor Experiences (including trail maintenance & search and rescue), and Volunteerism. At the end of the evening, the winning project from each park with the most tickets will receive a grant. Afterward, one raffle ticket for each park will be drawn, and a prize will be awarded to the winning contributor of the ticket.

Raffle prizes include: (1) an overnight stay at the historic and luxurious Quinault Lodge (donated by Aramark Parks and Recreation), (2) a photography session in North Cascades National Park from Discovery Group member and well-known PNW outdoor photographer Scott Kranz, and (3) a stewardship project and private tour at Mount Rainier National Park.

Park projects for consideration include:
Mount Rainier National Park: Rangers Kevin Bacher, Tara Chestnut, and Brett Hergert
•Mount Rainier Volunteer Program
•Keep Wildlife Wild
•Locator Beacons for Backcountry Use

North Cascades National Park: Rangers Jason Ransom, Regina Rochefort, and Mignonne Bivin
•Fisher Reintroduction
•Cascade Butterfly Project
•North Cascades WOW (Wiping Out Weeds)

Olympic National Park: Rangers Lee Taylor, Sam Brenkman, and Lee Snook
•Adventures in Your Big Backyard
•Environmental Fish DNA and Non-Native Fish
•Search and Rescue Personal and Protective Equipment

Two Beers and Seattle Cider will provide libations, and $25 tickets can be purchased here on WNPF’s website.

About Washington’s National Park Fund
Washington’s National Park Fund (WNPF) is the official philanthropic partner of the Big Three — Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic National Parks — which span more than 1.6 million acres of the Evergreen state. Annually, WNPF allocates monies to more than 75 otherwise unfunded projects with the goal of deepening the public’s love for, understanding of, and experiences in Washington’s National Parks. Get involved at www.wnpf.org.

*Photo by Eric Sheckler

Seattle Renters Criminal Records

Seattle City Hall Building

I am putting you on chargeable notice that since I have to rent to murderers (that has plea bargained, like O.J.) Arsonists, People that want to start a meth lab, tenants that have been evicted for non payment and property damage time and time again. There is no such thing as a Rental Application. YOU HAVE TAKEN COMPLETE CONTROL OF MY PROPERTY. Therefore, YOU need to be responsible for it. Going to see if Tim Eyman can get something going but until then anyone that wants to rent from me must bring with him/her a letter from each of you(signed) that you are responsible for any damage, and is like a co signer. I can’t ask how he expects to pay me, so you must guarantee me rent on time every month. My rent is all going to be tripled because my insurance is going to go sky high. So it’s blood on your hands to force this on someone who is trying to live on retirement and make an honest living. I would be afraid to even go into an apartment to show it, not knowing if he is really dangerous. The apartment house right beside me (I used to own it) has had 3 arsons, Easter there was a shooter shooting out of a window about 15 feet from my front porch. so get your reference and co signer papers ready. that is all I need. No applications will be asked for. Just your written assurance that you are responsible for his or her actions. What’s worse is you are putting all the neighbors life at risk. Endangering people who even go for walks around the block. You say asking about their criminal histories or how they expect to pay their rent is discriminating.

THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST ARE THE LANDLORDS. SHAME. I always went through Rental Research for screening and it worked out. It wasn’t even me who decided who would be best to rent to but for sure I didn’t have to rent to a criminal. No he doesn’t deserve a place to live to the point of thinking WE all are responsible for his bad choices. I will refuse to rent to Mayor Murray because for you to send a referral would present a conflict of interest. But I would not want him around my great grand sons at this point in time.

Now for the mobile home and car dwellers. We already have that in Georgetown. They park a mobile home and the drug buyers come and go. I am enclosing a couple pictures I took thru my front gate Sunday. Is this really what you want all of Seattle to look like? I kept going out taking pictures and this mobile home left last night but another will be back.

Georgetown Seattle Trash

LL

Natalie Khawam Biography

Early life and Education:
Natalie Kimberly Khawam was born in 1975 in Beirut, Lebanon. She has an identical twin sister named Jill Kelley, an older sister named Caroline and a younger brother named David Khawam who also is an attorney. She moved with her family in 1976 to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Natalie Khawam attended the Lower Moreland High School in Pennsylvania and she graduated in 1993. She then attended Arcadia University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts. Later went on to attend the Temple University Fox School of Business and Management and she graduated with a Master of Business in 2001 in Healthcare/Health Administration and management. She then received a Master in Science in 2002. In 2002, she started law school at Georgetown University Law Center and graduated in 2005 with a Doctor of Law in Healthcare Law.[LinkedIn]

Natalie Khawam With Her Sister Jill Kelly
Natalie Khawam With Her Sister Jill Kelly

Professional Career:
After spending 15 years working in both the private and public sector, Ms. Khawam decided to open her own law firm in Tampa, Florida. Natalie Khawam founded the Whistleblower Law Firm P.A. in 2012. The firm focuses on the following practice areas: Healthcare fraud, wrongful termination, sexual harassment, corporate fraud, veterans benefits, Qui Tam, Federal OWCP, equal employment matters, whistleblowing, fair labor standards, contract disputes and negotiations, class actions, and matters related to the Family and Medical Leave Act.

Ms. Khawam exclusively practices federal law with a focus on whistleblower laws. She typically practices the following areas: False Claims Act (Qui Tam), Medicare/Medicaid fraud, Veterans Benefits, matters before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, the Office of Inspector General, Office of Special Counsel, Merit Systems Protection Board, and last but not least matters that relate to the Whistleblower Protection Act. Also, numerous AFGE Local unions throughout the country voted for Ms. Khawam as their attorney. She is a well known leading criminal defense attorney in Tampa, Florida. Her office has also taken on cases related to divorce, personal injury, and family law matters.

Ms. Khawam and her firm are passionate about representing veterans in their legal matters. She recently represented client Gunnery Sgt. Peter Nolan in his appeal to have his naval records corrected to allow him to receive his disability income, healthcare benefits, and back pay. Natalie Khawam filed an appeal and it was ruled successful in favor of her client, Gunnery Sgt. Peter Nolan and his benefits were reinstated. Natalie worked hard to make this situation right for Mr. Peter Nolan.

Working with Veterans is a top priority for Attorney Khawam, and she ensures that her firm representatives use their expertise to serve those who have been abused or mistreated by the system. While the Whistleblower Law firm encompasses a wide range of specialties, Attorney Khawm is committed to helping the men and women of the armed forces. As noted above, Natalie Khawam was able to help Mr. Gunnery Sgt her client. Peter Nolan win an appeal, that would get him his rightfully earned disability income and health benefits. Unfortunately for Sgt. Peter Bolan, a Department of Defense Physical Evaluation Board, unsuitably claimed he was only ten percent disabled and therefore unfit for duty, which means that Sgt. Nolan was going to lose many things in his like including income, insurance, and health benefits due to being unfit to serve in the military. There was a mistake in the process and Sgt. Peter Nolan knew it. He hired Khawam, and she to submit an appeal over the issue with the Board for Correction of Naval Record and was able to get the benefits and money that he was entitled to. It is sad that people who risk their lives are put under this amount of stress to know if they will have their basic needs met, but attorneys like Natalie Khawam understand what these brave men and women sacrifice, and Khawam is highly motivated to ensure that they receive what they are indeed eligible and deserving of. She is most famous for her involvement in the Petraeus Scandal in 2012.

Often, the law firm will handle cases where employers retaliate against their employees, potentially leading to loss of work, income or benefits. There are several labor laws that exist to protect the rights of employees, and the Whistleblower Law Firm works to enforce those laws. When necessary, the Whistleblower Law Firm can also handle class action lawsuits related to its practice fields.

Aside from the founder and managing member Khawam, the Whistleblower Law Firm’s team consists of several attorneys, management, and support staff who all work to assist clients with their federal employment law and fraud issues. The law firm also has confers with several consultants, who regularly provide expert opinions on matters relating to medical issues and other aspects of federal labor and employment law.

Understanding Whistleblower Law

Whistleblower law encompasses a wide variety of legal matters, referring to cases where one person provides information about another individual committing a crime. For many cases, the so-called whistleblower is an employee who is reporting an illegal act by his or her employer. When the illegal act consists of fraud against the government, it becomes a qui tam whistleblower case.

These types of legal actions allow for employees to speak out about unjust actions. Additionally, employers are not allowed to engage in retaliatory actions against the employee, as long as the whistleblower had a reasonable purpose for believing the illegal act had occurred. A claim does not need to be true for a whistleblower to receive these protections.

These cases can quickly become complex legal matters that require the help of an attorney. Natalie Khawam and the Whistleblower Law Firm help employees protect their rights and bring illegal acts to light.

Case Accomplishments

Throughout its history, the Whistleblower Law Firm has represented many successful cases. One recent case involved a qui tam lawsuit involving an act of healthcare fraud. Khawam represented the case, earning a verdict in favor of her client. The case received a judgment of over $166 million in compensation. This is just one of Khawam’s significant judgments that Khawam has won for her clients.

Additionally, Khawam has represented several cases in favor of veteran’s rights. In one such case, Khawam represented a client who suffered retaliation after speaking up against poor patient care standards in an area VA hospital. Khawam was able to help her client maintain her position at work and continue advocating for fair treatment standards without punishment, as should have been the case initially.

Other accomplishments held by Khawam and the Whistleblower Law Firm include the creation of new case law through trial, setting a precedent for later cases to follow.

Volunteer Experience:
Natalie Khawam currently volunteers as a Guardian ad Litem for the Florida guardian ad Litem Program.

Board Affiliations:
Ms. Khawam is an active member of the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee (MVAC) of the Hillsborough County Bar Association. She is also on the board of directors of the Whistleblowers of America, a non-profit organization that assists and supports whistleblowers that have suffered retaliation after having identified harm to individuals or the public.

Bar Admissions:
Attorney Khawam is admitted to practice law in several Federal Courts across the United States. Natalie is very active in the community as well was a member of the Federal Bar Association. Obviously, a standing member of the Florida Bar. She supports the ABA’s annual Qui Tam conferences in Washington DC and other causes she is proud of.

Public Speaking Engagements:
Natalie Khawam has had numerous speaking engagements and often participates in summits and conferences that focus on whistleblower related matters. Recently, she spoke at the at the Tampa Bay Women CPAs 2018 A&A CPE event in Tampa, Florida, on June 14, 2018, presenting on the topic of whistleblowing. On August 1st 2018, Natalie Khawam moderated the panel titled, “Blowing the Whistle at the Department of Veteran’s Affairs – Another Perspective” at the annual Whistleblower Summit for Civil and Human Rights in Washington DC. There are no Seattle speaking arrangements scheduled at this time.

Classes:
Ms. Khawam teaches other attorneys the False Claims Act for CLE credits in the state of Florida. She also travels around the country teaching whistleblower laws to numerous federal government employees. She currently doesn’t have any speaking arrangement or classes scheduled in the City of Seattle.

Personal:
Natalie Khawam, first and foremost, her son, Grayson Paul Wolfe II, is the highest priority in her life. She is an avid tennis player and loves swimming. When she is not advocating for her clients, she spends her spare time traveling and cooking. Previously, Khawam was married to Grayson Wolfe. The divorce was highly publicized in the news. During the process, Khawam received letters that showed support in her favor by General David Petraeus and General John Allen.

Her sister, Jill Kelly, is well known for filing a complaint (received harassing emails by Paula Broadwell) that lead the FBI into investigating CIA Director General David Petraeus and his extramarital affair with Broadwell. Gen. David Petraeus is still married to his longterm wife Holly Knowlton and did not divorce during the controversy.

Trump Impeachment Will Never Happen

President Donald Trump

Many people are not on the Trump train as he continues to cut the tape and create a smaller government. One thing I hear often is how people believe Trump will eventually be impeached. They believe it may come from the Russian probe or something he does down the road as his presidency continues. Lets just cut to the chase. Trump will never be impeached and here is why.

First let’s talk about the position of the President. Being the President of the United States, he is immune from criminal prosecution. It’s protected under the constitution of the United States. Here is what it says exactly from Article I, Section 3: “Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States: but the party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to indictment, trial, judgment and punishment, according to law.”. In short, while in office, he is untouchable.

I don’t think people realized that impeachment is a complicated process and it must be voted on and passed on by both parties. It’s a political process – not a trial. Sure the Democrats are on a hunt to stick it to Trump by any means but at the end of the day, the Republicans must also impeach him and that simply isn’t going to happen. A vote to impeach Trump by a republican politician would also put their own job on the line. At this time, Republicans control the house (with 90% approval rating by Republicans) so nothing is going to get by them.

People are also confused about impeachment history. The facts are that no president has ever been impeached successfully. 2 presidents have been through the impeachment process but no President has ever been convicted. Of course, everyone remembers Bill Clinton playing with Monica Lewinsky in the office. He was impeached by the House of Representatives for basically lying about his affair and was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice. Once it was voted on by the Senate, however, he was acquitted. The other President was Andrew Johnson on February 1868. He was accused of violating the Tenure of Office Act. He was acquitted as well, narrowly, with just 1 vote to spare. Those are the only 2 presidents who have faced the impeachment process. Also, if you’re wondering, Richard Nixon was not impeached – he resigned before the process started. The point in all of this is that impeachment is not an easy process and never has been successful.

Keep this in mind. The President has the power to control federal prosecutions and to pardon federal offenses as well. The Department of Justice is an office under the White House and President. If the Department of Justice is under the President then who would sue the President? They are not able to indict Trump no matter what happens or what is discovered. That is why impeachment is a bipartisan political process.

That is why Trump will not be impeached.

Remembering Chris Cornell – Lost Highway Poem

Remembering Chris Cornell

I’m writing to you today due to a strongly felt opinion of matters. With the sudden and
tragic passing of Chris Cornell, it’s safe to say that many of us from all around
the world have grieved as one devastated collective whole.

The generation of my youth, who has been immensely touched by the work of Chris
(Soundgarden, Audioslave and Temple of The dog, etc.) throughout the years has also
been taking it with overwhelmingly deep sorrow.

We are lucky in the sense that through the internet, we have a social media support
team of sorts. Most of us don’t have a soul to cry to in real life or a safe place
to vent our lengthy distraught paragraphs about how much Chris meant to us. As kids,
we’re told to get it over it as some parents think it’s ridiculous to cry over
somebody we barely knew.

That’s where they are wrong.

Within in the last two weeks, I’ve talked to strangers upon strangers. We all have
one thing in common, our outpouring of grief is too much to handle alone by
ourselves. Some of us don’t have the words to express how we feel on the inside.
Chris Cornell’s music has been a place of solace for those who suffer from personal
demons and mental illness. He gave us a peace of mind when we were surrounded by
nothing but pure darkness.

In a roller coaster of such events, we are all searching for someone to comfort us
with words that capture exactly how we feel within our grief-ridden heads. It makes
us feel less alone. That’s the beauty of literature, and it’s one of the main
reasons why I’m a writer/poet. Since that dreadful day, I have written a quartet of
tribute poems for Chris and have posted them all throughout social media.

Though I post my poems as my own intimate body of work, an expressive reliever from
my personal troubles. Something came out of those poems that I never would have
thought to happen. People began to compliment me, thank me – within days I had
received a small heartfelt pile of messages from people who said that my tributes
resonated with them on such a deep level and that it lessened their pain to know
that other people felt the same overload of emotions that they did.

I could never have comprehended such a heartfelt reaction, I wasn’t the biggest –
nor was I the most knowledgeable Cornell fan in the world. A couple of his songs had
managed to strike a chord in me during my darkest depressions, but that was more
than enough to make me feel utterly heartbroken and destroyed at his passing.

After seeing such an emotional response from those online, it’s made me want to take
a giant leap and comfort others on a wider level. One of the most fulfilling gifts
as a writer for me is to help people with my words.

It’s my goal to express what others cannot. As as private sufferer of so much, I
want to let people know that they are not alone in their struggles and that this can
be overcome with taking comfort in the supportive fact that so many others across
the globe are feeling exactly the same way.

And it seems I’m not the only one who believes in the power of words. The Chris
Cornell fans that have reached out to me personally, they believe you should publish
my poem as not only a tribute – but as a public relationship status of emotions that
most of us are still feeling. A mental soother to the souls who don’t have a voice
as they mourn ever so strongly.

I’m not a person who boasts with arrogance when talking about my work. In fact, I
only wish to do this out of the hope that this could potentially help those closest
to home. I’ve never had any of my poems officially published. If I were to choose a
purpose for my first print, I couldn’t think of a better reason than this.

I wouldn’t be the person I am today without the genius souls of music.

Music remains as a major source of inspiration for my poetry. It pushes me and helps
spread my creative wings in soaring heights that I wouldn’t have dared to think
venture by myself. Some of my greatest influences in life come from your city.

It would be a lifelong dream to pay homage to the men of music that saved me in
terms of artistic exploration/expression and of course, as a human being who has
endured many painful things. I want to pay tribute to Chris Cornell.

These words of mine were written with the utmost of love and respect for the man
himself. But I’m not the one who gives meaning to my words. Only the audience bears
that strength. So here is a few messages from those who have their own strong
reasons as to why my poem deserves to be published.

By – Liliana Torre

“It’ll be a great thing for his fans to see and it might get you noticed cause when
I read it, it really was what I was feeling and so many other people feel that way.
That’s all the reaffirmation you need and to put it simply, it’s exactly what his
fans relationship with his music is.

You said it in the most perspicacious and beautiful way and it deserves to be more.
I feel this is the quintessential Chris tribute from his fans aka you. You are our
voice. I really believe in this and the effect it could have on people’s lives and
yours. Go for it.” – Violet – 20 years old, America.

“I agree with Violet! It’s a beautiful poem that deserves and needs to be known! It
express what we’re all feeling. It’s a beautiful tribute to Chris Cornell. Just go
ahead and send it.” – Salomé – 21 years old, Portugal.

“Submit it – It was a beautiful poem that deserves to be heard. I bet a lot of
Chris’s fans will appreciate your kind and moving words about him.” – Anonymous.

“You should publish these…notes from the heart of a music lover.” – Keia – Late 20s,
Brooklyn, New York.

So there you have it. In the end, it’s your choice. I’ve been unexpectedly nominated
as a voice, one that has helped others in ways that I could never have imagined. I’m
beyond grateful for all the support and encouragement that I’ve been blessed enough
to receive. But with your help, you can make our connected voice stronger.

I may just be a girl from the other side of the world.

But I sincerely want to help those who wish to remember Chris Cornell in every way
possible, I hope you will help us too. Here is my poem, it’s called “Lost Highway”
and I dedicate it to Chris Cornell in the highest of regards.

“I cling to your voice like a reluctant child that’s lost.
My gathered thoughts officially belong to your cause.
Choking constantly with harsh tears that refuse to bleed.
You were always there for me in my darkening time of need.

My face is expressionless because my heart is strained with the cries of pained
poetry. I can’t comprehend the present, only the past – for that’s where you’ll
forever last.

It’s like my body’s being savagely ripped to pieces, only to be told it’s the work
of jesus. It’s punching me in the throat with a hardened fist and yet I no longer
wish to believe this.

I’m laying in a comforting museum that’s filled with your screaming artwork of
sound. Your echoing words caress my torn skin with precision but you’re nowhere to
be found. I keep exploring within your eyes as an act of grace to help forget this
grieving craze. Trying to resist the urge of becoming hopelessly attached but your
spirit already exists in my endured panic attacks.

Searching for a solace whilst turning the faucet of your triggering absence.
Breathless at the haunting delivery of your speech that I simply cannot bear to
complete. The universal hugs of others soothe my denying soul as our mutual
connection saves us from being sold. Though there’s still so much to say to you in
terms of appreciative love, I just hope you can hear me from way up above.”

Sincerely,
Liliana Torre

Will AI Force Governments to Implement Universal Basic Income?

Neural Lace Technology

Elon Musk is known for making bold yet educated predictions about the future of the world and space. The real-life Tony Stark has recently been speaking out about the role artificial intelligence will play in the future of mankind. His most recent speaking engagement at the World Government Summit in Dubai proved to be another interesting speech about the role of technology in the near future. The rapt audience was riveted by Musk’s latest thoughts on artificial intelligence and challenges humans will face when AI becomes more commonplace. Musk getting into AI is another example of why he is the The 21st Century Father of Invention.

The World Government Summit in Dubai is a symposium that includes some of the most prominent leaders from both public and private sectors, as well as international thought leaders and pioneers. It is an engaging, inspirational, thought-provoking, and future-focused dialogue that is designed to help guide and shape the future of governments and their citizens. It is a diverse open dialogue that covers a wide variety of topics that focus on the wellbeing on humanity. The ultimate goal is to set an agenda for the future by learning how to harness technology in order to ensure the success of future generations. Elon Musk among others spoke out about the challenges that the world will face if the world doesn’t plan now. Musk strongly supports humanity and future climate changes. Recently, he expressed to the White House that he will be leaving Trump’s advisory board if the US parts with the Paris climate accord.

Musk’s enthralling speech focused on what he believes will be on of the world’s biggest challenges in the next one hundred years. The talk centered on three main components that Musk believes will be the cause of humanity’s greatest threat.

These three components included artificial intelligence, automation and job displacement.

In the beginning of his speech, Musk was asked about the challenges that humans will face in the next 100 years, he told the audience that he believes artificial intelligence will eventually will surpass its reliance on humanity and completely rule our world. This will create what Musk refers to as a dangerous situation for humanity.

He stated in a stark warning, “deep artificial intelligence, or artificial general intelligence, where you can have artificial intelligence that is much smarter than the smartest human on Earth, this is a dangerous situation.”

Musk believes that we should approach how we develop AI with caution instead of gusto. Technology is all encompassing in our lives. Innovation in the 21st century is mostly focused on the advancement of technology and artificial intelligence plays a huge part in that advancement. He has spoken in the past about the danger humanity faces when artificial intelligence reaches peak intelligence. He has been so passionate about this issue that he has actually started a company that will hopefully someday merge the human brain with artificial intelligence so that humans can keep pace with AI.

During his speech, he touched on the disservice that he believes the scientific community is currently committing by not being careful. He noted, “I think we need to be very careful in how we adopt artificial intelligence and that we make sure that researchers don’t get carried away. Sometimes what will happen is a scientist will get so engrossed in their work that they don’t really realize the ramifications of what they’re doing.”

Musk believes that the rise in AI will cause a rise in automation, which equates to a rise in job displacement. He believes that the industry that will be impacted the most by autonomous technology is the transportation sector. Musk proposes that these large-scale layoffs will occur not in 75 or even 50 years, but he believes that it will happen in the next two decades. He argues that the transportation industry won’t be the only industry to experience these substantial layoffs, there will be a domino effect that will see other areas of the workforce being forced out of work. This is why Musk thinks that the world’s governments should implement a universal basic income to compensate for the lack of jobs. “I don’t think we’re going to have a choice,” he said. “I think it’s going to be necessary. There will be fewer and fewer jobs that a robot cannot do better.”

The loss of jobs is not the only challenge that humanity will face when the machines take over. Most people derive a sense of self from their employment. People define their identities by their jobs or careers. He poses the question of how will humans find meaning in their life without their jobs. He says, “A lot of people derive meaning from their employment. If you’re not needed, what is the meaning? Do you feel useless? That is a much harder problem to deal with. How do we ensure the future is a future that we want, that we still like?”

Elon Musk’s talk at the World Summit was a riveting one that brought some valid concerns to the forefront of the world news. These are ideas and concerns that need to be addressed sooner rather than later. Even if Musk’s timeline isn’t accurate, it is still a very real threat that needs to be addressed. Advancement in technology is moving at an astounding rate and planning ahead and creating programs now will help to stop the collapse of the world economy. Whether or not you agree with Musk, it is hard to deny the fact that the dizzying pace of technological advancement is starting to diminish the need for humans in certain jobs. Musk is creating a call to action for the governments of the world to think and plan for this very uncertain future.

 

 

Elon Musk’s Newest Venture Pursues Neural Lace Technology
 

SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk is backing a new venture called Neuralink. The company is focused on creating devices that can be implanted in the human brain. The eventual purpose of Neuralink is to help humans merge with software and keep pace with advancements in artificial intelligence. Neuralink will pursue “neural lace” brain-interface technology to bridge the gap between AI and humans.

According to The Memo, Neural lace would be a fourth layer on the top of our brains. Human brains have three layers building up from the center, a reptilian brain, a limbic system, and a neocortex. Neural lace would physically attach to our brain matter so our minds can connect directly to the internet.

“I don’t love the idea of being a house cat, but what’s the solution? I think one of the solutions that seems maybe the best is to add an AI layer,” Musk said. “Something I think is going to be quite important—I don’t know of a company that’s working on it seriously—is a neural lace.”

Musk said a neural lace would work “well and symbiotically” with the rest of a human’s body, acting as a merger between biological and digital intelligence.

Neuralink will build a brain-computer interface or “neural lace” that will eventually upload thought to the internet. Before this happens, the technology be focused on helping those with epilepsy, Parkinson’s and depression, and restore function to people with stroke and brain injury.

Neuralink may sound far-fetched and futuristic, but Musk’s pattern of building new companies based on uncharted territory follows a familiar pattern. Use SpaceX and Tesla as examples. Both used the same model, starting with near-term products that weren’t nearly as ambitious as later efforts to lead to grand designs, like landing on Mars or affordable, mass-produced electric cars. While these efforts are still in the works, Musk has taken them further than anyone before him.

Neuralink is registered as a “medical research” company in California last summer, with Jared Birchall listed at the president, CEO, and CFO of the company.

Read about the Elon Musk’s launch of Neuralink. (BusinessInsider.com)

Learn more about how it all started with Elon Musk (FundersandFounders.com)

Is Colin Kaepernick Coming To Seattle?

Colin Kaepernick Seattle

There have been rumors swirling for a while now in the sports world that ex-49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick could potentially coming to Seattle. It was reported this morning that the free agent came to Seattle to meet with the team. Currently, the Seahawks are the only team that has showed any interest in Kaepernick since the 49ers relieved him of his contract this year.

It was reported that besides Kaepernick, the Seahawks are looking at former Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns and St. Louis Rams backup QB Austin Davis as potential backup quarterbacks for the team.

None of the other teams in the league are pursuing Kaepernick. His abysmal season last year combined with his outspoke nature put him in the media spotlight and not in a good way. His political statements during games put him at odds with the league, his teammates and the media. He was lambasted in the media and that bad press has continued to follow him. Outside of the Seahawks, he has no real opportunities.

The Seahawks are in need of a consistent backup quarterback this upcoming season. The fate of their current backup is up in the air. During the offseason, the Seahawks backup Trevone Boykin has been facing potential legal trouble. Texas authorities filed a motion to potentially revoke Boykin’s probation following his involvement in a crash last month in Dallas plus a December 2015 bar fight in San Antonio. Russell Wilson also had to sit games out due to injuries so the Seahawks are in need of a reliable backup quarterback.

Kaepernick has been training hard since he was let go from the 49ers. His trainer, Josh Hidalgo, says that Kaepernick is training with him like he is preparing for the upcoming season. It seems that Kaepernick is working to get in shape and ready for any team willing to take him.

Preservation with a Purpose – Big Winner at Recent Auction

Mt Rainier Seattle Washington

(SEATTLE, WA – 5/24/17) Preservation with a Purpose is the Big Winner at Recent Auction
$104,000 raised for historic structures in Washington’s national parks

Washington’s National Park Fund (WNPF) recently held its annual Spring Dinner &
Auction, and raised a record-breaking $300,000 for Mount Rainier, North Cascades and
Olympic National Parks. With the theme ‘Preservation with a Purpose,’ the event’s
Fund-A-Need raised $104,000 for historic structures within the parks. The projects
include:

North Cascades National Park — Buckner Historic House: Located in North Cascades
National Park’s remote Stehekin Valley, the Historic Buckner House (built between
1914 and 1925) lies within the Buckner Homestead Historic District. The district is
listed on the National Register of Historic Places as an outstanding example of
early settlement and pioneer farming. A prime visitor attraction, the historic
district is managed by the North Cascades National Park as an interpretive site.
Over its 100-year history the stone and log foundation has dramatically and unevenly
settled. By 2014 the back portion of the house was 12 inches lower than the front.
In 2014-2015, the park’s Preservation Crew successfully lifted the house into level
alignment and retrofitted a reinforced concrete foundation. This new foundation was
specifically designed to allow for placement of log and stone masonry fascia on the
exterior where visible to retain its historic character. Using the original
materials, this project will recreate the stone masonry and log foundation along the
three exposed foundation walls, thus preserving the historic character of the
residence.

Olympic National Park — Dodger Point Lookout: The trail to Olympic National Park’s
Dodger Point Lookout begins in the Elwha Valley and follows the Long Ridge Trail
5,000 vertical feet over 13 miles, ending at the Dodger Point Lookout. Constructed
by the US Forest Service Civilian Conservation Corps in 1933, it predates the
creation of the park in 1938. It is the last remaining fire lookout on the Olympic
Peninsula and has all the fire-finding equipment intact within the building. It was
also used as an Aircraft Warning Service station, and was placed on the National
Register of Historic Places in 2007. Due to the park’s wilderness designation, work
must be completed with minimal tools which are brought onto the site by stock only
— no helicopters.

Mount Rainier National Park — Ipsut Creek Cabin: The Ipsut Patrol Cabin was built
by the National Park Service in 1933 to serve staff and visitors at the Ipsut Creek
Campground. Major flooding in 2006 undercut the structure and it was moved and
rebuilt nearby, but not finished. Located near the Carbon River entrance, this
Preservation with a Purpose project will complete the restoration of the historic
cabin, making it operational. Rangers will once again be able to occupy the cabin
while traversing Mount Rainier National Park’s backcountry, aiding visitors in need,
and providing trail maps and directional assistance to those visiting the area.

As our nation’s national parks face a $12 billion deferred maintenance backlog,
friends’ groups like WNPF are critical in meeting the needs of our nation’s special
places.

About Washington’s National Parks Fund
Washington’s National Park Fund (WNPF) is the official philanthropic partner of
Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic National Parks, which span more than 1.6
million acres of the Evergreen state. Annually, WNPF allocates monies to more than
75 otherwise unfunded projects with the goal of deepening the public’s love for,
understanding of, and experiences in Washington’s National Parks. Get involved at
www.wnpf.org

Preservation with a Purpose: https://vimeo.com/214068180
Dodger Point Long-Time Volunteer: https://wnpf.org/preservation-purpose-volunteers-tale/

To the Parks!
Kelly

PS: Have you heard about our Spring Fireside Circles in the parks? Check them
out: https://wnpf.org/fireside-circles – registration is open now!

Kelly Sanderbeck
Donor Development Manager
Washington’s National Park Fund
1904 3rd Avenue, Suite 400
Seattle, WA 98101 (206) 623-2063
www.wnpf.org

The Boring Company and Musk’s Grand Idea to End Gridlock

I5 Traffic Seattle Congestion

There is not a person on the planet that doesn’t despise having to sit in gridlock traffic. After a long day, heading home and having to sit in traffic is one of the biggest pet peeves for almost everyone who drives a car. A majority of larger cities are growing at an exponential rate and do not have the roadway infrastructure to handle the amount of cars that come along with that type of influx. Even sometimes with construction, roadways and freeways still are unable to deal with the congestion. Cities on the west coast like Seattle, Portland, and Los Angeles have tried yet failed at trying to ease the amount of traffic that commuters experience on a daily basis. Even with the addition of commuter systems like trains, buses and ride shares, there is still an alarming amount of gridlock that is a daily frustration for people commuting in and out of a city. While it maybe boring, Elon Musk moves forward with a solution to help eliminate traffic congestion with The Boring Company.

Traffic frustrations don’t just affect the average Joe, even tech billionaires get upset with the amount of time wasted sitting in gridlock. Last December, Elon Musk was sitting a an epic traffic jam when he tweeted out “Traffic is driving me nuts. Am going to build a tunnel boring machine and just start digging…” He then followed up with another tweet that said, “It shall be called ‘The Boring Company,’?” he wrote. “Boring, it’s what we do.” In case anyone doubted his claim he followed up with a tweet that said, “I am actually going to do this.” Even with this last tweet, people were still hesitant to believe that Musk was even considering such an outrageous venture.

However, for those people who doubted Musk, they should know better by now. The man, now considered one of the most inventive entrepreneurs of this century, has been doubted before and has consistently proven those doubters wrong. His current venture SpaceX received a lot criticism in its infancy and now the company has successfully launched and landed rockets designed in-house by SpaceX. He has also been known to made some pretty outlandish statements to the press in the past so the statement about the Boring Company was another one that the media assumed was designed to troll them. This time Musk was not joking.

Within days of the tweet about the Boring Company, Musk acquired the domain www.boringcompany.com. Even though there is no information on the site yet, Musk has appointed a leader for the project. Steve Davis was personally picked by Musk due to his excellent work on the first SpaceX rocket guidance system. Davis was a senior engineer at SpaceX who was up for the challenge that Musk presented him. There was not a very detailed plan for this tunnel endeavor but it included digging tunnels that could not only accommodate cars but high-speed trains as well. Musk is approaching this his usual way; he was going to wing it. It’s an approach that has worked for Musk in the past so he has no reason to not trust his instincts on his latest project.

Once the domain was purchased and a project leader was assigned, Musk decided it was time to start digging. Most normal companies would have a difficult time securing the type of heavy-duty equipment needed to perform such a monumental task. But as mentioned above, Musk is no ordinary man nor are the companies he runs. Due to the fact that Musk currently is running two very large industrial companies, he was able to secure the proper heavy-duty equipment to create tunnels large enough to accommodate his vision. Then he was able to start digging.

One would never guess that the large pile of dirt sitting next to a pit near the SpaceX Campus is the beginning of Musk’s dream to create the tunnel system that he envisioned when he first thought up of the idea. This last January, the Boring Company’s excavation crew was able to break ground on the beginning of Musk’s tunnel system. Legally it made the most sense to begin the dig at the SpaceX headquarters. The pit is just the beginning of Musk’s tunnel project. He plans on taking the pit and making it wider so it can accommodate a tunnel boring machine. Once the hole is wide enough, the machine can fit down through the pit and begin to grind through the earth horizontally to create a tunnel system that is wide enough to accommodate cars. He ultimately plans on building at least 30 levels of tunnels in the hopes to create a three dimensional concept of an immense and sophisticated travel system. There is no proposed destination yet for the end of the tunnel and Musk is mum on the subject.

Elon Musk
http://www.spacex.com/elon-musk

Another aspect to this project is the fact that Musk also wants to create a better and faster tunnel boring machine. Tunnel boring and building technology has stayed pretty much the same for the last 50 years. There has been very little progress in updating the machines and the time it takes to bore through the earth. The speed at which most of these machines chew through the earth is shockingly slow. Most of these tunnel boring projects take years to complete. Musk is looking to cut that time in half in order to complete tunnel faster than ever before. The Boring Company will make a significant investment in creating tunnel boring machines that are unlike any other heavy-duty earth-moving machine that exists.

The company has yet to employ any full time employees and the business model is not entirely clear. There is speculation that government contracts will be involved based on the Musk’s relationship with the White House. Even though the Boring Company has a long way to go, Musk is determined to make this project a reality.

Juniper Publishers BAD Review! Journal of Pharmacology and Clinical

Juniper Publishers Review

Early in February 2017, I was emailed by someone named Sylvia Rose working with
Juniper Publishers, and representative of Journal of Pharmacology and Clinical
Research. She asked me to write a mini review to be published in this Journal. I did
so and I submitted to them on 25th Feb 2017. Before it was published online, they
requested $519 as a processing fee, and I had not been told about this in advance,
and after some debates over the phone from an unknown number, they reduced the fee
to be $199 which I paid using PayPal. Later, they have been violating all ethics,
intellectual rights and everything. For example, each academic article nowadays has
its own digital object identifier (DOI) which could be checked at www.doi.org &
www.crossref.org

My article title: Cuminaldehyde: A potential drug candidate, and its DOI which is
mentioned in the article is 10.19080/JPCR.2017.02.555585, in Volume 2 Issue 2, 2017
DOI is extremely important to protect publications from Plagiarism and to be cited .
After some complaints to several DOI and Crossref, the journal had to activate my
DOI. One week later, I checked this DOI, and I found it not working, to be accurate
this DOI is still maintained in Crossref but the link to the publisher is not found.
I did not know that this journal/publisher is a predatory at the time they initially
emailed me. People, may be one person, does not follow any standards in publishing
research work. For instance, they do not have real peer-reviewing process. Also, I
discovered that DOI mentioned on most articles in this journal are not working. This
means this publisher receives money (publishing fees) to keep in their bank account,
and they do not pay a penny for DOI. Please note that as far as I was told by
Crossref, publishers have to pay fees to Crossref to activate DOI and have to
maintain the link to the article. Another point which they used to enforce me to
submit them another article has been that they limited searching features of my
article using Google. To make it clear, for my article compared to others in the
same journal, prior to complaining about fake DOI, my article as a PDF file used to
be found as a first suggestion in Google when my article’s whole title was searched
for. Now, it is not possible to find any direct link from this predatory publisher
to my article. I uploaded my article as a full text on my ResearchGate account to
make it exist online. The publisher have gone mad and I found so many visits to my
ResearchGate from USA downloading all full texts, in particular my PhD thesis, and I
had to remove full text of m y thesis. I think they did download many times,
thinking my account on ResearchGate could be blocked in this case, but thankfully I
could manage to stop them. I am accusing them of stealing my money and violating all
standard ethics. I have opened and escalated a dispute on PayPal. The last thing
was that this publisher, I do not know how, assigned 2 DOI for my article, the one
which I previously mentioned, and the second one is 10.19080/JPCR.2016.01.555585.
The second DOI is wrong indicating my article was published in 2016 in Volume 1 and
the link to this DOI is working!!

What I understand from this, the publisher wanted to make my article inaccessible at
all. Anyone could use the DOI provided in the article which is not working. I
complained about this to Crossref, and waiting for them to investigate this
terrifying act from this Juniper publisher’s journal.

Kindly, I could provide a PDF showing all communications by email with this journal.
The mentioned DOIs could be retrieved using Crossref.org/metadata
http://search.crossref.org/?q=cuminaldehyde%3A+a+potential+drug+candidate

I have uploaded my article on my ResearchGate account, Mohamed Elsaed Ebada.
Yours Faithfully

Dr Mohamed Elsaed Ebada
PhD, BPharm
Researcher
Pharmacology Department
NODCAR
Agouza, Giza, Egypt
ORCID: 0000-0002-1922-4376

UPDATE: 5/24/17

This is Part II following my recent report, published on 15 May 2017, about my bad
experience with Journal of Pharmacology and Clinical Research, Juniper Publishers
violating my copyrights for my article ‘Cuminaldehyde: A potential drug candidate’,
published online on 08/03/2017, whose right originally assigned DOI has been
10.19080/JPCR.2017.02.555585. I said in my previous report that a dispute was opened
on PayPal against this publisher, and they refunded me $199 two days ago without
responding to my case. However, nothing else has much changed.

Before refunding me, the journal’s and publisher’s websites had gone through a phase
of maintenance over the past week! No one could access any articles or submit a
manuscript. After refunding me, their websites returned back, thinking money is the
only concern. They also left a message in PayPal asking me to remove my bad
comments. I thought they had changed and I emailed them asking them to complete 4
points to remove my fair comments and to act positively describing how they have
fixed this problem at a professional level. Unfortunately, they could not be
trusted.

After making my article searchable on Google as a PDF file like all other articles,
only for 2 days after I received the refund, my article disappeared again today,
Sunday 22/05//2017, from Google as a PDF file like other articles.

I do not want to receive any emails from them again. Just accomplishing these 4
points would be enough.
1- Sylvia Rose, someone has been emailing me working with this journal, shared my
article’s abstract on LinkedIn without showing my name/affiliation, and this shared
file appears in Google when anyone searches for my article’s whole title under the
name of Sylvia Rose! I have requested to remove this file or to add my details.
2- There are still 2 working DOIs, digital object identifiers, on Crossref, the one
above which is right, and the second one which is wrong
10.19080/JPCR.2016.01.555585. Juniper Publishers maintains links to both DOIs,
meaning at any time they could, as they had already done, inactivate the link to the
right DOI and let the other DOI working making my article inaccessible and unlikely
to be cited. I requested them to only maintain the right DOI. I also emailed
Crossref to provide an explanation telling how they could assign two DOIs to the
same article with exact details but they have not replied yet.
3- Because I can not and I should not trust them, I asked them to provide me with an
official print of my article or, because they only have online journals, an official
letter (signed and stamped) showing details of my articles, volume and dates of
submission & publication. They sent a piece of paper showing sufficient details but
no signature or stamp, which I refused to accept. They also refused to add their VAT
code, although they claim that their journals are registered in the USA. I believe
VAT code is not confidential.
4- Because they list a number of indexes at the bottom of this Journal, I only asked
them to make my article indexed in Google Scholar (piece of mind) to avoid any
interaction with them regarding appearance of article in Google.
They have not completed any of these points, and have made my article unsearchable
again in Google. Only could be found from my ResearchGate account as a full text or
inside the Journal’s website (until now). Finally, all articles in this Journal have
DOI but most of them had not been working and now about a half of articles have an
active link to their DOI. This has only happened after I raised this issue
everywhere. I have more to say, but the space may be limited and the publisher does
not deserve.

I would like to thank Emerald City Journal who has given me the chance and published
my previous report in order to tell people about my worst ever experience with
Juniper Publishers.

Everything is documented and could be provided upon request.

Yours Sincerely

Dr Mohamed Elsaed Ebada
PhD, BPharm
Researcher
Pharmacology Department
NODCAR
Agouza, Giza, Egypt

*User submitted. Statements do no reflect the views of the Emerald City Journal.

1 … 19 20 21 22 23 … 57
Go to Top