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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.

Club13 A Newcomer’s Guide To The Kratom-Verse

You’ve seen the charts with the little gold stars that outline specific benefits of the different strains of kratom – Red Bali gets two stars for stimulating and five stars for pain relief, Maeng Da gets five stars for stimulating and enhancing mood but only two stars for pain relief, Ultra Indo gets five stars for pain relief and mood enhancement and two stars for pain relief. But can any of this information be trusted? The answer is: it depends where you read it and who you speak with. Different consumers have different experiences and there isn’t any true guidelines on how it may help you or not. Companies are not allowed to speak of their results, however, many customers have spoken about how great they have been for them.

Club13 Herbals is a Kratom company located in St. Augustine, Florida. Their website sells pure Kratom powdered and capsules. Their products are lab tested to make sure everything is free of contaminants. Learn more about Kratom and Club13.com here on the Emerald City Journal.

Much of what you get out of Kratom depends on what your goal is going in. Calling Club13 customer service was very helpful to me. So are you looking for an alternative to prescription medication? Are you looking for a relaxing feeling after a long day? Are you looking for a companion to your morning cup of coffee that will provide a jolt of energy as you start the day off right? Some users online have expressed it helps.

When I first began researching Kratom, I wanted it all. I’ve long had chronic pain from peripheral neuropathy, and I was looking for relief. I was also looking for something to balance my mood, and a boost or energy is always nice, as is relaxation. I’ve heard that Kratom could be the solution so I looked and researched the Internet. I found the Club13 Herbals website.

My multiple needs led me to Green Bali for its multiple benefits, and I had pretty much stuck to that until recently. I was happy with its effects, it worked for me on several levels.

But I realized recently there was no harm in experimenting, and after some more reading decided to try Red Vein Maeng Da because of positive reports on its ability to stimulate and add energy to your day without making it hard to sleep at night.

Going in, I was kind of convinced that any difference in effect would be minimal. I didn’t think my kratom-ometer was refined enough to tell the difference in strains. Hey, I used to drink wine out of a box.

But the first time I swallowed a few capsules of the Red Vein Maeng Da, I knew right away that it was different. It was energizing, it was vibrant, it had just a tinge of euphoria glittering around the edges, but it was very smooth. Caffeine makes me jittery at times, kratom did not.

My lovely wife has tried kratom a couple of times. She found the Green Bali sedating and wasn’t a fan.I offered her a few Red Vein Maeng Da capsules, and an hour later I could tell by her delighted laughter that she enjoyed it. She said it was stimulating and just made her feel good.

So there you go. Turns out reading or looking at a chart only gets you so far. Words are helpful, but they’re just words. We need to branch out, experiment, try new things for ourselves. Try different vendors like Club13 and ask questions if needed.

That’s how I found kratom in the first place, and as a neophyte kratomnaut I’m going to try a white-veined variety next. I’ll let you know what I think.

How about you? What strain of kratom works for you, and why? What other strains have you tried, and to what effect?

And, most importantly, what are you going to try next?

Natalie Khawam Fights to Save Members of the Military From a Broken Military Medical System

Imagine fighting for your country and sacrificing your very own safety only to come home to a very broken military medical system. Imagine, that you are misdiagnosed by the same military hospital that was gave you a clean bill of health. That misdiagnosis then leads to terminal cancer and now neither you nor your family has any legal recourse against the same military hospital that put you and your family into that horrible position. This type of scenario happens far more than people believe it does in the United States. The standard of military medical care is subpar for active duty members and Natalie Khawam’s latest case is a prime example of how the system has completely failed the men and women of the military.

Natalie Khawam’s name is very well known amongst veterans and active duty members that have been failed by the very system that was designed to help them. The military medical system is broken and Natalie Khawam is fighting hard to make sure laws and safeguards are put in place in order to ensure that military members are protected from medical negligence. She understands how imperative it is that these individuals who have fought so hard for our country receive the proper benefits.

As an attorney, Ms. Khawam, makes it her duty to help protect the nation’s veterans and active duty members. Her law firm, the Whistleblower Law Firm, employs dedicated team members that have a wide breadth of legal knowledge and the firm focuses on numerous practice areas. Although, as the name suggests, the firm predominately focuses on whistleblower laws, they are in no way limited to that particular practice area. Veterans and active duty members in particular are very important to the firm so Natalie makes it her mission to make sure that their rights are protected.

Unfortunately, the members of the military are having difficulties getting access to proper medical care through the military medical system. Even though there have been numerous reports about the lack of adequate medical care and ineptness of the VA and the military hospitals, there are still a variety of issues. There are so many people and families that have horror stories about dealing with life or death issues and how the military medical system has let them down. Even in the case of outright medical malpractice, there is no legal recourse that veterans can take in this particular event.

According to the Emerald City Journal, a Green Beret from North Carolina and his family are finding themselves in this same horrible position. Sgt. First Class Richard Stayskal is currently facing the worst possible outcome from an inept medical care. He is dying from terminal cancer and because of a misdiagnosis; he has very few medical options left at this point. What is even worse about this situation is that Sfc. Stayskal might have had medical options to help him fight the cancer that is ravaging his body. After his service and his sacrifice, he is dying because of a terrible and preventable mistake. Even though it was huge oversight on the part of military hospital, Sfc. Stayskal and his family have no recourse to sue the military for malpractice.

Thanks to a case from the 1950’s, it became law that a service member could not sue the military for medical malpractice. In 1950 in Feres v. United States, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the federal government could not be held liable under the FTCA for injuries to members of the armed forces that arise from activities conducted during time served. This established what is now known as the “Feres Doctrine”. The principle behind this doctrine is that members of the military are routinely injured in the course of duty based on the inherent dangerous nature of being an active duty member.

While in theory the law makes sense and should apply to most circumstances and injuries and arise during combat. For example, if medical care is rendered during a combat situation or when emergency care is needed in a training environment, the military and their medical staff make quick decisions. These quick decisions are made under incredibly stressful situations. It makes sense that the military should not be held responsible for treating an injured active duty member during a triage situation that arises during combat or training. The Supreme Court did not want to compromise the ability of military medical staff to treat a wounded warrior.

There are some circumstances however that should be exempt from the Feres Doctrine. When it come to medical malpractice outside of the purview of combat, there should be some exemptions made for soldiers. Medical care at a military hospital, during a non-combat situation should be exempt. Members of the military that face gross negligence should be allowed legal recourse during medical care received during non-combat situations.  For some individuals, they have been left with no way to provide for their families after a medical mishap and those responsible should be held accountable.

Sfc. Stayskal almost died in Iraq in 2004 when he was shot by a sniper. After recovering from this horrific incident, he joined the Special Forces. He was selected to attend Special Forces Under Water School and Combat Dive Qualification Course and during the required school physical examination in January of 2017, the civilian radiologist at the Womack Army Medical Center in Fort Bragg failed to identify a large tumor midline his right upper lobe. Due to this gross medical negligence, and other mishaps through the military medical system, Sfc. Stayskal now has months to live.

His story is not unheard of when it comes to dealing with the military medical system. There are thousands of other active duty military members that are suffering at the hands of a broken system and they have no legal recourse. There was a basic right that has been stripped from the nation’s soldiers.  The right to sue for medical negligence is a right that everyone should be able to exercise, especially the men and women of the military. They should not be exempt from being able to protect themselves and their families from medical negligence.

Attorney Natalie Khawam and her firm are fighting to help enact critical legislation that will amend this wrong. She wants to help make sure that no solider or their families ever suffer from the same fate at Sfc. Stayskal and his family. Her team will fight hard to help defend the rights of the soldiers just as they have fought and sacrificed for the nation. She firmly believes it is her duty to protect the soldiers and the veterans of the country. She understands how much they sacrifice for the country and their very own families and she wants to make sure that they are safeguarded against medical malpractice. Natalie Khawam is committed to challenging this outdated law so that no man or women has to suffer from this form of injustice ever again.

Natalie Khawam and Veterans’ Rights

Natalie Khawam is a whistleblower law attorney in the Tampa, Florida area. As the founder of the Whistleblower law firm, she doesn’t only tirelessly work to protect the rights of the clients that seek her help – she also works to serve and protect the rights of US veterans, both in work-related matters and volunteer work.

The Whistleblower Law Firm and Veterans’ Benefits

True to Khawam’s dedication to serving veterans, the Whistleblower Law Firm provides veterans’ benefits services. The attorneys help with navigating the difficult phases of the Veterans’ Claim Process, from initial applications to appeals and renewals. For veterans who have claim denials or aren’t receiving appropriate levels of benefits, the assistance of the Whistleblower Law Firm helps resolve these issues, giving veterans the support they deserve for their dedication.

Additionally, Khawam has worked to include a specialized team of VA accredited attorneys among the team members of the Whistleblower Law Firm. She is proud to work with individuals like military officers, a VA Medical Officer, a VA Claims Examiner, and an attorney from the Board of Veterans Appeals to help provide veterans with the expert legal assistance they deserve when seeking help.

Whistleblower Claims for Veterans’ Rights

Khawam’s dedication to veterans’ rights doesn’t just stop at directly supporting them. Khawam also works to defend those who would stand up for veterans. One such instance involved a claim from March 2018, where a social worker at a Bay Area VA facility, Karen Chwick, faced repercussions for noting gaps in veteran patient care at the facility.

Chwick’s concerns originated from the lack of appropriate care for veteran cancer patients. Because the facility itself did not provide radiation treatment, veteran patients would need to go to other services to receive the treatment. While the VA hospital was supposed to help with referrals, there were numerous delays in treatments that, while on average were within the 30 day timeframe permitted by current guidelines, sometime stretched longer than permissible. When she noticed this, Chwick documented the delays and reported them to her superiors.

While she had hoped to see a change in patient procedures she instead faced harsh repercussions, including orders for a disciplinary hearing and becoming prohibited from patient meetings. Chwick ultimately chose Khawam as her attorney for a whistleblower claim against the VA institution. Khawam represented the case, acknowledging Chwick’s efforts and the importance of protecting US veterans.

In another case, the Whistleblower Law Firm represented an Iraqi War Veteran who was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to a violent IED attack. While the veteran had been able to return home afterwards, he did not receive the appropriate diagnosis and disability support deserved for the condition. The Whistleblower Law Firm worked to help earn the appropriate compensation, better enabling the veteran to live a fulfilling life.

PTSD drastically impacts anyone who suffers from it, and veterans often have some of the worst cases due to the potentially violent nature of deployment. Without proper treatment, those who suffer from PTSD are likely to develop other anxiety disorders and commit suicide. By advocating for appropriate benefits of veterans, the Whistleblower Law Firm can help them receive the treatment they deserve.

Panel Moderation at the Summit for Civil and Human Rights

Aside from representing clients and advocating for veterans’ rights, Khawam also brings these issues forward for discussion with her fellow attorneys. She has made appearances at the Whistleblower Summit for Civil and Human Rights. This summit works to acknowledge how whistleblowing has an impact on the law and curbing incidents of fraud. At the 2018 Summit, Khawam and her fellow Whistleblower Law Firm members, Sabrina Mentor and Daniel Maharaj, worked to host a panel related to veterans’ rights.

The panel, Blowing the Whistle at the Department of Veteran’s Affairs – Another Perspective was a discussion-based panel, focusing on the recent 2017 legal implementation of the Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act. Specifically, the panel focused on discussing the state of affairs within the VA for whistleblowers following the new act. Aside from Khawam and her fellow Whistleblower Law Firm members, panelists included three VA whistleblowers and an investigative reporter to take part in the discussion.

Conversations like these are an essential part of protecting veterans’ rights. As the VA is responsible for administering and caring for veterans’ benefits, issues inside the core of the system could hurt the veterans who depend on it. Having an active whistleblower culture that discourages and stands up against these issues allows for veterans to receive the support they deserve. As someone who wants to protect these rights, Khawam encourages those who have recognized corruption and errors within or impacting the VA system to speak up.

Jon Lloyd Stryker Biography

Jon Lloyd Stryker

Jon Lloyd Stryker was born in 1958 and is the heir to the Stryker Corporation. The Stryker Corporation, based in Kalamazoo Michigan, is a medical technologies company. The following products are sold by the company, joint replacement implants, surgical equipment, surgical navigation systems, emergency medical equipment, neurosurgical, neurovascular, and spinal devices and a variety of other essential medical products used across the field of medicine.

Stryker is a philanthropist and architect. He was born in Kalamazoo and attended Kalamazoo College and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology. He also received a Master of Architecture degree from the University of California, Berkeley. He serves as a board member of multiple organizations like Kalamazoo College’s Board of Trustees, and the board of trustees of The Museum of Modern Art and he served on the board of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles from 2018 to 2021. Stryker is a registered architect in Michigan and is the President of Depot Landmark LLC. Depot Landmark specializes in the rehabilitation of historic buildings.

Stryker is also the founder and president of the Arcus Foundation. The Arcus Foundation has offices in both New York City and Cambridge UK. The mission statement of the foundation is as follows, “Arcus believes that respect for diversity among peoples and in nature is essential to a positive future for our planet and all its inhabitants. We partner with experts and advocates for change to ensure that LGBTQ people and our fellow apes thrive in a world where social and environmental justice are a reality.”

Although the two main causes, Great Ape conservation and LGBTQ causes, seem to be unrelated to one another, Stryker believes that the two causes are interlinked. He thinks that both are bound together by justice and compassion.

The Arcus Foundation has two main goals. The goal of the Great Apes & Gibbons Program is to ensure that viable populations of great apes and gibbons are protected from extinction and living in habitats that are managed sustainably. The goal of their Social Justice Program is to increase the safety, inclusion, acceptance and affirming protections for LGBTQ people.

He has donated to multiple other causes as well. He has donated to the Equal Justice Initiative, the New York Community Trust, the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, Spelman College, the ACLU and many other organizations that are fighting for equality and justice.

Stryker was named one of the nation’s Top 50 donors by the Chronicle of Philanthropy multiple years in a row and he was named to Forbes’ list of America’s Top 50 Givers in 2018. He received the Jeanne and Joseph Sullivan Award from Heartland Alliance’s National Immigrant Justice Center in 2012. Also due to his contributions to Kalamazoo College, he received their Distinguished Service Award in 2010. In 2018, he also donated millions of dollars to establish a 10-year scholarship program for students of color, first-generation students and those from lower-income families.

Stryker is married to his partner, Slobodan Randjelovi? and they currently live in New York City. Over the course of his lifetime, Stryker has given away $675 million.

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