sulan: December 2019

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Six New Year’s resolutions to make you smarter and safer with technology - ZDNet

This is the year you're going to take off that 10 extra pounds. You're also going to go to the gym three times a week, and you're going to get organized, and you're going to live life to its fullest, and ...

Aw, who are we kidding? Everyone makes those resolutions, and they're usually just a distant memory by Super Bowl Sunday. So instead of those unrealistic promises to yourself, how about if we start with something that's a little more achievable? I've got some recommendations for smart things you can resolve to do with your technology in the new year to make you happier, more productive, and maybe even less anxious.

Back up to the cloud

No matter how many times well-meaning advice columnists tell us to back up, we find excuses to not do that task. And so, when (not if) some horrible catastrophe renders the data on our PC or smartphone completely inaccessible, there's no backup available. Or there's a backup from several months ago that's missing everything you've done lately.

This is where the cloud becomes a digital life saver, capturing the bits that document your digital life. It is easy to configure your smartphone so that every photo and video on your camera roll is backed up to whichever cloud you call home: Google Photos, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, or Apple's iCloud.

Meanwhile, on your PC or Mac, sync your important data files to that same cloud. It's particularly easy to do this with a consumer OneDrive account. After signing in, open OneDrive Settings, click the Backup tab, click Manage Backup, and follow the instructions. Just make sure to save important files to the Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders, which are then backed up automatically.

Get smart about passwords

Using a bad, easy-to-guess password can turn your life upside down. Just ask anyone who's ever had a bank account compromised. Reusing any password, even a strong one, is just as bad. If a sloppy website allows your credentials to be stolen, a determined thief will try them at other sites.

So, how do you generate a strong, unique password for every account, and how do you keep track of them all? Use a password manager. I prefer to store my heavily encrypted password file in the cloud using 1Password, but you have plenty of other choices, as I explain in this article.

Also, don't use "correct horse battery staple" as your password. It's almost as bad as "123456."

Turn on 2FA everywhere

If, despite your best precautions, an online thief steals your credentials for an important website or service, you have another roadblock to put in their way. Add multi-factor authentication (often called two-factor authentication, or 2FA) to every important online account. This is especially important for email credentials, any kind of banking or payment service, and all your social media accounts. In fact, if an important service doesn't offer 2FA as a security option, you should perhaps ask them why not.

Both Google and Microsoft make simple, elegant authenticator apps for smartphones. If you're the independent sort, try the free Authy app. I've put together a 2FA explainer that can get you started. Do it today.

Stop tweaking things

In the early days of the PC revolution, computers were like the Ford Model T. If you took one out on the road, you'd better have a full toolkit handy and be prepared to get very greasy while tinkering under the hood.

The heyday of the Model T was almost exactly a century ago. In the 21st Century, when cars are mostly code, you are not going to make your Tesla go faster by going in and editing some config files. The same is true with PCs. I routinely see people who insist that they can make their computing machines go at warp speed with a few registry edits.

But when I look deeper into those magical tweaks, I almost never find that any of these trivial changes truly make a difference. Most of modern computing is just physics, after all. You want a faster computer? Add more memory, or replace that old spinning disk with an SSD.

Take your updates

Among the tinfoil-hat set, it is fashionable to argue that true experts focus their energy on preventing software developers from installing updates. They believe, after all, that the best version of your OS was the one released three years ago (or five years ago, or even ten) and everything that has happened since has been an unmitigated disaster.

Meanwhile, here on Earth-1, every major software platform updates itself continuously. Problems with updates are relatively rare and generally solved within days or, very rarely, a week or two.

If you'd prefer to take a conservative approach, it's easy enough to defer updates for up to a month while you wait for others to identify any issues. But spending energy trying to override built-in update code is time you'll never get back.

Uninstall your antivirus

There might have been a case for installing third-party antivirus software on a Windows PC a decade or two ago, but today? Not so much. Windows Defender, which is part of every Windows 10 installation, is good enough.

That's not just damning with faint praise, either.

These days, the only reason that third-party antivirus exists is so that PC makers can actually squeeze out a profit from the bounties they get for preinstalling this crap on cheap new PCs for consumers. Fact is, the overwhelming majority of malicious software should be shut off long before it gets to your PC, using the built-in protections provided by your email provider, your ISP, and your web browser.

In fact, that third-party software is just as likely to get in the way of an update or accidentally quarantine a crucial system file. Save your money and just get rid of it.

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How To Make Your App Idea A Must-Have Solution - Forbes

Zion Williamson injury update: Pelicans star returning to practice, expected to make season debut in January - CBS Sports

The basketball world has waited patiently for the debut of No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson, which is already well behind schedule. When the former Duke star initially suffered a torn meniscus during the preseason, the timeline suggested was six-to-eight weeks of recovery. We have already zoomed well past that, but there finally appears to be an end in sight to his absence.

Early on Tuesday evening, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the Pelicans are expecting Williamson to make his season debut in January.

"As the calendar shifts to 2020, Pelicans No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson is on the cusp of a breakthrough," Charania noted in a video for Stadium. "Williamson is expected to return to his first practice shortly after the New Year on Wednesday. I'm told both sides are hopeful of a January season debut for Williamson."

It's still not clear exactly which game will be Williamson's debut, but this is the most concrete bit of information we've gotten so far about when he'll finally play this season. We'll likely get a firm date sometime in the next few weeks after Williamson has had a chance to return to real practices and the Pelicans can evaluate his progress.

According to a report from Andrew Lopez of ESPN, Williamson is yet to compete in five-on-five or three-on-three drills. Instead, the Pelicans have focused on individual work, including going back to basics on improving his walking and running form to better prevent injuries in the future.

If it were up to him, Williamson already would have made his debut, according to Jorge Sedano of ESPN. That he hasn't speaks to the priorities of the New Orleans Pelicans as an organization. They are not willing to rush him back before they're 100 percent confident he's ready to lead this team -- not only this season, but for years to come.

Even after a mini four-game winning streak, the Pelicans are 11-23 and well outside the playoff picture in the West. This is a rebuilding franchise with a bright future ahead of it, and as such, rushing Williamson back before he is ready makes little sense. Instead, the Pelicans want to make sure that Williamson is not only physically healthy before taking the court, but mentally prepared to avoid injuries in the future.

That is where changing his walking and running technique comes in. His unique body type poses challenges that few other players need to deal with. Williamson is one of the NBA's heaviest players at only 6-6, and his explosiveness presents unique problems for a training staff. Fortunately, the Pelicans have one of the best team doctors in all of basketball in Aaron Nelson, renowned for his work with the Phoenix Suns. Clearly, New Orleans is trying to institute a long-term physical plan for his health that requires patience.

And Williamson is on board with that, as he told Sedano that he "trusts the organization" as he continues on his recovery. Their goals are aligned, after all. Williamson and the Pelicans both want him to have a long, productive and healthy career, and the steps they are taking now will help make that happen.

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Binance US Launches iOS Application in Beta - LearnBonds

Binance, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world based on volume, has recently opened up a US-based exchange for its customers based there. Now, it seems that the platform is launching an iOS application, and it is now in an open beta format for anyone to test, according to a tweet from the company.

After the successful private-beta test, we are opening the iOS beta to all of you!

Download https://t.co/AZwoBOgsqS iOS App for Beta Testing: https://t.co/GVBWKg946w pic.twitter.com/t6ifB5wvZu

— Binance.US (@BinanceAmerica) December 30, 2019

The iOS application has been in a private beta testing since earlier in December, reports CoinTelegraph. Those who want to apply for the open beta can do so via the tweet above.

As for the Android application, we’re unsure as to when Binance will release that for testing, or if they even will in the long run, instead just opting for a full release right away.

Binance is one of the most popular exchanges out there, and many around the world utilize it as their favorite way to buy and trade cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum. It houses dozens of cryptocurrencies for users to participate within and adds assets to the platform on a fairly regular basis.

Since opening its US exchange, Binance has made sure to cater to as many customers around the world as it possibly can. Ideally, this mobile application will make it even easier for them to participate.

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Robbins: Impeachment's history and application - Vail Daily News

When he assumes the office, the president swears an oath to faithfully execute the laws.

Presidential power is so great, it frightened the framers of the United States Constitution. As George Mason warned at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787, “If we do not provide against corruption, our government will soon be at an end.” As he further posed, “Shall any man be above Justice?” In a nutshell, that is the question of impeachment.

Impeachment is the final answer to a rresident who mistakes himself for a monarch. In Federalist 69, the luminary, Alexander Hamilton, argued that whereas “the person of the King of Great Britain is sacred and inviolable,” the President of the United States could be “impeached, tried and, on conviction,… removed from office.”

Keeping power in check

There are other checks against unfettered power, the separation of powers into the three branches of government and regular elections are preeminent among them.

The ultimate safeguard is, however, impeachment which provides that a president can be removed from office if the House of Representatives approves Articles of Impeachment charging the president with “Treason, Bribery or Other High Crimes or Misdemeanors.”

Bear in mind that the Declaration of Independence was itself a long list of the tyrannical abuses committed by a king.

When Articles of Impeachment are brought, the matter is tried in the Senate — the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presiding — and if a two-thirds majority finds the president guilty of misconduct, the president is immediately removed from office.

The words that give rise to impeachment were first proposed by George Mason and — like much of the language embodied in the constitution — were intended to be flexible and broad enough to encompass various contingencies that might present themselves in the future. As Mason explained, the words “Treason, Bribery and High Crimes and Misdemeanors” were meant to capture all manner of “great and dangerous offenses.”

Let’s consider those few words that give rise to impeachment:

“Treason” is simply the betrayal of the national security;

Impeachable “Bribery” occurs when the president offers, solicits or accepts something of personal value to influence his own official actions. It is the action of selling out the interests of The People for the president’s own personal gain;

The records of the Constitutional Convention and the state ratifying debates make clear that what “other high crimes and misdemeanors” was meant to encompass were three primary kinds of presidential misconduct: 1) abuse of power, 2) betrayal of the nation through foreign entanglements, and 3) corruption of office and elections.

All of these amount to violations of the public trust.

Abuse of power can, in turn, be divided into two major categories: 1) engaging in official acts forbidden by law and 2) the somewhat murkier, engaging in official acts with motives forbidden by law, the so-called action motivated by corrupt intent.

Corruption at the highest level

The case of Richard Nixon is, of course, instructive.

Nixon abused his presidential power in acting with corrupt motives in obstructing justice and using his official power to target political opponents.

Betrayal involving foreign powers is its own special case. This possibility made the framers break out in at least metaphorical hives. Discussion of this topic is shot through the Constitutional Convention proceedings. It is why “treason” is the first word in the operative constitutional clause dealing with possible impeachment.

Foreign interference was one of the gravest dangers feared by the framers. James Madison observed simply, “The President might betray his trust to foreign powers.”

None less than George Washington warned in his farewell address for his fellow citizens “to be constantly awake, since history and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government.”

John Adams echoed this in a letter to Thomas Jefferson, noting, “You are apprehensive of foreign Interference, Intrigue and Influence. So am I. But as often as Elections happen, the danger of foreign influence recurs.”

A special word or two is deserved regarding the concept of “corruption.” Although corruption may occur in many guises, of particular concern to the framers was the concept of corruption engaged in by the president for personal political gain, particularly for the purpose of retaining power. The framers well understood that corrupt leaders concentrate power by manipulating elections and undercutting adversaries. To the framers, “electoral treachery” earned a special place in hell.

Some people confuse criminality with impeachment — that a president can be impeached only if he has committed a crime. On Dec. 10, at a rally in Hershey, Pennsylvania, President Trump argued that the charges that he abused power and obstructed Congress are “not even a crime.” This is mistaken conception. Offenses against the constitution are different than offenses against the criminal code.

Impeachable offenses are better thought of as a breach of honor, a betrayal of trust. The very essence of an impeachable offense is one where the President puts himself—out of his own self-interest—ahead of and in place of the common welfare.

Corruption is at the heart of it.

Rule of law rules all

At the Constitutional Convention, the issue of corruption was raised 54 times by 15 different delegates. But what corruption meant to the framers was perhaps broader than we think of it today. To the framers, corruption was fundamentally about the abuse of public trust for the purpose of personal gain.

“We the People.” This is ultimately what impeachment is about. The People are the sovereign, not a king and not the president. The rule of law is supreme over any being regardless of his station.

Impeachment is about accountability.

In the British system, impeachment, in one form or another, has been around since 1376. In 1679, it was proclaimed in the House of Commons that impeachment was “the chief institution for the preservation of government.” Impeachment was a hedge against royal absolutism.

Even as the instrument of impeachment fell away in Great Britain in the 1700s, in the New World, the colonists took it up. During the revolution, 10 states ratified constitutions allowing impeachment of elected officials.

So how does impeachment work?

The House — representing the great body of The People — functions in much the same way as a grand jury. It investigates and then determines if one or more impeachable offense has been committed.

If impeachable offenses are found, the House adopts Articles of Impeachment and formally accuses the president of wrongdoing.

Then over to the Senate it goes.

There, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides. Who can forget Justice Rehnquist in the Clinton impeachment trial in his Valkyrie robes?

It is the senators who try the matter, who sit as a court of impeachment for the president. Each Senator must swear a special oath. It is a juror’s oath and a judge’s oath — not a legislator’s oath.

According to Rule XXV of the Senate Rules in Impeachment Trials, all senators must make the following oath: “I solemnly swear [or affirm] that in all things appertaining to the trial of the impeachment of [the person being impeached], now pending, I will do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws: So help me God.”

Ideally, country is meant to prevail above party, to prevail above all else. The senators are supposed to speak for the nation.

If there is a two-thirds vote to convict, the president is immediately removed from office. If not, and if crimes may have been committed, it does not inoculate the president from potential criminal prosecution once he leaves office.

The presidency is an office with broad, almost awesome powers. Impeachment is the ultimate check upon the abuse or misuse of the sacred trust invested in the supposed honor and integrity of the man or woman elected to protect and defend the nation.

Rather than a crisis under the constitution as many pundits claim, impeachment may be better conceived of as the constitution working precisely in the way it was intended, as a check against unfettered power and ambition, as the preserve of our collective liberties and freedom from autocracy.

Rohn K. Robbins is an attorney licensed before the bars of Colorado and California who practices in the Vail Valley with the law firm of Stevens, Littman, Biddison, Tharp & Weinberg LLC. His practice areas include business and commercial transactions, real estate and development, family law, custody and divorce and civil litigation. Robbins may be reached at 970-926-4461 or at his email address, robbins@slblaw.com.

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Study: People make mistakes to justify selfish behavior - Quartz

Nobody wants to look selfish. When two people split a slice of cake at a restaurant, for example, it’s a safe bet that neither party will make a move to eat the last bite, an offering to the gods of etiquette.

But what if one diner just so happened to forget themselves in the midst of conversation, and thoughtlessly took the last piece of very delicious, very expensive, actually rather once-in-a-lifetime cake? That wouldn’t be selfish, now would it? It would just be a silly mistake, the kind of thing that could happen to anyone.

A new working paper, posted on the National Bureau of Economic Research website, sheds light on this kind of self-serving screwup. Across three studies with a total of 4,200 applicants, researchers found that people made unnecessary errors when the mistake allowed them to achieve a more personally desirable outcome. But when there was no possibility of having the mistake work out in their favor, they made very few errors at all.

“By acting as if they suffer from cognitive limitations or behavioral biases, individuals appear to ‘create’ uncertainty (e.g., about whether selfishness was caused by a decision error) in order to rationalize undesirable choices,” the authors conclude. In other words, people mess up—accidentally-on-purpose—when they sense that a simple blunder will help them avoid being judged for, or feeling bad about, acting selfishly. The authors call this a “motivated error.”

So how does this play out, exactly? In one experiment, participants could choose to get money themselves or give the money to charity. They were more likely to make a simple mathematical error involving adding with zeroes—a concept that first-graders are familiar with—when doing so meant that they could elect to hang onto the money. Yet participants weren’t confused by zeroes at all when they were choosing between giving money to two charities, with no possibility of keeping the money themselves. “Agents only act as if they cannot properly add a zero when doing so can rationalize selfish decisions,” the authors explain.

In another experiment, where participants had to choose between keeping a sum for themselves or giving it to multiple charities, they were more likely to keep the money when the presence of additional information (that one of the charities would receive 0 cents) made it possible to act as if that particular bit of knowledge was what swayed them, rather than a desire for financial gain. And in a third experiment, participants were more likely to fall prey to anchoring bias—that is, placing too much emphasis on the first piece of information they were given—when doing so meant that they came out ahead.

The paper by Christine Exley, an assistant professor of business administration at Harvard Business School, and Judd B. Kessler, an assistant professor of business economics and public policy at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, has not yet been peer-reviewed. But as the authors point out, it’s consistent with other research suggesting that people also become surprisingly forgetful when it means that they can hold onto self-serving beliefs. (Consider the entrepreneur and self-proclaimed “self-made man” who conveniently erases the fact that his parents gave him a $500,000 loan from his memory, or the CEO who touts her progressive culture but is unable to recall exactly how much parental leave employees get, perhaps because the answer is only two weeks.)

So the next time someone cancels on you at the last minute with the excuse that they simply don’t know how they mixed up the time and date, ask your friend if they’ve ever heard of the term “motivated error.” But know that if they’re habitually selfish, chances are high they’ll go on to forget all about it.

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Tricks to Make Long Flights Fly By - Wall Street Journal

Meditation apps, storytelling podcasts and a sketchbook are a few ways to avoid going stir... — Meditation apps, storytelling podcasts and a sketchbook are a few ways to avoid going stir crazy on a long-haul flight. Photo: Alamy

Donna Bulseco

Dec. 31, 2019 2:36 pm ET

Joss Kent

CEO of luxury travel company &Beyond

I often travel to Africa, India and South America, so managing an overnight flight that leads into a long workday is a core competency. Managing sleep is a science. I stay away from alcohol and eat before I board, so mealtime doesn’t eat into snooze time. Don’t rely on airline ear plugs; bring wax ear plugs and a cashmere sweater, or African kikoi—it’s like a warm shawl—to wrap yourself up like a little mummy. On a long day flight, use the time in a fun way—for research and think time, mulling over the creative stuff you can never focus on with all the interruptions in a workday. On a return trip, I’ll also do a Headspace meditation. It’s a lifesaver to relieve the flat panic of the brain, especially good for re-entry into family life after a hard trip.

Fuchsia Dunlop

Author of ‘The Food of Sichuan’ and a gastronomic tour guide in China for Wild China

Long flights are a mixed blessing—grueling and uncomfortable but also a total respite from the outside world, when I enter another zone where nothing is expected of me. I have a healthy meal beforehand, like salad or hummus, and I don’t drink the night before, so I feel fresh when boarding. I take along healthy snacks—tangerines, apples, nuts and Valrhona dark chocolate with almonds—and a Uniqlo ultralight down jacket, to stay warm or use as a pillow. If I am up for entertainment, I get into a gripping podcast, like “The Assassination” about Benazir Bhutto, or “Intrigue: The Ratline,” about the family of a Nazi. I wiled away a recent trip to China watching “Chernobyl” and didn’t want the flight to end because it was such an amazing series! Good storytelling helps you pass the time.

Spencer Dinwiddie

Brooklyn Nets point guard and founder of sneaker brand K8iros

Typically, I get some good food in me—definitely vegetables—and then I gauge how tired I am. I always bring my sketchbook with me on flights and draw shoes, something I’ve done since I was young. I also may watch film [of the opposing team] if we have a game coming up, or a movie: The most recent one was “6 Underground” on the team plane. I wear recovery tights to reduce swelling in my legs. Because of that, I always wear long pants, even if we are traveling to warm cities. And then I need a hoodie to put over my head in order to sleep. It’s about getting a little peace of mind, so whatever does that for you, use it. Nothing too crazy.

—Edited from interviews by Donna Bulseco

More in Off Duty Travel

Adventure Vacations for Overachievers December 26, 2019
Tokyo’s Coolest New Hotels December 23, 2019
Exploring the Hollywood of the Australian Outback December 16, 2019
A Caribbean Cruise for Efficiently Adventurous Travelers December 13, 2019
Why Tourists Are Flocking to Chernobyl December 12, 2019

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Neovasc Submits Premarket Approval Application to FDA for Neovasc Reducer - BioSpace

VANCOUVER, Dec. 31, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Neovasc Inc. ("Neovasc" or the "Company") (NASDAQ, TSX: NVCN), a leader in the development of minimally invasive transcatheter mitral valve replacement technologies and in the development of minimally invasive devices for the treatment of refractory angina, today announced the submission of a Premarket Approval application (“PMA”) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Neovasc Reducer™ (“Reducer”) medical device for the treatment of refractory angina. The submission also includes a request for an Advisory Panel meeting.

“This submission marks an important milestone in our effort to bring Reducer to the U.S. market, where it is estimated that there are up to 1.8 million patients with refractory angina,” said Fred Colen, President and Chief Executive Officer of Neovasc. “These patients have traditionally had no options – they are either unsuitable for revascularization or continue to suffer with angina following revascularization procedures. The Reducer provides potential relief of angina symptoms by altering blood flow within the myocardium of the heart and increasing the perfusion of oxygenated blood to ischemic areas of the heart muscle.”

The PMA for Reducer includes clinical data from the COSIRA 104 patient randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial, the ongoing REDUCER-I European Post-Market study, with over 200 patients currently enrolled with up to 5 years of follow-up, and supportive clinical evidence from multiple peer reviewed publications on Reducer.

About Reducer
The Reducer is CE-marked in the European Union for the treatment of refractory angina, a painful and debilitating condition that occurs when the coronary arteries deliver an inadequate supply of blood to the heart muscle, despite treatment with standard revascularization or cardiac drug therapies. It affects millions of patients worldwide, who typically lead severely restricted lives as a result of their disabling symptoms, and its incidence is growing. The Reducer provides relief of angina symptoms by altering blood flow within the myocardium of the heart and increasing the perfusion of oxygenated blood to ischemic areas of the heart muscle. Placement of the Reducer is performed using a minimally invasive transvenous procedure that is similar to implanting a coronary stent and is completed in approximately 20 minutes.

While the Reducer is not approved for commercial use in the United States, the FDA granted Breakthrough Device designation to the Reducer in October 2018. This designation is granted by the FDA in order to expedite the development and review of a device that demonstrates compelling potential to provide a more effective treatment or diagnosis of life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating diseases. In addition, there must be no FDA approved treatments presently available, or the technology must offer significant advantages over existing approved alternatives.

Refractory angina, resulting in continued symptoms despite maximal medical therapy and without revascularization options, is estimated to affect 600,000 to 1.8 million Americans, with 50,000 to 100,000 new cases per year. ¹

¹T. J. Povsic, S. Broderick, K. J. Anstrom et al., "Predictors of long‐term clinical endpoints in patients with refractory angina," Journal of the American Heart Association, vol. 4, no. 2, article e001287, 2015.

About Neovasc Inc.

Neovasc is a specialty medical device company that develops, manufactures and markets products for the rapidly growing cardiovascular marketplace. Its products include the Reducer, for the treatment of refractory angina, which is not currently commercially available in the United States (2 U.S. patients have been treated under Compassionate Use) and has been commercially available in Europe since 2015, and Tiara™, for the transcatheter treatment of mitral valve disease, which is currently under clinical investigation in the United States, Canada, Israel and Europe. For more information, visit: www.neovasc.com.

Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer

Certain statements in this news release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws that may not be based on historical fact. When used herein, the words “plans”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “may”, “will”, “should”, “intend,” “believe”, and similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may involve, but are not limited to, statements regarding the safety and efficacy of the Reducer, bringing the Reducer to the U.S. market, the addressable market size for the Reducer in the U.S., the growing incidence of refractory angina and the growing cardiovascular marketplace. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by the Company in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that the Company believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Many factors could cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those described in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F and in the Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 (copies of which may be obtained at www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov). In particular, as noted above, any pathway to U.S. market approval by the FDA carries considerable risk, and there can be no assurance that the PMA will be approved by the FDA in a timely manner or at all. For example, the FDA may not agree with the Company’s belief that the totality of existing clinical evidence will provide reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness to support a PMA. In the event that the PMA is approved by the FDA, there can be no assurance that Neovasc will be successful in commencing commercialization of Reducer in the United States on a timely basis or at all, or of the total addressable market size for Reducer. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the Company’s forward-looking statements. The Company has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Investors

Mike Cavanaugh

Westwicke/ICR

Phone: +1.646.877.9641

Mike.Cavanaugh@westwicke.com

Media

Sean Leous

Westwicke/ICR

Phone: +1.646.677.1839

Sean.Leous@icrinc.com

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Neovasc Submits Premarket Approval Application to FDA for Neovasc Reducer(TM) - Yahoo Finance

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 31, 2019) - Neovasc Inc. (NASDAQ: NVCN) (TSX: NVCN) ("Neovasc" or the "Company"), a leader in the development of minimally invasive transcatheter mitral valve replacement technologies and in the development of minimally invasive devices for the treatment of refractory angina, today announced the submission of a Premarket Approval application ("PMA") to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") for its Neovasc Reducer™ ("Reducer") medical device for the treatment of refractory angina. The submission also includes a request for an Advisory Panel meeting.

"This submission marks an important milestone in our effort to bring Reducer to the U.S. market, where it is estimated that there are up to 1.8 million patients with refractory angina," said Fred Colen, President and Chief Executive Officer of Neovasc. "These patients have traditionally had no options - they are either unsuitable for revascularization or continue to suffer with angina following revascularization procedures. The Reducer provides potential relief of angina symptoms by altering blood flow within the myocardium of the heart and increasing the perfusion of oxygenated blood to ischemic areas of the heart muscle."

About Neovasc Inc.

Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer

Certain statements in this news release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws that may not be based on historical fact. When used herein, the words "plans", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "should", "intend," "believe", and similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may involve, but are not limited to, statements regarding the safety and efficacy of the Reducer, bringing the Reducer to the U.S. market, the addressable market size for the Reducer in the U.S., the growing incidence of refractory angina and the growing cardiovascular marketplace. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by the Company in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that the Company believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Many factors could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those described in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F and in the Management's Discussion and Analysis for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 (copies of which may be obtained at www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov). In particular, as noted above, any pathway to U.S. market approval by the FDA carries considerable risk, and there can be no assurance that the PMA will be approved by the FDA in a timely manner or at all. For example, the FDA may not agree with the Company's belief that the totality of existing clinical evidence will provide reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness to support a PMA. In the event that the PMA is approved by the FDA, there can be no assurance that Neovasc will be successful in commencing commercialization of Reducer in the United States on a timely basis or at all, or of the total addressable market size for Reducer. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. The Company has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Investors

Mike Cavanaugh
Westwicke/ICR
Phone: +1.646.877.9641
Mike.Cavanaugh@westwicke.com

Media

Sean Leous
Westwicke/ICR
Phone: +1.646.677.1839
Sean.Leous@icrinc.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/51103

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The Worst Mistake Aurora Cannabis Investors Can Make Right Now - Motley Fool

Aurora Cannabis' (NYSE:ACB) stock is down more than 75% in just the past six months. While all pot stocks have been performing poorly, Aurora has still been one of the worst stocks to own during this stretch. Rival Canopy Growth (NYSE:CGC) declined 52% over the same period, which is close to how the Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences ETF performed. It's a troubling time for investors as things continue to go from bad to worse for the cannabis industry.

However, Aurora investors can make one mistake today that could put their portfolios in even more harm's way.

Don't assume the stock has reached bottom

Currently at a $2.1 billion market cap, Aurora still has a relatively high valuation. The reason it still looks expensive is that Aurora remains dependent on the Canadian market, which, according to research company BDS Analytics, might only be worth $5.2 billion in 2024. While Aurora has operations in other parts of the world, those markets will be even smaller pieces of the pie, and they are still in their very early stages. Only two countries have legalized recreational pot thus far: Canada and Uruguay. While there may be greater long-term potential outside of Canada, for now, it remains one of the best legal markets for cannabis today.

There's also no shortage of competition in the Canadian cannabis market, with Canopy Growth, HEXO, and Aphria among the bigger names in the industry right now. More companies could exist by 2024, making it even more difficult for Aurora to dominate the market. And that's what it would have to do in order to justify being worth about 40% of the market four years from now.

Image Source: Getty Images.

That's why the possibility that Aurora will continue falling in value is a very real one. Although the stock lost more than half of its value in 2019, that doesn't mean that it's become a good buy or that it's only a matter of time before things turn around. That kind of thinking could lead to investors incurring even greater losses as the stock continues to sink in value.

Why further decline could be around the corner

Investors should not forget Aurora missed its own sales estimates in Q4 2019. A big earnings miss can always send a stock down even lower, and there's little reason to believe that Aurora will turn things around anytime soon. The company burned through 218 million Canadian dollars from its operations over the past 12 months, so it could have a pressing need to issue more shares to keep the lights on. As of Sept. 30, Aurora had just CA$153 million in cash and cash equivalents.

If Aurora issues more shares, its stock price will plummet even further. The danger is that the more it stock falls, the more shares will need to be issued to raise the same level of cash it would have needed prior to the decline. That can put the stock into a dangerous spiral.

What should investors do?

Investors should consider selling their shares to salvage what they have today. It's not an easy decision since it locks in your losses, but if conditions improve and Aurora starts producing better, more consistent results, you can always buy back in at a later point. There's no guarantee that the stock will turn around from where it is today, and that's why it's important to consider the risks of holding on to shares of Aurora.

While the temptation might be to buy more shares of the company to average down your costs, it's a dangerous move that could leave you even more exposed to a crashing stock price. In a situation like this, investors are better off taking the advice of billionaire investor Warren Buffett: "The most important thing to do if you find yourself in a hole is to stop digging."

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A Smart Social Security Move You Can Make Right Now - The Motley Fool

For many retirees, Social Security benefits make the difference between enjoying a comfortable retirement and struggling to make ends meet. Roughly 20% of married couples and close to half of unmarried beneficiaries rely on their monthly checks for at least 90% of their income, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA), so that money can be incredibly important in retirement.

Because your benefits could make up a significant portion of your income in retirement, it's crucial to ensure you're doing everything you can to maximize them. And there's one easy move you can make right now that will help set you up for retirement success.

Image source: Getty Images.

A little preparation goes a long way

When it comes to retirement, the more you prepare, the better off you'll be. The same is true for Social Security, and when you know what to expect in terms of benefits, the better you'll be able to prepare financially.

One of the easiest things you can do to get ready for retirement is to check your Social Security statements online to see how much you're expected to receive in benefits. It only takes a few minutes to create a my Social Security account and check your estimated future benefit, yet less than half of Americans who have an account have logged in to see their statements, according to the SSA.

Checking your future benefit is helpful for a couple of reasons. First, it gives you a realistic sense of how much you can rely on your benefits in retirement. If you're expecting Social Security to cover all your living expenses, seeing your statements can be a reality check if you won't be receiving as much as you think. And second, it can help you plan how much you need to save on your own to make sure you'll have enough income in retirement.

Say, for instance, you estimate you'll need around $50,000 per year to cover your expenses in retirement. If you check your Social Security statements and learn you'll be receiving $20,000 per year in benefits, that means that only $30,000 per year will need to come from your savings (assuming you don't have any other sources of income in retirement). The earlier you have this information, the easier it will be to plan for retirement. If you simply wing it and hope that your savings and benefits are enough to cover all your costs, you may need to make some big sacrifices in retirement if that money isn't enough.

How the age at which you claim affects your benefits

When you check your benefits online, it's important to keep in mind that the actual amount you'll receive depends on the age you begin claiming. To receive the full benefit amount you're entitled to, you'll need to wait to claim until your full retirement age (FRA) -- which for those considering benefits now is either 66, 66 and a few months, or 67, depending on the year you were born. If you claim before your FRA, your checks will be reduced by up to 30%. On the other hand, if you wait until after your FRA to claim, you'll receive a little extra money each month on top of your full benefit amount.

If you're expecting to rely on your benefits for a good portion of your retirement income, it's extra important to make sure you're claiming at the best age for you. Sometimes it might be smart to delay benefits and earn those bigger checks if you have little to nothing saved. Or if you have a healthy retirement fund and can survive on smaller checks, claiming early may be the way to go. Regardless of your decision, make sure you've thought about how the age at which you claim will affect the size of your monthly checks.

Social Security benefits may be a significant part of your retirement, so it's a good idea to make sure you understand what you're expected to receive when you begin claiming. Checking your online statements only takes a few minutes, but it can help you create a much more thorough retirement plan.

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How to make financial New Year’s resolutions that stick - Marketplace APM

New Year’s, that time when we all, en masse, pledge to do something — or everything — better from now on: eat healthy, exercise, save more money.

That last one is a common resolution, as are financial resolutions in general. Nearly 99 million Americans are likely to make at least one financial resolution for 2020, according to a recent survey by WalletHub, with men most likely to focus on saving, and women most likely to focus on paying down debt.

“Before the end of the year, it’s just a great opportunity to take stock,” said Rianka Dorsainvil, a Certified Financial Planner in the D.C. area. “Almost everyone, whether it’s family members or clients, there’s always some sort of financial resolution.”

Which keeps financial planners, like her and Ben Martinek, pretty busy this time of year. “You’re hearing from prospective clients much more than other times of the year,” said Martinek, who runs Bona Fide Finance, a boutique investment management firm in Bismarck, North Dakota. “Folks are reaching out and, kind of like diet and weight loss, are wanting to make a new commitment about some change in their life.”

That might be saving for a down payment or for a family vacation, or paying off credit card debt or student loans. Often there’s a catalyst, some recent or impending life change that gets people thinking about getting their financial lives organized.

“There usually gets to be some sort of pain point. Maybe a loved one has passed away, or there was a close call, or some incident. Maybe a bit of money has come your way, or we saw an increase in income, or we just got married. There tends to be something else that’s happening,” Martinek said. “A lot of times folks have a wake up call, if you will, in which they realize we really could be doing better here.”

The most important thing to do first, according to both Martinek and Dorsainvil, is get a handle on where you are now. “A lot of people, we just put our head in the sand,” Dorsainvil said. “If that’s been you this past year, it’s okay. Let’s start off this new decade with being very intentional about how we spend our money, how we save our money, and the goals that we’re setting around personal finances.”

Setting goals is one thing, making them stick is another. Only 21% of people who make financial resolutions around the new year tend to keep them, according to WalletHub. Those who do, Dorsainvil has found, tend to have a few things in common: Their goals are specific and tangible. They write them down. And they have an accountability partner.

“If you don’t write them down, or type them up… then it’s just a wish,” Dorsainvil said. “With my clients, if we write them down and actually talk about how we’re going to achieve them, most of the time they are achievable.”

People are also much more likely to be successful in keeping a financial resolution if they have a why behind it, a clear motivation.

“Because it becomes real. It’s no longer this fictitious goal of just like, ‘ah, you know, it’ll be nice to pay off this credit card, or it’ll be nice to have $5,000 in savings by the end of the year.’ But this is why,” Dorsainvil said. “So when we start to make decisions about spending, just randomly like, ‘oh, yeah, sure, I’ll go out to this brunch’” … “I can go back and say, ‘well, I’m actually going to say no to this, and this is why. I’m saying no to this happy hour, I’m saying no to this new widget that I can buy, because this is a goal that I have.’”

If you don’t have a concrete goal in mind or if you feel like you don’t know what’s realistic, Martinek recommends starting small. Start by just keeping track of how much you have coming in, and where it’s going.

Budgeting might not feel lofty or exciting, “but there’s a snowball effect, and the better we feel about ourselves, the more excited we are,” he said. “Day-to-day cash flow management is probably the most difficult thing, but also the most beneficial to get under control. I think that’s the life-changing piece.”

He often recommends it to new clients as a good resolution, he said, “because it provides clarity and awareness, it relieves worry, anxiety, and it relieves guilt.”

What better way to start a new year?

Are you making a financial New Year’s resolution? Let us know! We may be in touch with you for a story.

NFL Power Rankings: Ravens, 49ers make biggest leaps from Week 1 to end of regular season - CBS Sports

These are my last Power Rankings for 2019. As I always do with the last batch, I look back at my Week 1 Power Rankings to see just how I did.

Usually, it's laughable.

This year is no different.

Consider this: Of the top 10 teams from my Week 1 Rankings, five failed to make the playoffs. They were the Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars.

That's bad.

Here's something even worse: I had the San Francisco 49ers at No. 23 in the first rankings. The Baltimore Ravens were 16th. That means the league's two No 1 seeds were a combined 39 in my first rankings.

Oops.

That's what makes this league so fun to cover and watch. The unpredictability is what make it so fun, but so tough to gauge.

Like our season predictions and picks each week, the uncertainty can be both maddening and enjoyable.

Now let's bring on the playoffs to make us – OK, me – look even worse.

Biggest Movers


1	Ravens	They showed they could win even without Lamar Jackson. That tells you about their talent heading into the playoffs.	--	14-2-0
2	Packers	They didn't play well in Detroit, but they found a way. Now they have a bye, which will be important to this team.	--	13-3-0
3	Chiefs	The defense has made big-time strides in the past month. Now they have the second seed, which will make them a real Super Bowl threat.	--	12-4-0
4	49ers	They held on for dear life in Seattle to win the division. But if the offense plays like it did in that game, they can easily win it all.	2	13-3-0
5	Saints	They have the offense to beat anybody. The big question will be the defense in the playoffs.	2	13-3-0
6	Patriots	Losing to the Dolphins has them playing this week. That's not the norm, and one has to wonder if they can play through it.	1	12-4-0
7	Seahawks	They have a ton of injuries, and the loss to the 49ers means a banged-up team must go out on the road to play the Eagles. That won't be easy.	3	11-5-0
8	Vikings	It's all about Kirk Cousins in the playoffs. Can he win a big game? It won't be easy at New Orleans.	--	10-6-0
9	Bills	Resting players was the right thing to do this past week Now they have to make it pay off on the road against the Texans.	--	10-6-0
10	Texans	They rested guys in a meaningless game against the Titans, but it was the right decision. Now they have to make it pay off.	--	10-6-0
11	Titans	They can run the ball as well as anybody in the league with Derrick Henry, which will be a big plus come playoff time.	1	9-7-0
12	Eagles	Getting to the playoffs with this team is a nice accomplishment for Doug Pederson. Carson Wentz and that pass rush will be a tough out.	2	9-7-0
13	Cowboys	The countdown is on. Without a playoff appearance, when does Jason Garrett go?	--	8-8-0
14	Steelers	They just had way too many injuries to overcome this season. But Mike Tomlin did a heck of a coaching job.	3	8-8-0
15	Rams	They have a lot of tough decisions in the offseason. It won't help they don't have premium draft picks to help fix the issues.	--	9-7-0
16	Broncos	This is team that made big strides down the stretch. They have their quarterback in Drew Lock.	9	7-9-0
17	Bears	This offseason will be about the quarterback position. Is Mitch Trubisky the long-term answer?	1	8-8-0
18	Falcons	They are keeping Dan Quinn, which looks like the right decision. The team really responded in the second half of the season.	3	7-9-0
19	Buccaneers	They made strides in Bruce Arians' first season. Now they have to decide what to do with Jameis Winston.	2	7-9-0
20	Colts	The mid-season optimism faded in a big way down the stretch. They have to decide if Jacoby Brissett is the long-term answer.	2	7-9-0
21	Raiders	It's on to Vegas for the Raiders. Is Derek Carr the quarterback once they start playing there?	2	7-9-0
22	Cardinals	They did some really good things in Kliff Kingsbury's first season. They have a future star in Kyler Murray.	2	5-10-1
23	Panthers	This thing turned ugly in a big way down the stretch. They need to hire a bright offensive mind to turn things around.	4	5-11-0
24	Chargers	The big issue of the offseason is what to do with Philip Rivers if he's playing next season. Do they bring him back?	2	5-11-0
25	Jets	They won some games down the stretch, but they have a lot of work to do to be a playoff contender. The offensive line needs fixing and they need pass rushers.	2	7-9-0
26	Dolphins	They won five games down the stretch, yet they are picking in the top five. That's a good season in a lot of ways.	4	5-11-0
27	Jaguars	Does Doug Marrone come back? Should he? And who plays quarterback next season?	5	6-10-0
28	Browns	With Freddie Kitchens already fired the search is on for his replacement. Could it be Mike McCarthy or another offensive-minded coach?	4	6-10-0
29	Redskins	Who will be the coach? Whoever it is will have a lot of work to do.	1	3-13-0
30	Giants	Pat Shurmur is out. Is Baylor's Matt Rhule the next coach? Whoever takes over will be getting a nice, young nucleus.	1	4-12-0
31	Lions	Why is Matt Patricia coming back? This team has regressed and they fired Jim Caldwell who fared much better.	--	3-12-1
32	Bengals	They've showed well down the stretch on offense. That's a good sign for Joe Burrow when he gets there.	--	2-14-0

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Tuesday, December 31, 2019

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