Trouble for Bikram Choudhury started in 2014, when it began to transpire that he had built his $100+ million yoga empire on a flatbed of lies, harassment, abuse of all types, discrimination, homophobia and overall viciousness. He denied all allegations and continues to do so to this day but, when the proverbial number 2 hit the fan in 2016, he made sure to keep some of his valuables from creditors.

With several lawsuits against him pending, he stashed half of his impressive car collection in a warehouse in Miami. The cars simply went missing and no one knew where. That year, he also divorced his wife of 31 years, making sure that she got a lot of real estate and several other cars in the settlement, which could not be seized in case he was found guilty and made to pay damages in any of the pending lawsuits.

After 3 years, the cars stashed in Miami were found, the New York Post reports, citing court documents. Police were able to track the 22 cars down and seize them, and they will be heading to auction in March this year at Palm Beach International Raceway.

Among the cars found is a 1937 Rolls Royce Phantom III (the same model that appears in 1964 the James Bond movie Goldfinger). The report notes that the collection includes a 1966 Jaguar M10, a 1971 Pontiac LeMans, a 1969 Murano, a specially constructed Ford GT40 and a 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1, but doesnt say whether these were among those seized as well.

In total, Choudhurys car collection totals over 40 cars, including a dozen Rolls-Royces, five Bentleys, three Ferraris and six Mercedes-Benzes. The items that will be heading to auction are expected to fetch between $800,000 and $1.5 million, and the money will be divided among creditors, including the warehouse where he stashed them, which claims unpaid storage fees of $600,000.

Bikram Choudhury was extremely popular with celebrities, including Madonna, David Beckham and George Clooney, but his Hot Yoga classes were a hit even in Europe. They consisted of a routine of 26 yoga poses performed over 90 minutes in 105-degree heat, admittedly simulating the heat in India.

More:
Stashed Classic Cars Belonging to Bikram Yoga Master Seized, Headed to Auction - autoevolution

Thailand has been a home to yoga, Ayurveda, meditation and spiritual growth since ages. The availability of numerous yoga centers, learned yogi gurus and of course, a rich yogic heritage has led to a rise in the number of yoga retreats in Thailand. Yogis from all over the world travel to Thailand in search of truth and spiritual growth.

Heres a look at some of the best yoga retreats in Thailand.

ISLAND YOGA, KOH YAO NOI

Owned by David Sharpe, Island Yoga stands tall, shining the light and holding the yoga torch with integrity. This cozy and relaxed cultured yoga retreat is located in Koh Yao Nai, which is ranked as one of the six most wild and beautiful places to practice yoga by National Geographic.

At Island Yoga, the vibe is light and happy yet also sincere and dedicated. They intend that what you learn and discover in the yoga retreat at Island Yoga, you can take forward with you no matter where you. They believe that one has truly learned yoga when it reflects in their day to day life.

Each day at Island Yoga is started with the sacred practice of tai chi movement meditation followed by morning yoga sessions which include yoga asanas, breathwork (pranayama), chanting and meditation.

Island Yoga provides the whole package two daily yoga and meditation classes, well-designed accommodation, delicious food, tai chi sessions and massage/bodywork.

SAMAHITA RETREAT, KOH SAMUI

Located in the magical island of Koh Samui, Samahita Retreat is a treat for your soul. One of the best yoga retreats in Thailand, the positive vibrations of this amazing retreat in Thailand will fill our soul up with joy and peace.

The team members at Samahita are dedicated to helping you unlock your potential and enhance your vitality. They also help you relax and connect deeply to your body with massages and reflexology. Their primary focus is to help you strengthen your core through yoga practice and retreats.

They have some amazing yoga teachers from all over the world who are devoted to imparting the sacred knowledge of yoga.

MALA DHARA ECO RESORT, CHIANG MAI

As you enter the resort, you will see a sign that says You will never want to leave and it is true. They are a complete package. With the most delicious food grown at their own farm at their Kin Dee restaurant, two yoga studios, top quality accommodation and an amazingly lit swimming pool this Thailand yoga retreat is sure to feed your yogi heart.

Located in Chiang Mai, just a little outside the city, this is the perfect yoga retreat to relax, meditate, connect with nature and get your yoga on.

THE HIDEOUT, KOH YAO NOI

If you are looking for a yoga retreat that is away from all the hustle and noise of the world, then this is one of the best yoga retreats in Thailand for that. Snuggled away in the magical Koh Yao Noi Island, the hideout is where you can take a break from all your gadgets and distractions.

This is the perfect place to connect with yourself, for self-reflection and self-care. They offer daily yoga classes that are suitable for beginners and advanced level yogis, and their accommodation is beautifully built for your comfort amid the jungle and the ocean.

PURE FLOW YOGA, KOH PHANGAN

Located in one of the most famous and loved islands of Thailand, pure flow is yoga is one of the best yoga retreats in Thailand. Even though this retreat is located on the famous Koh Phangan Island, the retreat itself is a hidden gem.

Their invitation to you is to come and deepen in your yoga practice, get clear and connect deeply with your purpose. With lush jungles, turquoise oceans and crystal shores, this retreat is a haven for nature lovers and yogis.

DARK RETREAT, KOH PHANGAN

Now, this is something different and unique from other retreats in the sense it the program it offers is something new and spectacular. Located in Koh Phangan, the dark retreat will help you find your inner light in the dark.

At the dark retreat, they provide you with the space and techniques to take a profound inner journey by spending some days in total darkness. They believe that this technique, combined with yoga and meditation accelerates spiritual growth and consciousness expansion.

VIKASA YOGA RETREAT, KOH SAMUI

Located in Koh Samui, one of their most loved yoga retreats is the yoga and anti-stress retreat that helps to relax, refresh and rejuvenate. This retreat is the perfect healing balm for the body, mind and soul. Their belief is that through wellness and yoga, we can heal ourselves and advance in our personal growth.

They offer daily yoga and meditation sessions, reiki healing, anti-stress session, ayurvedic healing and delicious food a perfect combination to de-stress, heal and come alive.

MAHA SIDDHA YOGA, CHIANG MAI

An oasis of tranquility, Maha Siddha Yoga offers authentic yoga classes and yoga retreats. Through their simple spiritual training techniques, you can learn the ancient soulful secrets of yoga. The teachers at this retreat centre are all qualified at the Atman international federation of yoga and super dedication to bringing out the best in you.

They offer several 5-day yoga retreats and silent meditation retreats for you to dive deep into the sacred art of yoga.

KAMALAYA YOGA SYNERGY, KOH SAMUI

Located in the spiritually powerful island of Koh Samui, Kamalaya yoga is the place where you can find some of the best yoga retreats in Thailand. Their retreats and yoga classes are not one size fits all. They take into consideration what a person truly needs and design their yoga practice accordingly.

The teachers are precise, caring and give the best adjustments for postures during the yoga sessions. With delicious food, alternative healing modalities, sublime ambience and soul-expanding yoga session, this Thailand yoga retreat is one of the best.

CHIVA SOM YOGA FOR LIFE, HUA HIN

The philosophy and the name of this delightful retreat is yoga for life, and it is rightly so. The team members leave no stone unturned to live by this philosophy and have a solid dedication and sincerity in the service they offer.

Nestled in a peaceful location, Chivasom offers many yoga retreats that are designed to enable you to connect with the ancient practice of yoga and heal your body, mind and soul. With nourishing food, alternative massage therapies and delightful yoga classes, this is undoubtedly one of the best Thailand yoga retreats.

Thailand is a vibrant and precious land, and people from all over the world come here to find a deeper spirituality through yoga, meditation and nature. This magical Asian country has gifted healing and meaning to many who have come to her.

As T. Guillemets says For those wounded by civilization, yoga is the most healing salve.

Link:
10 of the Best 2020 Yoga Retreats to Attend in Thailand - Communal News

Global Yoga Clothing Market. The in-depth study of the report provokes the readers for an open discussion for the Yoga Clothing market. The report serves as an impetus tool to make important decisions, important deals, and offer better profitability by prioritizing market goals for the analysts. The testimonials included in the report by AMR Research involves a highly qualified team of experts who work rigorously to collect the data and reveal the real scenario of the Yoga Clothing market.

Get Research Insights @ Yoga Clothing Market 2019-2025 (USD Billion)

The development of yoga clothing has made it necessary for market participants to concentrate on strategies such as rapid delivery processes and mass adaptation. In the yoga clothing industry, mass customization slowly gained importance. Technology, the supply chain transformation and corporate restructuring influence these factors. Major technological advances were observed in order to get customer feedback, develop and deliver the final product.

Mass personalization processes have been taken by yoga competitors. However, mass adaptation only takes place when changes occur in three broad fields: incorporating technological developments, including body scanning, computer-based design, adopting flexible manufacturing methods, digital printing, integrated manufacturing technologies and equipment as well as implementing organizational changes in terms of technology. Mass customizations of yoga clothing are therefore expected to help market competitors attract and develop strong brand loyalty to consumers.

Based on type, the global yoga clothing market is bifurcated into yoga shorts, yoga pants, yoga unitards, yoga tops, yoga capris and others. The yoga pants segment dominated the market with a share of nearly 36.1% in 2017. Yoga pants are available in various styles and types, including traditional boot-cuts and smoothed yoga pants, as well as the more common and popular yoga pants. These yoga pants are usually black, flared, cut and tight. The key element of yoga pants is high elasticity and flexibility, which increases demand for various purposes. Yoga pants, however, are mainly intended as yoga pants, but as a mainstream clothing purpose yoga pants are popular.

Read Our Latest Research Analysis on Yoga Clothing Market @ https://www.adroitmarketresearch.com/industry-reports/yoga-clothing-market

Based on application, the global yoga clothing market is fragmented into men, women and kids. The women segment accounted for the largest share in the global market owing to rising number of women inclining towards practicing yoga as a regular fitness option. In addition, increasing penetration of yoga outfits for mainstream clothing purpose as well as athleisure purpose are some other major aspects augmenting the overall growth. Rising health awareness, increasing number of yoga trainers and yoga training institutes, increasing disposable incomes, rising number of yoga clothing manufacturers and consideration of yoga clothing as a regular and athleisure clothing option are some key aspects driving the growth of this segment. Increasing penetration of yoga practices among men is a key aspect driving the demand for yoga clothing among men as well. In the global yoga apparel market, innovation plays an important role, helping to differentiate products and enhancing user performance. Advanced manufacturing, innovative designs, and product positioning make yoga clothing premium products. Consumers currently require high performance innovative, high-quality products. Various advances in technology have allowed market competitors for fitness activities such as yoga to implement performance clothing.

Yoga is one of Indias original ancient forms of exercise and meditation. Since the past decade, yoga has become a form of fitness worldwide, particularly in North America. In particular in the US and Canada the popularity of yoga is continuously growing. For many reasons, people choose yoga and meditation, including stress relief, flexibility, general fitness and overall health development. In most parts of the world, increasing awareness of yoga and its participation will have a direct impact on the marketing of yoga clothing, yoga equipment and accessories throughout the world. This is expected to bolster the overall growth of the global yoga clothing market over the forecast period.

The major players in the market include Alo Yoga, Lululemon Athletica, Mika Yoga Wear, Onzie, ANJALI, Green Apple, Inner Waves Organics, Beyond Yoga, Easy Yoga, Bluefish Sport, ALALA, Fabletics, Outdoor Voices,Under Armor, Lily Lotus, Tory Sport, Prana, Soybu and Hatha Clothing among others.

Make an Enquire To Buy This Report @ https://www.adroitmarketresearch.com/contacts/enquiry-before-buying/870

Key segments of the global yoga clothing market

Type Overview, 2015-2025 (USD Billion)

Application Overview, 2015-2025 (USD Billion)

Regional Overview, 2015-2025 (USD Billion)

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Yoga Clothing Market Research Strategy Focuses On Exploring Key Factors Influencing The Industry Development Forecast 2025 - News Parents

Insight must precede application. ~ Max Planck, Father of Quantum Physics

Quantum computing is no ordinary technology. It has attracted huge interest at the national level with funding from governments. Today, some of the biggest technology giants are working on the technology, investing substantial sums into research and development and collaborating with state agencies and corporates for various projects across industries.

Heres an overview of quantum computing as well as the players exploring this revolutionary technology, and ways to invest in it.

Understanding Quantum Computing

Lets begin with understanding quantum computing. While standard computers are built on classical bits, every quantum computer has a qubit or quantum bit as its building block. Thus, unlike a classical computer where information is stored as binary 0 or 1 using bits, a quantum computer harnesses the unique ability of subatomic participles in the form of a qubit which can exist in superposition of 0 and 1 at the same time.As a result, quantum computers can achieve higher information density and handle very complex operations at speeds exponentially higher than conventional computers while consuming much lessenergy.

It is believed that quantum computing will have a huge impact on areas such as logistics, military affairs, pharmaceuticals (drug design and discovery), aerospace (designing), utilities (nuclear fusion), financial modeling, chemicals (polymer design), Artificial Intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, fault detection, Big Data, and capital goods, especially digital manufacturing. The productivity gains by end users of quantum computing, in the form of both cost savings and revenue opportunities, are expected to surpass $450 billion annually.

It will be a slow build for the next few years: we anticipate value for end users in these sectors to reach a relatively modest $2 billion to $5 billion by 2024. But value will then increase rapidly as the technology and its commercial viability mature,reportsBCG.

The market for quantum computing isprojectedto reach $64.98 billion by 2030 from just $507.1 million in 2019, growing at aCAGR of 56.0%during the forecast period (20202030).According to aCIRestimate, revenue from quantum computing is pegged at $8 billion by 2027.

Which Nations Are Investing In Quantum Computing?

To gain the quantum advantage, China has been at the forefront of the technology. The first quantum satellite was launched by China in 2016. Apaperby The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) highlights how, China is positioning itself as a powerhouse in quantum science.

Understanding the strategic potential that quantum science holds, U.S., Germany, Russia, India and European Union have intensified efforts towards quantum computing. In the U.S., President Trumpestablishedthe National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee in 2019 in accordance with the National Quantum Initiative Act, signed into law in late 2018, which authorizes $1.2 billion to be spent on the quantum science over the next five years.

The Indian government in its 2020 budget has announced a National Mission on Quantum Technologies & Applications with a total budgetoutlayof INR 8000 crore ($1.12 billion) for a period of five years while Europe has a 1 billioninitiativeproviding funding for the entire quantum value chain over the next ten years. In October 2019, the first prototype of a quantum computer waslaunchedin Russia while in Germany, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Europes leading organization for applied research,partneredwith IBM for advance research in the field of quantum computing.

The Companies Leading the Way

IBM has been one of the pioneers in the field of quantum computing. In January 2019, IBM (IBM)unveiledthe IBM Q System One, the world's first integrated universal approximatequantum computing system designed for scientific and commercial use. In September itopenedthe IBM quantum computation center in New York to expand its quantum computing systems for commercial and research activity. It has also recentlyinvestedin Cambridge Quantum Computing, which was one of the first startups to become a part of IBMs Q Network in 2018.

In October 2019, Google (GOOG,GOOGL) made anannouncementclaiming the achievement of "quantum supremacy."It published the results of this quantum supremacy experiment in theNaturearticle, Quantum Supremacy Using a Programmable Superconducting Processor.The term "quantum supremacy" wascoinedin 2012 by John Preskill. He wrote, one way to achieve quantum supremacy would be to run an algorithm on a quantum computer which solves a problem with a super-polynomial speedup relative to classical computers. The claim wascounteredby IBM.

Vancouver, Canada headquartered D-Wave is the worlds first commercial supplier of quantum computers and its systems are being used by organizations such as NEC, Volkswagen, DENSO, Lockheed Martin, USRA, USC, Los Alamos National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.In February 2019, D-Waveannounceda preview of its next-generation quantum computing platform incorporating hardware, software and tools to accelerate and ease the delivery of quantum computing applications. In September 2019, itnamedits next-generation quantum system as Advantage, which will be available in the Leap quantum cloud service in mid-2020.In December 2019, the companysignedan agreement with NEC to accelerate commercial quantum computing.

Amazon (AMZN)introducedits service Amazon basket in late 2019, which is designed to let its users get some hands-on experience with qubits and quantum circuits. It allows to build and test circuits in a simulated environment and then run them on an actual quantum computer.

Around the same time, Intel (INTC)unveileda first-of-its-kind cryogenic control chip code-named Horse Ridgethat will speed up development of full-stack quantum computing systems.

In addition, companies such as Microsoft (MSFT), Alibaba (BABA), Tencent (TCEHY), Nokia (NOK), Airbus, HP (HPQ), AT&T (T) Toshiba, Mitsubishi, SK Telecom, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Righetti, Biogen, Volkswagen and Amgen are researching and working on applications of quantum computing.

Final Word

Investors looking to invest in the technology can either look at individual stocks or consider Defiance Quantum ETF (QTUM) to take exposure to companies developing and applying quantum computing and other advanced technologies. Launched in April 2018, QTUM is a liquid, low-cost and efficient way to invest in the technology. The ETF tracks the BlueStar Quantum and Machine Learning Index, which tracks approximately 60 globally listed stocks across all market capitalizations.

While quantum computing is not mainstream yet, the quest to harness its potential is on, and the constant progress made is shrinking the gap between research labs and real-world applications.

Disclaimer: The author has no position in any stocks mentioned. Investors shouldconsider the above information not as a de facto recommendation, but as an idea for further consideration. The report has been carefully prepared, and any exclusions or errors in reporting are unintentional.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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Quantum Computing: How To Invest In It, And Which Companies Are Leading the Way? - Nasdaq

Feb. 12, 2020 The U.S. Department of Energys Office of Science, under the leadership of Under Secretary of Energy Paul Dabbar, sponsored around 70 representatives from multiple government agencies and universities at the firstQuantum Internet Blueprint Workshop, held in New York City Feb. 5-6. The primary goal of the workshop was to begin laying the groundwork for a nationwide entangled quantum Internet.

Building on the efforts of theChicago Quantum Exchangeat the University of Chicago, Argonne and Fermi National Laboratories, andLiQuIDNet(Long Island Quantum Distribution Network) at Brookhaven National Laboratory and Stony Brook University, the event was organized by Brookhaven. The technical program committee was co-chaired by Kerstin Kleese Van Dam, director of the Computational Science Initiative at Brookhaven, and Inder Monga, director of ESnet at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.

The dollars we have put into quantum information science have increased by about fivefold over the last three years, Dabbartold the New York Timeson February 10 after the Trump Administration announced a new budget proposal that includes significant funding for quantum information science, including the quantum Internet.

In parallel with the growing interest and investment in creating viable quantum computing technologies, researchers believe that a quantum Internet could have a profound impact on a number of application areas critical to science, national security, and industry. Application areas include upscaling of quantum computing by helping connect distributed quantum computers, quantum sensing through a network of quantum telescopes, quantum metrology, and secure communications.

Toward this end, the workshop explored the specific research and engineering advances needed to build a quantum Internet in the near term, along with what is needed to move from todays limited local network experiments to a viable, secure quantum Internet.

This meeting was a great first step in identifying what will be needed to create a quantum Internet, said Monga, noting that ESnet engineers have been helping Brookhaven and Stony Brook researchers build the fiber infrastructure to test some of the initial devices and techniques that are expected to play a key role in enabling long-distance quantum communications. The group was very engaged and is looking to define a blueprint. They identified a clear research roadmap with many grand challenges and are cautiously optimistic on the timeframe to accomplish that vision.

Berkeley Labs Thomas Schenkel was the Labs point of contact for the workshop, a co-organizer, and co-chair of the quantum networking control hardware breakout session. ESnets Michael Blodgett also attended the workshop.

About ESnet

The Energy Sciences Network (ESnet) is a high-performance, unclassified network built to support scientific research. Funded by the U.S. Department of Energys Office of Science (SC) and managed by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, ESnet provides services to more than 50 DOE research sites, including the entire National Laboratory system, its supercomputing facilities, and its major scientific instruments. ESnet also connects to 140 research and commercial networks, permitting DOE-funded scientists to productively collaborate with partners around the world.

Source: ESnet

Excerpt from:

Quantum Internet Workshop Begins Mapping the Future of Quantum Communications - HPCwire

With help from John Hendel, Cristiano Lima, Leah Nylen and Katy Murphy

Editors Note: This edition of Morning Tech is published weekdays at 10 a.m. POLITICO Pro Technology subscribers hold exclusive early access to the newsletter each morning at 6 a.m. Learn more about POLITICO Pros comprehensive policy intelligence coverage, policy tools and services, at politicopro.com.

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If Sanders wins in New Hampshire: If the polls hold true, the tech world may see a ton more heat from the Vermont senator, who has long been critical of tech giants market power and labor practices.

Trumps 2021 funding requests: President Donald Trumps 2021 budget proposal would give big funding boosts to artificial intelligence and quantum computing, as well as the Commerce Departments NTIA and the Justice Departments antitrust division, but not to the FTC or FCC.

Bipartisanship at risk?: House Judiciarys Republican leaders say recent comments from the Democratic chairman about Silicon Valley giants threatens the panels tech antitrust probe, a rare point of bipartisanship in a hotly divided Congress.

ITS TUESDAY, AND ALL EYES ARE ON THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY OF 2020: NEW HAMPSHIRE. WELCOME TO MORNING TECH! Im your host, Alexandra Levine.

Got a news tip? Write Alex at alevine@politico.com or @Ali_Lev. An event for our calendar? Send details to techcalendar@politicopro.com. Anything else? Full team info below. And dont forget: add @MorningTech and @PoliticoPro on Twitter.

WHAT NEW HAMPSHIRE MEANS FOR TECH A week after winning the most votes in Iowa, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is polling first in New Hampshire, with Pete Buttigieg a close-second. (Further behind, and mostly neck-and-neck, are Elizabeth Warren, Joe Biden and Amy Klobuchar.) What could this mean for the tech world? Just about anything.

But if the Vermont senator prevails in tonights Democratic presidential primary, we can expect to hear more of his usual anti-Amazon commentary (Sanders has repeatedly criticized Amazons labor practices and complained that the online giant pays zero in taxes); more break up big tech talk (Sanders has said he would absolutely look to break up tech companies like Amazon, Google and Facebook); and more attacks on corporate power and influence (he has proposed taxing tech giants based on how big a gap exists between the salaries of their CEOs and their mid-level employees).

Several prime tech policy issues are also fair game: Sanders criminal justice reform plan includes a ban on law enforcements use of facial recognition technology, and he has spoken out about tech's legal liability shield, Section 230 debates that are playing out (often, with fireworks) at the federal level. (Further reading in POLITICO Magazine: Is it Bernies Party Now?)

Plus: Could New Hampshire be the next Iowa? State and local election officials running this primary without apps (voters will cast their ballots on paper, which in some cases will be counted by hand) say no. POLITICOs Eric Geller provides the birds-eye view.

Heres everything you need to know about the 2020 race in New Hampshire.

BUDGET DISPATCH: HUGE JUMP FOR DOJ ANTITRUST, NO BIG CHANGES FOR FCC AND FTC The White House on Monday rolled out its fiscal year 2021 funding requests, including a proposed 71 percent bump in congressional spending on the Justice Departments antitrust division an increase that, as Leah reports, is another indicator that the agency is serious about its pending investigations into tech giants like Google and Facebook. (It would also allow the agency to hire 87 additional staffers.)

In contrast, the FCC and FTC arent requesting any big changes in their funding or staffing. The FCC is seeking $343 million, up 1.2 percent from its 2020 funding level, while the FTC is asking for a little over $330 million, which is about $800,000 less than its current funding. The FCC noted its on track to move to its new Washington headquarters in June, while FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, a Democrat, objected to the request for her agency, saying in a statement that it does not accurately reflect the funding the FTC needs to protect consumers and promote competition.

Artificial intelligence and quantum computing would also receive big funding boosts under the budget proposal, Nancy reports. So would the Commerce Departments NTIA, to help prepare the agency for 5G and other technological changes, as John reported for Pros.

IS THE BIPARTISAN TECH ANTITRUST PROBE IN JEOPARDY? The House Judiciary Committees investigation into competition in the tech sector which garnered rare bipartisan momentum in a hotly divided Congress could now be in trouble. On Monday night, the committees Republican leaders criticized Democratic Chairman Jerry Nadlers recent remarks railing against the power of Silicon Valley giants, writing in a letter that Nadlers comments "have jeopardized" the panel's "ability to perform bipartisan work." Spokespeople for Nadler did not offer comment. A Cicilline spokesperson declined comment.

The dust-up marks the first major sign of fracturing between House Judiciary Republicans and Democrats over their bipartisan investigation into possible anti-competitive conduct in the tech industry a probe widely seen as one of Silicon Valleys biggest threats on Capitol Hill, Cristiano reports in a new dispatch. The dispute could threaten the push to advance bipartisan antitrust legislation in the House, something House Judiciary antitrust Chairman David Cicilline (D-R.I.) has said the committee plans to do early this year.

T-MOBILE-SPRINT WIN T-Mobile and Sprint can merge, a federal judge is expected to rule today, rejecting a challenge by California, New York and other state attorneys general, Leah reports. U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero is expected to release his hotly anticipated decision on the $26.2 billion telecom megadeal later this morning.

FCCS FUTURE-OF-WORK FOCUS Amazon, AT&T, Walmart, LinkedIn and Postmates are among the tech companies expected at a future-of-work event today that Democratic FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks is hosting at the agencys headquarters.

The public roundtable will address the same kinds of issues that several Democratic presidential candidates have raised, such as concerns about AIs effect on labor economies. Issues of #5G, #InternetInequality, automation & education are colliding in ways that will impact all Americans, Starks wrote on Twitter. Eager to host this important policy discussion!

CCPA UPDATE: GET ME REWRITE! California Attorney General Xavier Becerra on Monday published a business-friendly tweak to his proposed Privacy Act regulations, a change that his office said had been inadvertently omitted from a revised draft unveiled on Friday.

Only businesses that collect, sell or share the information of at least 10 million Californians per year thats about 1 in 4 residents would have to report annual statistics about CCPA requests and how quickly they responded to privacy-minded consumers, under the change. That threshold was originally 4 million.

The update will come as a relief to companies that no longer need to pull back the curtain on their Privacy Act responsiveness. Its also good news for procrastinators, as the new deadline for submitting comments on the AGs rules was pushed back a day to Feb. 25.

TECH QUOTE DU JOUR Senate Judiciary antitrust Chairman Mike Lee (R-Utah) offered colorful praise on Monday for Sen. Josh Hawleys (R-Mo.) proposal to have the Justice Department absorb the FTC, a plan aimed in part at addressing concerns over the FTCs enforcement of antitrust standards in the technology sector.

Having two federal agencies in charge of enforcing antitrust law makes as much sense as having two popes, Lee told MT in an emailed statement. This is an issue weve had hearings on in the Judiciary Committee and I think Sen. Hawley has identified a productive and constitutionally sound way forward. (Hawleys proposal swiftly drew pushback from one industry group, NetChoice, which said it would make political abuse more likely.")

The state of play: Some Republicans in the GOP-led Senate now want to reduce the number of regulators overseeing competition in the digital marketplace. A small contingent of House Democrats wants to create a new federal enforcer to police online privacy. But a vast majority of the discussions happening on Capitol Hill around those issues have so far focused on ways to empower the FTC, not downgrade it.

Mike Hopkins, chairman of Sony Pictures Television, is joining Amazon as a senior vice president overseeing Amazons Prime video platform and movie and television studios.

AB 5 blow: Uber and Postmates on Monday lost the first round in their challenge to Californias new worker classification law, POLITICO reports.

Uber IPO fallout: As tax season begins, some of Uber's earliest employees are realizing they had little idea how their stock grants worked and are now grappling with the fallout on their tax bills after last May's disappointing IPO, Protocol reports.

JEDI latest: Amazon wants Trump and Defense Secretary Mark Esper to testify in its lawsuit against the Pentagon over the award of the multibillion-dollar JEDI cloud computing contract to Microsoft, POLITICO reports.

ICYMI: Federal prosecutors announced charges Monday against four Chinese intelligence officers for hacking the credit-reporting giant Equifax in one of the largest data breaches in history, POLITICO reports.

Facebook ad tracker: New Hampshire saw more than $1 million in Facebook spending in the month leading up to todays presidential primary, Zach Montellaro reports for Pros.

Can privacy be a piece of cake?: A privacy app called Jumbo presents a startling contrast to the maze of privacy controls presented by companies like Facebook, Twitter and Google, Protocol reports heres how it works, and how it plans turn a buck.

Virus watch: Following Amazons lead, Sony and NTT are pulling out of this months Mobile World Congress in Barcelona as a precaution during the coronavirus outbreak, Reuters reports.

In profile: Zapata Computing, a startup that creates software for quantum computers by avoiding as much as possible actually using a quantum machine, Protocol reports.

Out today: Alexis Wichowski, New York Citys deputy chief technology director and a professor at Columbias School of International and Public Affairs, is out today with The Information Trade: How Big Tech Conquers Countries, Challenges Our Rights, and Transforms Our World, a book published by HarperCollins.

Tips, comments, suggestions? Send them along via email to our team: Bob King (bking@politico.com, @bkingdc), Mike Farrell (mfarrell@politico.com, @mikebfarrell), Nancy Scola (nscola@politico.com, @nancyscola), Steven Overly (soverly@politico.com, @stevenoverly), John Hendel (jhendel@politico.com, @JohnHendel), Cristiano Lima (clima@politico.com, @viaCristiano), Alexandra S. Levine (alevine@politico.com, @Ali_Lev), and Leah Nylen (lnylen@politico.com, @leah_nylen).

TTYL.

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For the tech world, New Hampshire is anyone's race - Politico

US research on artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing would see dramatic boosts in funding for 2021, under a proposed budget released by the White House on 10 February. Thebudget requestissued by President Donald Trump makes cuts across most science agencies for the 2021 fiscal year, which begins on 1 October 2020. Although Congress has repeatedly rebuffed such requests for cutsand has, in fact, increased science spending in the enacted budgetsthe 132-page document from the White House offers a view into the administrations priorities and ambitions leading up to the November election.

Among US agencies that fund and conduct research, NASA would see big gains. The National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Department of Energy (DOE), among others, are slated for budget reductions.

Trump is being Trump, says Michael Lubell, a physicist at the City College of New York who tracks federal science-policy issues. All of Trumps budgets have sought to slash funding for the US research enterprise, but he has yet to convince lawmakers on Capitol Hill, Lubell says. He can ask for what he wants, but it doesnt mean its going to happen.

Under the presidents request, NASA would get US$25.2 billion for fiscal year 2021, a jump of nearly 12% over funding enacted by Congress for the current year. The money is meant to jump-start the administrations plans to send astronauts to the Moon by the end of 2024. The request includes $3.4 billion to develop lunar landers that could carry humans. Last year, lawmakers granted $600 million towards developing such landersless than half of what the White House asked for.

Under the banner of a Moon-to-Mars strategy, the presidents request also includes $529 million for robotic exploration of Mars. That would include bringing back a set of rock samples that will be collected by a rover slated to launch in July, and developing an ice-mapping mission to gather information for future landing sites.

NASAs Science Mission Directorate, which funds external research projects and partners, would receive $6.3 billion, which is the same amount proposed by the White House last year but would be a nearly 12% decrease from what Congress allocated. As in previous years, the presidents request aims to cancel NASAs next flagship space telescope, the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope, as well as the planned Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) and Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO) Pathfinder Earth-science missions. Also on the proposed chopping block is the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), a telescope that flies aboard a jumbo jet. Congress has rejected those requested cuts in past years.

The presidents budget proposes $38.7 billion for the NIH, about a 7% cut on the current level of $41.7 billion. The proposal is consistent with past White House budget requests; last year, the administration requested a $5-billion cut. As in the past 2 years, the budget proposes creating a new $335-million NIH institute, the National Institute for Research on Safety and Quality, to replace the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality at the Department of Health and Human Services. Also, as part of the administrations broader push to use and develop AI across sectors, the White House allocates $50 million of its proposed NIH budget for the study of chronic diseases using AI.

The White House proposal seeks a total of $7.7 billion for the NSF for fiscal year 2021, a decrease of more than $500 million from the enacted 2020 budget. This includes a 6% decrease in funding for research and development.

The presidents request includes reductions to six of the NSFs seven research directorates, including cuts of more than $100 million each for biological sciences and engineering. Computer and information science and engineering would be the only major research area to see an increase in its funding, consistent with the administrations plans to prioritize AI and quantum computing. These two areas will receive a combined $1 billion of the NSF budget under the presidents proposal. The NSF budget also includes $50 million for workforce development, with a focus on community colleges, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions. But the budget calls for deep cuts to other diversity-focused initiatives, such as the HBCU Excellence in Research programme

Proposed cuts of more than 10% would slash the budgets for geoscience research, the Office of International Science and Engineering and the Office of Polar Programs, which maintains the US research presence in the Arctic and Antarctic.

Tim Clancy, the president of Arch Street, a consulting company in Alexandria, Virginia, with a focus on federal science policy, says that although Congress has typically rejected Trumps proposed cuts to science funding, strict budget caps this year might mean that legislators will have to make difficult decisions about cutting programmes in order to free up money for the presidents AI and quantum initiatives.

The budget would provide $5.8 billion for the DOEs Office of Science, a drop of nearly 17% from 2020 levels. The office would see sharp decreases across its portfolio, which spans biological and environmental research, fusion and high-energy physics. Only the advanced scientific computing programme, with roughly level funding of $988 million, would escape the cuts.

The White House once again proposed slashing funding for clean-energy research. The popular Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E)which received a record $425 million last yearwould be eliminated, and the office of energy efficiency and renewable energy would see its budget slashed by roughly 74%. Funding for fossil-fuel research and development would drop by less than 3%, to $731 million.

The proposal faces long odds on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers have balked at such cuts. Last year, for instance, the administration sought to cut the Office of Sciences budget by nearly 16%; Congress responded by nudging the total up 6%, to a record $7 billion.

The White House is once again seeking to drastically cut funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which would see its budget drop by roughly 26%, to $6.7 billion. The budget would provide just $478 million for science and technology, a decrease of 33%. But Congress has repeatedly rejected the administrations attempts to cut funding for the EPA, whose budget has increased since Trump entered the White House.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) would receive more than $4.6 billion, a drop of 14%. The core science budget in the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research would fall by more than 40% to $327 million, although Congress rejected a similar cut last year. The administration has once again proposed eliminating the National Sea Grant College Program, which promotes research into the conservation and sustainable development of marine resources, and which Congress has thus far maintained. The budget would provide $188 million for sea-floor mapping and exploration efforts along the US coasts.

This article is reproduced with permission and was first published on February 10 2020.

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NASA Soars and Others Plummet in Trump's Budget Proposal - Scientific American

wbur "Electrons will collide with protons or larger atomic nuclei at the Electron-Ion Collider to produce dynamic 3-D snapshots of the building blocks of all visible matter," according to the U.S. Department of Energy. (Courtesy of Brookhaven National Laboratory/DOE)

The United States will soon have its first new particle collider in decades.

Earlier this year, the Department of Energy announced that Brookhaven National Laboratory in Uptown, New York, will be home to the Electron-Ion Collider [EIC], which will investigate whats inside two subatomic particles: protons and neutrons.

Brookhavens website describes this instrument as a machine that will unlock the secrets of the strongest force in nature. Its essentially an electron microscope that shoots electrons at protons and neutrons in order to measure them, says Paul Dabbar, undersecretary for science at the Department of Energy.

You need to accelerate it to very high levels of energy in order to basically shoot it, to do the mapping a little bit like an MRI or a CT scan for the inner workings of matter, he explains.

The electron beam is accelerated very fast in a circle, Dabbar says.

We will generate an electron beam and accelerate it to very, very close to the speed of light, he says. We basically circle around them imparting energy into the electron beam until it reaches the level that we want it so that we can image the protons and neutrons.

Scientists cant accelerate it exactly to the speed of light because as any piece of matter approaches that speed, its mass changes, Dabbar says.

That mass change makes it increasingly hard to get faster and faster, he says. And as you reach the speed of light, you reach an infinite amount of energy needed to get to that last step, and therefore, we cannot do that.

On the practical applications of this research

Well, the basic science research that this country has done and we have led particle physics since World War II, since the Manhattan Project, and a lot of the technologies that we use today have come out of the basic research that came out of the national labs, including in physics. These accelerators can be used for many different things. The first one is medical isotopes that are used for cancer treatment. So I think as many people know, you look at nuclear medicine and nuclear imaging, which is a core part of the medical community right now for treating diseases, that these accelerators can produce those isotopes on the nuclear medicine side that are really critical. And many times you have to produce some very locally. You have to have accelerators around the country to make these isotopes because they decay relatively quickly, some of them. And so for us to move forward, that certainly helps the medical area.

Another one, which is, I think, very interesting here in the near term, is around quantum information technologies. Utilizing quantum, which is inputting data into atoms rather than transistors, is basically a particle physics problem. And so the same equipment that we're looking at, technology that we're developing here and we've developed in the past for kind of older versions of accelerators, is the exact same particle technology that will be used for the upcoming quantum computing and the quantum internet.

Another area is around detectors. The MRI machine came out of the DOE national nuclear physics work. And so we certainly expect that we will have improvements in MRI and CT machines from detectors just like when we helped invent them.

On why this collider wont be up and running until 2030

So first of all, one of the advantages of this particular site and building it here is that we're actually using some existing collider infrastructure. There is a collider at Brookhaven National Lab right now called Rick, which is a relativistic hadron collider. So there's already a loop there that it was accelerating other types of ions. There was an accelerator infrastructure [already] there. And so we're going to finish that mission in terms of imaging for nuclear physics in 2024. Between now and then, we're actually going to be starting both the engineering design in more detail as well as design around components like the accelerators. And then in 2024, when we take down the Rick Collider at Brookhaven National Lab, then we'll start actually installing. And so from then it will take about six years to both do the construction and then do the commissioning and startup.

On why this is the first particle accelerator built in the U.S. in decades

There's a bit of a history around these accelerators. They cost a lot of money. There was one that was looked at a couple of decades ago called the Superconducting Super Collider, which ran into some ... challenges. The U.S. decided to invest in CERN [the European Organization for Nuclear Research] and the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva for that particular piece of science. We've been focusing on other areas. So one of them has been a neutrino piece of infrastructure at Fermilab outside of Chicago.

We've been investing in Europe for some colliders over the last, you know, the near term. And by the way, we continue that is for that particular type of collider. We're increasing our investment by the United States into the European collider at CERN. But we decided to take a look at building this particular collider in the U.S. I think a key thing for your listeners to kind of understand is that the budgets for the Office of Science and science in general at the federal level, including NASA and the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, are at all-time highs, and we're very excited about the support that, very bipartisan support from both Congress and ultimately president signing the budgets for all-time highs. So we're very excited about that.

Chris Bentley produced and edited this interview for broadcast with Kathleen McKenna. Samantha Raphelson adapted it for the web.

This segment aired on February 12, 2020.

Jeremy Hobson Co-Host, Here & Now Before coming to WBUR to co-host Here & Now, Jeremy Hobson hosted the Marketplace Morning Report, a daily business news program with an audience of more than six million.

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New Particle Accelerator In New York To Probe Protons And Neutrons - Here And Now

The eminent psychologist Jordan Peterson, who has been suffering from a severe addiction to benzodiazepine tranquilizers and the life-threatening cancer that his wife is currently battling, almost died recently in an induced coma, according to his daughter Mikhaila, who stated that the last year for her father has been an absolute hell.

Mikhaila Peterson also revealed her father, whose book Twelve Rules For Life became a gigantic bestseller, is being treated at a clinic in Russia; she claimed that he had repeatedly been misdiagnosed at hospitals in the United States and Canada.

In a script for a video released by The National Post, Mikhaila Peterson wrote:

The last year has been absolute hell for the Petersons. Dad was put on a low dose of a benzodiazepine a few years ago for anxiety following an extremely severe autoimmune reaction to food. He took the medication as prescribed. We werent aware that he was developing a physical dependence on the drug until last April when my mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer and the dose of the medication increased. It became apparent that he was experiencing a paradoxical reaction to the medication, meaning the benzos did the opposite of what theyre supposed to do. These reactions are rare but are not unheard of.

The worst symptom for dad was akathisia. Akathisia is an absolutely god-awful condition where the person feels an incredible, irresistible restlessness, and an inability to sit still. It was so severe he was suicidal. For the last six months hes been in horrible, unbearable discomfort from this drug, made worse when trying to remove it because of the physical dependence. We took him to several hospitals in North America where he experienced multiple cases of misdiagnosis, and the addition of more medications to cover the response he was experiencing from the benzodiazepines. He nearly died several times.

The National Post reported that in Moscow last month, Peterson was diagnosed with pneumonia; doctors induced a coma for eight days. Mikhaila Peterson said her fathers withdrawal was horrific, adding that her father has suffered neurological damage and cannot type or walk without help, but is on the mend. She said, Hes smiling again for the first time in months.

Mikhaila Peterson added, This was not a case of psychological addiction. Benzodiazepine physical dependence due to the brain changes that can occur in a matter of weeks can destroy lives. It can be made even worse by paradoxical reactions that are difficult to diagnose. The medication almost killed my dad. Hes a psychologist and even he wasnt aware of how bad these medications are for some people. Physical dependence can occur in a matter of a few weeks of daily use to biologically susceptible individuals. Dad will recover fully but it will take time and he still has a ways to go.

Peterson was reported to have taken the medication clonazepam, which is a benzodiazepine that binds to GABA receptors in the brain, making the neurons less active and excitable.Psychologist Jonathan N. Stea wrote in Psychology Today:

If benzodiazepines are used repeatedly and temporarily to avoid or cope with uncomfortable emotions, thoughts, and memories, their use could lead to the development or worsening of psychiatricsymptoms, such as anxiety. They are not first-line treatments for anxiety disorders, and clinical guidelines recommend that their use be restricted to the short term, due to the high potential for both dependency and addiction, as well as other side effects, including severe withdrawal symptoms, sedation, cognitive impairment, and the potential for death.

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Jordan Peterson Almost Died In Induced Coma During Withdrawal From Anxiety Drug, Daughter Says - The Daily Wire

UPDATED: Tue., Feb. 11, 2020

Nicholas Mason scored 16 points, Jordan Petersen added 13 and third-seeded Medical Lake (16-5) eliminated visiting sixth-seeded Lakeside 57-52 in a District 7 1A first-round game Tuesday.

The Cardinals (16-5), ranked No. 7 in Class 1A, take on second-seeded Deer Park in a semifinal Friday.

Javon Williams led Lakeside (7-14) with 18 points.

Newport 69, Colville 53: Ben Krogh scored 33 points and the host Grizzlies (14-7) eliminated the Indians (8-13) in a first-round game.

Michael Owen added 14 points for Newport, which faces top-seeded Freeman in a semifinal Friday.

Rhett Foulkes led Colville with 13 points.

Odessa 104, Republic 23: Ryan Moffet scored 32 points with eight assists and the top-seeded Tigers (21-0) defeated visiting fourth-seeded Republic (4-14) in a first-round game.

Moffet is 10 points from tying the state scoring record of 3,100, set last year by Brock Ravet of Kittitas.

Odessa faces Cusick in a semifinal Saturday at Medical Lake High. Daeton Deife scored 19 points and Jett Nelson added 18 for Odessa. David Jensen led Republic with seven points.

Cusick 75, Wellpinit 61: Celias Holmes and Colton Seymour scored 18 points apiece and the second-seeded Panthers (16-4) beat visiting third-seeded Wellpinit (11-8) in a first-round game.

Cusicks Brandon LeVasseur scored 15 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter.

Kobe Stearns had 20 points for Wellpinit, which faces Republic in a loser-out game Saturday.

Selkirk 65, Valley Christian 46: Ryan Zimmerman scored 26 points and the top-seeded Rangers (14-7) defeated the visiting fourth-seeded Panthers (7-11) in a first-round game in Ione.

Selkirk faces Almira/Coulee-Hartline in a semifinal Saturday.

Adam Bruno led Valley Christian with 18 points.

Almira/Coulee-Hartline 77, Inchelium 37: Chase Gerard scored 16 points and the second-seeded Warriors (13-7) defeated the third-seeded Hornets (9-11) in a first-round game in Coulee City.

Inchelium faces Valley Christian in a loser-out game Saturday.

Lonnie Simpson led Inchelium with nine points.

Feb. 11, 2020, 9:24 p.m.

Feb. 11, 2020, 10:10 p.m.

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Boys district basketball: Nicholas Mason, Jordan Peterson lead Medical Lake to district tourney win - Sports and Weather Right Now