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2nd Amendment Advocacy Group Sues New York Over New Concealed Carry Restrictions – The Epoch Times

Gun Owners of America (GOA) is suing New York state over new restrictions on the public carrying of firearms that were rushed through the state Legislature and signed into law after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the states requirement that a carry permit applicant must demonstrate a special need for self-defense.

The lawsuit takes aim specifically at the Concealed Carry Improvement Act (CCIA), which New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, signed into law earlier this month. It takes effect on Sept. 1.

At the time, Hochul denounced the court for issuing what she called a reckless decision removing century-old limitations on who is allowed to carry concealed weapons in our statesenselessly sending us backward and putting the safety of our residents in jeopardy.

The name of the statute itself is ironic because it is New Yorks attempt to flout the Supreme Courts June 23 ruling in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, according to the legal complaint (pdf) filed July 11 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York. The new law puts into effect several blatantly unconstitutional new infringements of the enumerated right to keep and bear arms, the complaint states.

The case is Antonyuk v. Bruen, 1:22-CV-734. The plaintiffs are gun owner Ivan Antonyuk, Gun Owners of America Inc., its foundation, and its New York affiliate. Defendant Kevin Bruen is superintendent of the New York State Police.

We are confident that we will pretty much overturn everything they did in this legislative package because they were clearly in violation of the direct ruling in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen,Sam Paredes, the executive director of Gun Owners of California, a member of GOAs board of directors, and treasurer of its affiliated foundation, told The Epoch Times in an interview.

Specifically, the lawsuit targets the CCIAs good moral character requirement for permit applicants, the requirement that applicants supply character references at in-person interviews with police and submit their own social media posts for government inspection, the vastly expanded ban on sensitive locations where concealed weapons may not be brought, and a raft of new administrative fees the lawsuit calls a Second Amendment tax.

Applicants must undergo 18 hours of combined training where presently its only four hours. The fact of the matter is that we know that this is just an angry, vicious response to the Supreme Court ruling because concealed carry weapons permit holders in New York are amongst the most law-abiding of all citizens in the state, just like they are in California and across the country, Paredes said.

The four-hour training requirement and background checks were sufficient to maintain that level of purity amongst the CCW [i.e. concealed carry weapons permit] holders, but the new mandates serve no purpose other than to limit gun ownership, he said.

So what they did is they shifted from the good cause [requirement] to a display of good moral character. There is no plain definition of good moral character in New York statutes or California statutes, or any statutes.

So, they have added this great amount of subjectivity to the process, he said. Subjectivity is the enemy of the Second Amendment, and they are adding it in spades.

Paredes recalled that California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, also recently embraced his states own good moral character requirement for permit applicants, a development The Epoch Times reported on.

In a statewide memo to law enforcement, Bonta encouraged permit-issuing authorities to include the absence of hatred and racism as a positive factor in determining whether to grant a permit, leading to concerns among Second Amendment advocates that an applicants political views, expressed on social media or elsewhere, could lead to a permit denial.

Although Paredes said as far as he knows the CCIA doesnt specifically reference hatred or racism, these potentially inflammatory terms, which are malleable in todays politically polarized environment, could still somehow find their way into the New York permitting process.

On social media people will say stuff that they dont understand what it means, or they do understand, but they want to express something. And they have the First Amendment right to do so. Now, New York and California want to use the expression of a First Amendment right, as a reason to deny a Second Amendment right.

You cannot use a constitutional right to invalidate another constitutional right, Paredes said.

The Epoch Times reached out to state officials.

We are not commenting, the New York State Police replied by email.

The office of New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, didnt respond by press time.

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Matthew Vadum is an award-winning investigative journalist and a recognized expert in left-wing activism.

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2nd Amendment Advocacy Group Sues New York Over New Concealed Carry Restrictions - The Epoch Times

Old computer technology points the way to future of quantum computing Terrace Standard – Terrace Standard

Researchers have made a breakthrough in quantum technology development that has the potential to leave todays supercomputers in the dust, opening the door to advances in fields including medicine, chemistry, cybersecurity and others that have been out of reach.

In a study published in the journal Nature on Wednesday, researchers from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia said they found a way to create quantum computing processors in silicon chips.

Principal investigator Stephanie Simmons said they illuminated tiny imperfections on the silicon chips with intense beams of light. The defects in the silicon chips act as a carrier of information, she said. While the rest of the chip transmits the light, the tiny defect reflects it back and turns into a messenger, she said.

There are many naturally occurring imperfections in silicon. Some of these imperfections can act as quantum bits, or qubits. Scientists call those kinds of imperfections spin qubits. Past research has shown that silicon can produce some of the most stable and long-lived qubits in the industry.

These results unlock immediate opportunities to construct silicon-integrated, telecommunications-band quantum information networks, said the study.

Simmons, who is the universitys Canada Research Chair in silicon quantum technologies, said the main challenge with quantum computing was being able to send information to and from qubits.

People have worked with spin qubits, or defects, in silicon before, Simmons said. And people have worked with photon qubits in silicon before. But nobodys brought them together like this.

Lead author Daniel Higginbottom called the breakthrough immediately promising because researchers achieved what was considered impossible by combining two known but parallel fields.

Silicon defects were extensively studied from the 1970s through the 90s while quantum physics has been researched for decades, said Higginbottom, who is a post-doctoral fellow at the universitys physics department.

For the longest time people didnt see any potential for optical technology in silicon defects. But weve really pioneered revisiting these and have found something with applications in quantum technology thats certainly remarkable.

Although in an embryonic stage, Simmons said quantum computing is the rock n roll future of computers that can solve anything from simple algebra problems to complex pharmaceutical equations or formulas that unlock deep mysteries of space.

Were going to be limited by our imaginations at this stage. Whats really going to take off is really far outside our predictive capabilities as humans.

The advantage of using silicon chips is that they are widely available, understood and have a giant manufacturing base, she said.

We can really get it working and we should be able to move more quickly and hopefully bring that capability mainstream much faster.

Some physicists predict quantum computers will become mainstream in about two decades, although Simmons said she thinks it will be much sooner.

In the 1950s, people thought the technology behind transistors was mainly going to be used for hearing aids, she said. No one then predicted that the physics behind a transistor could be applied to Facebook or Google, she added.

So, well have to see how quantum technology plays out over decades in terms of what applications really do resonate with the public, she said. But there is going to be a lot because people are creative, and these are fundamentally very powerful tools that were unlocking.

Hina Alam, The Canadian Press

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Old computer technology points the way to future of quantum computing Terrace Standard - Terrace Standard

UMN-led team receives $1.4M Keck Foundation grant to study possible breakthrough in quantum computing – UMN News

A University of Minnesota Twin Cities-led team received a $1.4 million award from the W. M. Keck Foundation to study a new process that combines quantum physics and biochemistry. If successful, the research could lead to a major breakthrough in the quantum computing field.

The project is one of two proposals the University of Minnesota submits each year to the Keck Foundation and is the first grant of its kind the University has received in 20 years.

Quantum computers have the potential to solve very complex problems at an unprecedented fast rate. They have applications in fields like cryptography, information security, supply chain optimization and could one day assist in the discovery of new materials and drugs.

One of the biggest challenges for scientists is that the information stored in quantum bits (the building blocks of quantum computers) is often short-lived. Early-stage prototype quantum computers do exist, but they lose the information they store so quickly that solving big problems of practical relevance is currently unachievable.

One approach researchers have studied to attempt to make quantum devices more stable is by combining semiconductors and superconductors to obtain robust states called Majorana modes, but this approach has been challenging and so far inconclusive since it requires very high-purity semiconductors. U of M School of Physics and Astronomy Associate Professor Vlad Pribiag, who is leading the project, has come up with a new idea that could yield stable Majorana quantum structures.

Pribiags proposed method leverages recent advances in DNA nanoassembly, combined with magnetic nanoparticles and superconductors, in order to detect Majoranas, which are theoretical particles that could be a key element for protecting quantum information and creating stable quantum devices.

This is a radically new way to think about quantum devices, Pribiag said. When I heard about this technique of DNA nanoassembly, I thought it fit right into this problem I had been working on about Majoranas and quantum devices. Its really a paradigm shift in the field and it has tremendous potential for finding a way to protect quantum information so that we can build more advanced quantum machines to do these complex operations.

The project, entitled Topological Quantum Architectures Through DNA Programmable Molecular Lithography, will span three years. Pribiag is collaborating with Columbia University Professor Oleg Gang, whose lab will handle the DNA nanoassembly part of the work.

About the W. M. Keck FoundationBased in Los Angeles, the W. M. Keck Foundation was established in 1954 by the late W. M. Keck, founder of the Superior Oil Company. The Foundations grant making is focused primarily on pioneering efforts in the areas of medical research and science and engineering. The Foundation also supports undergraduate education and maintains a Southern California Grant Program that provides support for the Los Angeles community, with a special emphasis on children and youth. For more information, visit the Keck Foundation website.

About the College of Science and EngineeringThe University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering brings together the Universitys programs in engineering, physical sciences, mathematics and computer science into one college. The college is ranked among the top academic programs in the country and includes 12 academic departments offering a wide range of degree programs at the baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral levels. Learn more at cse.umn.edu.

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UMN-led team receives $1.4M Keck Foundation grant to study possible breakthrough in quantum computing - UMN News

Falcon algorithm co-developed with Thales selected by the NIST as a new standard in post-quantum cryptography – Thales

Following the launch in 2017 of a global challenge to set future post-quantum cryptography standards in digital signatures and public key encryption, which attracted 82 candidates from 25 countries, the NIST has selected Falcon algorithm co-developed for its extremely strong security and high bandwidth efficiency.

Falcon was co-developed by Thales together with academic and industrial partners from France (University of Rennes 1, PQShield SAS), Switzerland (IBM), Canada (NCC Group) and the US (Brown University, Qualcomm). It was selected by NIST alongside two other algorithms as standard for digital signatures, while a fourth algorithm was deemed standard for public key encryption/KEM. Thales was the only technology group serving the defence, aerospace and digital identity markets, to take part in the NIST competition.

Post-quantum cryptography enables conventional computers to withstand attacks by large-scale quantum computers, which many specialists believe could appear in the next few years. Quantum machines are expected to increase todays computer processing power to such a degree that they could break current cryptographic algorithms in a matter of seconds.

This quantum leap in computing power could usher in a crypto-apocalyse by posing very real and serious threats to the security of digital systems private citizens and organisations worldwide rely on day-to-day, such as critical information systems, on-line banking, payment cards, e-commerce, electronic signatures or on-line voting.A hacker with a quantum computer, for example, could easily gain access to confidential data, steal someone else's identity or falsify transactions and legal contracts. In the same way, a nations security could be threatened if its critical communications systems were the target of a quantum attack.

New algorithms such as Falcon, are quantum-resistant because they are based on mathematical problems that are among the most difficult to solve, even for a quantum computer.

Organisations who are willing to protect their data in a Zero Trust world must adopt a strong quantum crypto agility strategy. Thales Cyber Solutions consulting teams have developed a post-quantum cyber architecture offer to help their customers prepare for the threat of cyber-attacks by quantum-computers. Thales also provides quantum resistant network encryption and hardware security modules that are capable of protecting customer data against future quantum attacks, by already allowing customers to implement a number of Quantum Resistant algorithms.

Thales has been at the forefront of post-quantum cryptography research since 2013, and the selection of the Falcon algorithm by NIST is great recognition of the excellent co-development work and expertise of our crypto teams. We will pursue our on-going research in France and Europe to develop innovative, trusted solutions that will be quantic-resistant, without compromising performance, and are already helping our customers in their transition to a new generation of security solutions, to avert a future crypto-apocalypse.said Pierre-Yves Jolivet, Vice-President, Cyber Defence Solutions at Thales.

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Falcon algorithm co-developed with Thales selected by the NIST as a new standard in post-quantum cryptography - Thales

Top 5 Quantum Computing Crypto Tokens to Watch in 2022 – The VR Soldier

With the crypto market continuing to trade sideways with mounting bearish pressure, niche categories for crypto tokens remain highly popular as traders and investors prowl for underrated and undervalued projects for long-term investments. Some popular crypto token types include Metaverse tokens, Web3 coins, and dApp tokens on various ecosystems like Tron, Elrond, Ethereum, Polkadot, etc.

Cryptocurrencies have the power to revolutionize finance by cutting out intermediaries. By bringing their exceptional capability to the design process, quantum computers and supercomputers have the potential to revolutionize the way medicines and materials are created.

But, Heres the issue: If quantum computing develops more quickly than efforts to future-proof digital money, the blockchain accounting system that underpins cryptocurrencies may be susceptible to sophisticated hacks and fake transactions.

On the other hand, some new cryptocurrencies claim to be quantum secure and quantum-resistant, which means they can withstand known quantum computer assaults. We will look at some cryptocurrency tokens at the top of their game.

Note: This list is ordered by market capitalization, from lowest to highest.

Mochimo (MCM), a brand-new cryptocurrency developed by an international team and released on June 25th, 2018, is resistant to threats from quantum computers.

Mochimo uses WOTS+ Quantum Resistant Security approved by the EU-funded PQCrypto research organization and a one-time addressing feature to secure privacy when you want it.

According to the website, the Mochimo blockchain remains small while substantially increasing TX speed using ChainCrunch, a proprietary algorithm. Using a compressed portion of the historical blockchain available on every node in the decentralized network, anyone can set up a full working node in minutes.

Industry experts in computer networking, artificial intelligence, telecommunications, cryptography, and software engineering make up the critical contributors of Mochimo.

Some top cryptocurrency exchanges for trading Mochimo $MCM are currently CITEX, FINEXBOX, and VinDAX.

The goal of HyperCash (HC), originally known as Hcash, is to make value transfers possible between various blockchains. It supports DAO governance, quantum resistance, and zero-hash proofs.

Its a decentralized and open-source cross-platform cryptocurrency designed to facilitate the exchange of information between blockchains and non-blockchain networks.

Its also a highly secure network featuring quantum-resistant signature technology.

The HCASH network has two chains running laterally, each serving different functions within the ecosystem.

Hcashs governance is based on a hybrid PoW/PoS consensus methodology and blockchain/DAG network.

If you want to know where to buy HyperCash at the current rate, check out these exchanges OKX, MEXC, KuCoin, Huobi Global, Gate.io, and Hoo. HyperCash is up 3.87% in the last 24 hours.

Nexus (NXS) is a community-driven initiative with the shared goal of creating a society characterized by progressive and ethical principles, advanced technology, and universal access to connection on a free and open basis.

Since September 23rd, 2014, Nexus has been created through mining alone, without an ICO or premine. Nexus uses post-quantum signature schemes (FALCON) and automated key management functions through the Signature Chains technology.

This technology eliminates key management issues (wallet.dats) by allowing users to access their accounts with the familiarity of a username, password, and PIN.

Another technology being developed by Nexus includes;

All the tech mentioned above is connected through a multi-dimensional chaining structure. Nexus is bringing this possibility to life with an end-to-end decentralized platform designed to empower every human being with technology to reclaim their digital identity.

Some top cryptocurrency exchanges for trading $NXS are Binance, Pionex, Bittrex, and CoinDCX.

The Quantum Resistant Ledger (QRL) is a fully quantum-resistant blockchain network using PQ-CRYPTO recommended/IETF standardized cryptography.

The QRL utilizes a hash-based eXtended Merkle Tree Signature Scheme (XMSS) instead of ECDSA, which is reportedly vulnerable to quantum attacks and found in many other blockchain projects.

According to the project, a set of applications and a development environment that enable users to simply build blockchain applications on its provably quantum-resistant network enhance the security of its platform.

Combining on-chain lattice key storage with their robust ephemeral messaging layer to internode communication provides a first-of-its-kind post-quantum secure message layer for ultra-secure digital communications.

The platform has a full suite of end-user products designed with the end-user in mind: from integrations with hardware wallets to mobile applications.

If you want to know where to buy $QRL, check out the CoinTiger exchange.

Launched in 2016, IOTA (MIOTA) is a distributed ledger. However, it differs significantly from a blockchain in that it isnt one. Instead, it uses a system of nodes called Tangle, its patented technology, to confirm transactions.

There are no fees since there is no blockchain, no mining, i.e., no miners. When congestion worsens, costs soar on many conventional networks, but IOTA seeks to offer limitless capacity at a low price.

The platforms foundation claims it provides much faster speeds than traditional blockchains and has the perfect footprint for the ever-expanding Internet of Things ecosystem.

The objective of IOTA is to establish itself as the default platform for carrying out IoT device transactions.

In summary:

According to the team behind the project, their distributed ledger may provide everyone access to digital identities, lead to auto insurance policies based on actual usage, open the door to cutting-edge smart cities, facilitate frictionless international trade, and establish the legitimacy of goods.

Some top cryptocurrency exchanges for trading $MIOTA are Binance, OKX, Bybit, Bitget, and BingX.

Disclosure: This is not trading or investment advice. Always do your research before buying any Quantum Computing token or investing in any cryptocurrency.

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Top 5 Quantum Computing Crypto Tokens to Watch in 2022 - The VR Soldier