UKs Johnson offers new health funds to meet Brexit promise
London: Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised new funds for Britain’s state-run national health service (NHS) on Sunday, seeking to fulfil one of the promises of his 2016 Brexit campaign. Johnson pledged an extra 1.8 billion pounds (2.0 billion euros, USD 2.2 billion) to immediately help frontline services, in a move that further fuelled speculation he is preparing for a snap election. During the referendum on Britain’s European Union membership, Johnson’s “Vote Leave” campaign promised to divert USD 350 million a week sent to Brussels to the NHS after Brexit. Also Read – Saudi Crown Prince ‘snubbed’ Pak PM, recalled jet from USBut the claim was misleading — Britain’s gross contribution to the EU budget is USD 350 million but it gets a USD 85 million a week rebate. In an article in the Sunday Times, Johnson paid tribute to NHS staff but noted “the pressures, the delays, the cancellations and the obvious need to get more funding to the front line”. “Which is why I am so determined to deliver now on the promises of that 2016 referendum campaign: not just to honour the will of the people, but to increase the cash available for this amazing national institution,” he wrote. Also Read – Record number of 35 candidates in fray for SL Presidential pollsHowever, the main opposition Labour party questioned whether the money would ever be delivered and said that even if it was, it would not make up for a decade of spending cuts. The Nuffield Trust health think tank said the NHS has a ?6 billion maintenance backlog and the new funds were only a “fraction” of what was needed to fulfil Johnson’s pledge to modernise 20 hospitals. Critics also argue that spending plans will never be fulfilled if there is a “no deal” Brexit.
If you thought all of the high-tech action ended earlier this month at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, you were wrong. Right now, the National Retail Federation is having their annual trade show, and among the gadgetry at the event is the new Kraft Store Kiosk, developed through a partnership between Kraft Foods and Intel – yes, that Intel. The Kraft Store Kiosk has cameras built into the front, and uses what Intel calls “Anonymous Video Analytics” to scan your face to instantly determine your age, gender, and uses that information to suggest something for you to eat that the kiosk can provide. The goal is to use the demographic information that Kraft is already collecting about its customers to help make it easier for you to choose what to eat for dinner, since the machine will know all about you (the “royal” you, that is) and be able to suggest something you’d like. Whether the kiosk is designed to read your weight or anything wasn’t explicitly, but since the Kiosk dispenses Kraft foods, we should expect lots of macaroni and cheese, Wheat Thins, Philadelphia cream cheese, and Oreos. Who knew the future would be so bad for your arteries. [via FastCompany]
Opera has substantially reduced the number of developers in its core technology group over the past couple of months, cutting 91 staff in total.It’s got everything to do with the recent announcement from the company that shocked the technology world: Opera was officially pulling the pin on its own rendering and JavaScript engines and moving to WebKit and V8. With the company’s focus now on building a new browser around the Chromium core, the teams responsible for Presto and Carakan were rife for downsizing.Norwegian online newspaper Digi.no believes that several members of Opera’s core team took severance packages just before Christmas last year. Somewhere between 50 and 70 additional staffers followed their lead in January. In total, Opera’s roster has dropped to 840 from 931. Not all Opera core developers have moved on to greener pastures. Some have accepted reassignments to other areas within the company, including the mobile browser group — which is becoming more and more important to Opera’s future plans.The shift to WebKit may only have been partly responsible for the internal restructuring at Opera. The company also recently announced that it had acquired Skyfire. The cloud-powered mobile browsing upstart hasn’t been absorbed by Opera, but even as a wholly-owned subsidiary the purchase instantly increased the amount of developer talent Opera now has at its disposal.Opera’s executive VP of human resources Tove Selnes doesn’t seem too worried about the futures of the departing members of the core technology group. She knows they’re all highly skilled and have plenty left to contribute both at home and abroad.
Facebook Twitter: @NeosKosmos Instagram The trial of the nightclub doorman in Greece who has been charged with the fatal beating of a 20-year-old Australian tourist on the holiday island of Mykonos went on trial on Wednesday.Marios Antonopoulos, 25, is charged with voluntary homicide over the July 2008 death of Doujon Zammit following an argument outside a nightclub, while three other Greek men have been charged as accessaries in the death.George Chatzioannou and Dimitris Varonas have been charged as accessories to both murder and attempted murder. Bar owner Stamatis Daktylidis is charged with supplying the weapons used.The trial opened Wednesday on the island of Levos after Greece’s Supreme Court on December 8 rejected an appeal by the criminal case defendant against a lower appeals court ruling indicting him on intentional homicide charges in the death of Zammit.The nightclub bouncer accused of the murder of Maltese-Australian Doujon Zammit has admitted injuring the 20-year-old but denied he intended to kill him.The trial was told that the four claimed they were policemen when they stopped Doujon and his friends, lined them against a wall and searched them, before beating them up. They had chased them out of a disco after claims, since dismissed, of having stolen wallets and handbags.Present in court were the victim’s father Oliver and mother Rose and his two brothers, who flew to Greece for the court procedure, together with Costas Gribilas, who received Doujon’s heart in a transplant after the parents donated Doujon’s organs after the young man was declared clinically brain dead.“We are putting our faith and trust in the Greek justice system and its lovely people who have supported us so far to send out the right message that this is not Greek behaviour that has been shown,” Oliver Zammit said, adding that the perpetrators must be punished.Zammit’s lawyer Alexis Kouyias said his client was seeking murder convictions for all four defendants.“Their position is that all four defendants were responsible for the boy’s death,” Kouyias said.“We will use all the legal means necessary so that the court issues a verdict that corresponds to this position.”
Le café diminuerait le risque de cancer de la peauD’après une étude parue lundi aux Etats-Unis, une consommation régulière de café permettrait de réduire les risques de développer une certaine forme de cancer de la peau, le basaliome. Un bienfait observé chez les femmes, et chez les hommes mais dans une moindre mesure. C’est une découverte qui va beaucoup intéresser tous les amateurs de café. Depuis plusieurs années, les études scientifiques se multiplient pour suggérer que cette boisson mondialement appréciée aurait des bienfaits sur le risque de développer certains cancers, en particulier celui de la prostate et du col de l’utérus. Ainsi, de la même manière, des recherches publiées en août 2011 et menées par des chercheurs de l’Université de l’Etat de Washington avaient montré chez des souris une relation entre de la caféine appliquée sous forme de pommade et la réduction du risque de cancer de la peau. Toutefois, un tel lien n’avait pas été établi chez l’homme, du moins jusqu’ici.En effet, une nouvelle étude présentée lundi lors d’une conférence de l’American Association for Cancer Research à Boston vient tout juste de confirmer le lien chez l’homme : consommé régulièrement, le café diminuerait le risque de basaliome, une forme de cancer de la peau. Pour arriver à une telle conclusion, Fengju Song et ses collègues ont étudié les données de deux vastes études, l’une a porté sur 72.921 participants entre 1984 et 2008 et l’autre sur 39.976 personnes suivies de 1986 à 2008. Un risque réduit de 9 à 20% C’est ainsi qu’ils ont constaté que les femmes buvant plus de trois tasses de café par jour voient leur danger de développer un basaliome se réduire de 20% comparativement à celles en consommant peu ou pas du tout. Un bienfait également observé chez les hommes mais dans une moindre mesure. Selon les résultats publiés, les hommes consommant plus de trois tasses quotidiennement ont également présenté un risque réduit, mais de seulement 9%, sans que les chercheurs parviennent à expliquer cette différence. D’ailleurs, ceux-ci se sont eux-mêmes dits surpris de ces résultats. À lire aussiCancer : définition, causes, types, qu’est-ce que c’est ?Pour l’heure, les auteurs de l’étude ignorent toutefois le mécanisme et les molécules impliqués dans cet effet, car en vérité, le lien établi chez les souris n’est pas tout à fait le même. Au cours de l’étude réalisé chez les rongeurs, les chercheurs américains ont en effet montré que la caféine appliquée en pommade avait des effets protecteurs au niveau moléculaire en neutralisant une protéine. Une molécule qui joue un rôle clé dans la multiplication des cellules de la peau endommagées par les rayons ultraviolets du soleil. Ici, en revanche, le café est bu, suggérant ainsi un mécanisme différent.Le café, une solution préventive ? Au vu de ces résultats, l’étude suggère donc que la consommation de café (non-décaféiné) pourrait être une option importante pour aider à prévenir ce cancer de la peau, qui est souvent soignable et est le plus fréquent, a souligné Fengju Song cité par l’AFP. Boire du café, même avec des effets protecteurs modestes, pourraient ainsi avoir un grand impact sur la santé publique. Néanmoins, les scientifiques ont appelé à davantage de recherches pour mieux comprendre la relation entre la consommation de café et une moindre fréquence de ce cancer de la peau.Le 25 octobre 2011 à 09:59 • Maxime Lambert
Facebook Twitter Google+LinkedInPinterestWhatsAppBahamas, April 21, 2017 – Nassau & Grand Bahama – Friday night and if you weren’t at a rally somewhere across the Bahamas, you were probably tuned in via Television or Facebook. All three parties sought to capitalise on the LIVE feature on Facebook in the lead up to the 2017 polls. With numbers on the PLP and DNA pages fluctuating from 180 to 260 views, while the FNM seems to have to highest online viewership of 900.Shares via facebook ranked the highest for the FNM coming in at a whopping 27,000 views and 2,000 shares, while the PLP recorded just about 700 views and 14 shares. DNA live saw just over 1,100 viewed and 35 shares. The comments sections is not being spared either, as supporters take full advantage posting their support for their party or are either defending ‘haters’ ‘trolling’ the page with negative comments.Most rallies got on start around 8pm tonight and are expected to continue til midnight, as parties gear up their support into weekend walkabouts.Story by: Kimberly Ramkhalawan#MagneticMediaNews#FridayNightRallyNightBahamas Related Items:#FridayNightRallyNightBahamas, #magneticmedianews Facebook Twitter Google+LinkedInPinterestWhatsApp
Communities across the state elected new mayors and enacted new measures in local municipal elections yesterday.Listen nowSitka elected a new mayor, 79-year-old Gary Paxton. Paxton said that once he gets the mayor’s gavel in his hand, his first priority was to “bring a sense of peace and work together to solve our problems.”“Have more open meetings perhaps, less executive sessions, so that we can stop some of the conspiracy theories which are always prominent,” Paxton said.Sitka was quick to weigh-in on a a new a new statewide smoking ban that went into effect the day before the election, which prohibits smoking at bars and restaurants. State statute includes an opt-out provision and – while staff at Ernie’s Old Time Saloon rallied to get the necessary signatures to put this question on the ballot – Sitka voters turned it down.Establishments that once allowed smoking must now remove ashtrays and put up no-smoking signs, and smokers now have to take it outside.In the Juneau mayoral election, Beth Weldon pulled ahead of her opponents early and managed to earn almost half of the total vote in a four-way contest. The small business owner and former Juneau Assembly member said she appreciated the positive campaigns her opponents ran.“We kept it to issues and it was a fun campaign and I’ll enjoy talking to them and getting their viewpoints on issues in the future,” Weldon said.Weldon said she hopes to tackle crime problems and affordable child care first once in office.In the Mat-Su Borough mayoral race, incumbent Vern Halter ended Tuesday with a sizable lead over challenger Bruce Walden. After the initial count, Halter is listed with just over sixty percent of the vote.The Mat-Su election also had three ballot initiatives that ended the night with more votes in the “Yes” column than the “No” column.Proposition B-1, an advisory vote on whether the borough should look into obtaining police powers, saw the most approval from voters. Proposition B-2 is a road bond package with around fifty-seven percent approval. Proposition B-3 would move the borough’s election day from October to November. Proposition three has the lowest margin of approval after Tuesday at around fifty-two percent.This story contained reporting from Adelyn Baxter with KTOO – Juneau, Phillip Manning with KTNA – Talkeetna and Emily Kwong with KCAW – Sitka.
Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesThe Justice Department and the FBI — and the rest of national security Washington — are bracing for what could be a major change in their relationship with Congress.The political hurricane that could bring about the release of a controversial memo on Friday has blown the American ship of state off the map.Not only has a congressional committee seldom if ever released secrets “owned” by the executive branch. Not only has Washington, D.C., seldom seen a law-and-order party in power commit to such a sustained flogging of its own FBI and Justice Department.President Trump who has reportedly seen the memo and approved its release, weighed in Friday morning in a tweet, saying “The top Leadership and Investigators of the FBI and the Justice Department have politicized the sacred investigative process in favor of Democrats and against Republicans,” which he said was “something which would have been unthinkable just a short time ago.” Trump went on to say “Rank & File are great people.”The top Leadership and Investigators of the FBI and the Justice Department have politicized the sacred investigative process in favor of Democrats and against Republicans – something which would have been unthinkable just a short time ago. Rank & File are great people!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2018But people in the spy world warn that making public the Republicans’ snooping memo, authored by Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., could finally kill the already poisoned relationship between Congress and the agencies it’s supposed to oversee.“It’s a complete perversion of the intelligence oversight process,” former CIA Deputy Director John McLaughlin told NPR Thursday. The relationship between the committees on Capitol Hill and the spy agencies “has been unraveling for some years,” he said, “and with this latest episode, it descends into fecklessness.”After President Nixon, the deal was supposed to be that Americans’ elected representatives would take stronger control over the work and “products” of the FBI, CIA, National Security Agency and the rest of the alphabet soup now known as the intelligence community.In exchange, McLaughlin said, the spy agencies got assurances they’d be dealt with professionally and without partisanship.Fast forward to Friday, when Congress may release a secret document in which Nunes, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, makes the case that a “biased” FBI and Justice Department abused their spying powers — also regulated by Congress after Watergate — to launch a scurrilous investigation into Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Russia.Nunes and Republican leaders said the memo isn’t about denigrating the FBI, Justice Department or any of their individual leaders.“What this memo is: Congress doing its job and conducting legitimate oversight over a very unique law,” said House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., Thursday alluding to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA.“And if mistakes were made and if individuals did something wrong, then it is our job as the legislative branch of government to conduct oversight over the executive branch if abuses were made,” he added.The Justice Department and the FBI say they haven’t done anything wrong and members of Congress know it. Instead, they argue, Nunes is using his privileged access to secret information to handpick points to make his case. The bureau says it has “grave concerns” about “material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo’s accuracy.”Click on each page below to scroll to the right: If Congress does discover abuses, there are procedures for dealing with them the right way, national security insiders say. And if America’s top spies can’t trust that the secrets they brief to the House and Senate Intelligence Committees will stay secret, they have a major incentive not to share them.That’s why critics argue Congress must not get into the business of using intelligence to fire shots at political opponents, and warn that Nunes and Republicans’ tactical strategy of tarring the FBI and DOJ to raise doubts about the agencies’ Russia investigation could have strategic implications down the line.“I wouldn’t want to release these memos for partisan advantage when we run the risk of exposing some sensitive sources or methods,” Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa., said at the GOP congressional retreat on Thursday. “I wouldn’t do it.”The road appears clear for the Nunes memo to come out, however, and that sparked all kinds of teeth-chattering in Washington, D.C.How will the foreign governments that share intelligence with the United States react to the spectacle of Congress releasing a classified document about foreign intelligence practices? How might the leaders of the FBI and Justice Department respond?Eyes were rolled at some of the scare headlines on TV about FBI Director Christopher Wray or Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein resigning in protest.All the same, those who have read the Nunes memo said it makes an incisive case against Rosenstein, which could mean he gets singled out next for a turn in the barrel over the waterfall.House Speaker Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., have tried to put up some guardrails as Republicans have gone on offense in the latest phase of the Russia imbroglio. They’ve been careful to say they think the Nunes memo has nothing to do with special counsel Robert Mueller, that Mueller’s work should continue and that Rosenstein also is doing a fine job.In short, the play is to go along with denigration of the feds and DOJ — but not more dismissals, following Trump’s decision to fire FBI Director James Comey and his reported onetime attempt to fire Mueller.But if the release of the memo leads to a Friday Night Massacre in which Wray and Rosenstein decide to jump on their own, the capital will have an even bigger storm on its hands than the one that has been raging over Nunes and his memo.Other members of Congress who oversee the bureau and the Justice Department say that accountability at the leadership level is exactly the point here.“The FBI is a premier law enforcement organization in the world,” said Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. “But there is a problem with several people in some of the highest levels in the bureau and that needs to be investigated, and the American people need to understand why.”No, said the former CIA boss McLaughlin — the leadership in the House has broken something that can’t easily be fixed.“Speaker Ryan is actually complicit in destroying intelligence oversight as it has been conducted in the best of times,” McLaughlin said. “He’s an ex-officio member of these committees, the committees have the responsibility for protecting sources and methods, for doing this in a nonpartisan way, and if he really believed [in] that, if he really favored transparency, he would hold all of this up.”Because the process associated with the release of the memo is unprecedented, there were no clear guidelines about how or when exactly it might appear on Friday. A senior Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Mike Conaway, told NPR that it would ultimately be published in the Congressional Record.The House must convene for members to enter material into the record, and a pro forma session is scheduled for Friday afternoon. After all the turmoil, that could at last be the debut of the memo.And it could bring another twist in the saga. Republicans used their majority on the House Intelligence Committee Monday to authorize the release of the Nunes memo — starting the clock on the process set to conclude on Friday — and to block the release of the rebuttal memo put together by the committee’s Democrats.But attorney Andrew Herman, a member of Washington, D.C., law firm Miller & Chevalier who has worked with Congress, wondered whether what’s good for the goose might also be good for the gander.“The Democrats’ reaction to this is going to be fascinating,” he said. “I’m sure there will be a strong temptation for them to get their own report out one way or another.”Herman cited the example of former Sen. Mark Gravel, D-Alaska, who in 1971 read the then-secret Pentagon Papers into the Congressional Record. Members of Congress are shielded from prosecution for releasing classified material when they do so on the floor of the House or Senate or via the record. So Herman said Schiff and Democrats could use that precedent and try to get their own rebuttal out on Friday, too.“Go to the floor, read it and dare the committee or the House writ large to sanction you for that,” Herman said. “Because that’s the only sanction that a member could face.”As Washington and the nation wait to see what might happen, some people in the mix called for decorum and for cooler heads to prevail.Members of the Senate Intelligence Committee said they weren’t part of the memo madness — they haven’t been permitted to read the Nunes memo, they aren’t involved with its potential release and they are continuing to do their own work.Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., also pointed out that Russia’s ongoing campaign of active measures, which began in the 2016 presidential election cycle, continues even now. The reality that a foreign government continues to meddle within the United States is “a big issue,” he said.Even after the memo comes out, the Senate Intelligence Committee, at least, will aim to release a bipartisan report about the active measures and, Lankford said, try to go about its business as before.“It doesn’t have to be this way,” he said.NPR correspondent Susan Davis contributed to this report.Copyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. Share
Before you know it, summer is over. But it’s OK. Amazon Prime Video is ending your binge watching-filled summer with a superhero bang — Avengers: Endgame will be available to rent or purchase starting August 13. And if the Marvel blockbuster is not enough to end summer in style, the streaming service also has one of our favorite movies of 2019: Detective Pikachu, the first full-blown live-action Pokémon movie.Other new arrivals include the Amazon original Carnival Row, starring Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne; the most recent Mission: Impossible film, Fallout; and a documentary series exploring the stories and triumphs at the heart of the sport of soccer, This Is Football, all available to stream free for Amazon Prime members.Below is everything coming to Amazon Prime Video in August 2019. If you’re not an Amazon Prime member yet, start your free trial here.August 2300This Is Football (Season 1) Amazon Prime OriginalAugust 6The Souvenir Available for Rent or Purchase on Prime VideoAugust 7All I See Is YouAugust 9Free Meek (Season 1) Amazon Prime OriginalPete the Cat (Season 1 Part 2) Amazon Prime OriginalAugust 12Andy Irons: Kissed by GodAugust 13Avengers: Endgame Available for Rent or Purchase on Prime VideoAugust 16Photograph Amazon Prime OriginalJim Gaffigan: Quality Time Amazon Prime OriginalAugust 20Pokémon Detective Pikachu Available for Rent or Purchase on Prime VideoPoms Available for Rent or Purchase on Prime VideoTolkien Available for Rent or Purchase on Prime VideoAugust 21A Simple FavorAugust 23Mission: Impossible — Fallout#IMomSoHard Live Amazon Prime OriginalMike E. Winfield: StepMan Amazon Prime OriginalAlice Wetterlund: My Mama Is a Human and So Am I Amazon Prime OriginalAlonzo Bodden: Heavy Lightweight Amazon Prime OriginalAugust 26The Lincoln LawyerAugust 27A Dog’s Journey Available for Rent or Purchase on Prime VideoAugust 30Carnival Row (Season 1) Amazon Prime OriginalAugust 31A Cadaver Christmas Boy Computer Chess Dast-neveshtehaa nemisoosand / Manuscripts Don’t Burn Failure to Launch Far From Home Firstborn Flashback Glissements Progressifs du Plaisir / Successive Slidings of Pleasure Godzilla Hellboy II: The Golden Army I, Frankenstein Jack Frost Kicking the Dog Klip / Clip Korkoro La Maison de la radio Looking Glass Miss Hill: Making Dance Matter Music From the Big House Naples ’44 Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist Parting Glances Pirate Radio Poltergeist II: The Other Side Sacred Ground She Must Be Seeing Things Sucker Punch Surviving Progress Ten Dead Men The Bog Creatures The Collectors The Fifth Element The Hills Have Eyes Part II The Man Nobody Knew: In Search of My Father, CIA Spymaster William Colby The Oyler House: Richard Neutra’s Desert Retreat The Penguin Counters The Uninvited This Ain’t No Mouse Music Top of the Food Chain Top Spin Vito Za Ji Wang Ming DuiMore on Geek.com:‘The Boys’ Final Trailer: Good Guys Go After World’s Worst SuperheroesWhat to Stream on Amazon Prime This WeekendBest Space Documentaries to Stream Stay on target These Are the Games You Should Play This MonthBest Skywatching Events in August 2019: ‘Shooting Stars,’ New Moon, More 
Explore further Researchers develop “rectenna” to convert radio waves to electricity Credit: Yoshihiro Kawahara et al. Citation: The very idea: Kitchen gadgets powered by microwave leaks (2013, September 22) retrieved 18 August 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2013-09-idea-kitchen-gadgets-powered-microwave.html Their experiment actually did show that it was possible to harness energy from the microwave and use it for other appliances. “Our experimental results showed that the leakage received by a dipole antenna was about 0 dBm (1 mW) at a point 5 cm in front of the door. A rectenna consisting of a dipole antenna and charge pump can convert the leaked microwave energy into a DC current. When a microwave oven is operated for 2 min, 9.98 mJ of energy was harvested.”[A rectenna is an antenna which is used to convert microwave energy into direct current electricity.]They demonstrated that this energy was enough. They said, “The energy accumulated over 2 min was found to be suf?cient for the operation of some of low-power kitchen tools for a few minutes and operate wireless sensor node for 2.5 hours.”Reporting on their work, Scientific American noted that “A microwave oven uses a device called a magnetron to generate electromagnetic waves with a wavelength of 12.5 centimeters and a frequency of 2.4 gigahertz – enough for vibrating water molecules to heat food. Although a waveguide delivers the microwaves into the food chamber some still escape through the gap around the oven door and through the metal-meshed window.”In the bigger picture of power consumption today, the authors noted that, because of the reduced power consumption of electronics devices, quite a few battery-operated devices such as kitchen tools only consume a few dozen microwatts. The reduced power requirements are accelerating power harvesting from various ambient energy, they wrote. ” As energy ef?ciency continues to improve, the energy requirements to power electronic devices will continue to drop; this in turn means it is feasible to power more devices by a small amount of energy of about a few dozen microwatts.”Authors of the paper are Yoshihiro Kawahara, Xiaoying Bian, Ryo Shigeta, Rushi Vyas, Manos M. Tentzeris and Tohru Asami. The paper appears in UbiComp 13 Proceedings of the 2013 ACM International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing. More information: Power harvesting from microwave oven electromagnetic leakage: dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=2493500www.ubicomp.org/ubicomp2013/program.phpwww.newscientist.com/article/d … kitchen-gadgets.html © 2013 Phys.org (Phys.org) —Can your microwave oven power other gadgets in your kitchen? That is the question explored in the paper, “Power Harvesting from Microwave Oven Electromagnetic Leakage,” by researchers from the University of Tokyo in Tokyo and Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. They presented their work at the Conference on Ubiquitous Computing in Zurich earlier this month. “In this paper,” said Yoshihiro Kawahara, an associate professor in the field of ubiquitous computing at the University of Tokyo. and colleagues, “we present the feasibility of harvesting and storing a small amount of leaked energy from a microwave oven and operate low-power devices without battery in a domestic environment.” This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
There is an entire catalog of almost unbelievable deaths of royal people. Such as Henry I, who was king of England from 1100 until 1135. He died a rather bizarre death, supposedly caused by a meal of lamprey eels. The king dismissed his doctor’s warnings–they had advised him against consuming the suspicious dish. He contracted a disease and, after a short while, passed away at the age of 67. Another European king, Alexander of Greece, was just 27 when he died in his own bizarre fashion in 1920. The Greek king was taking a stroll in his summer palace near Athens when a monkey attacked his pet German Shepherd, Fritz. The monkey was reportedly a Barbary macaque that belonged to a palace employee. The king attempted to break up the fighting animals and ended up a victim himself, as the monkey hurt his leg as well as biting him all over his body. The wounds became infected and less than a month later the king was pronounced dead.Queen Sunandha Kumariratana, Queen consort of King Chulalongkorn of Siam.It’s not only in Europe that members of royal families have died in unusual circumstances. One of the most hard-to-believe such stories is of the queen consort of Siam (modern-day Thailand), Sunandha Kumariratana. She was the first of the three wives of Siamese King Chulalongkorn, who is known for introducing some progressive reforms within his kingdom, like abolishing slavery.Princess Kannabhorn Bejaratana, daughter of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V the Great) of Siam, with her mother, Queen Sunandha KumariratanaAt the time of her death, Sunandha Kumariratana already had one daughter and was expecting another child. In May 1880, when Sunandha was just 19 years old, she was on a trip to the royal family’s bountiful Bang Pa-In summer residence, outside of Bangkok. She was accompanied by Princess Karnabhorn Bejraratana, not even two years old, and a group of guards and servants.Bang Pa In Royal Temple Palace, Ayutthaya, ThailandRoyal Crematorium of Sunandha Kumariratana 1881But reaching the palace required crossing Chao Phraya River, Thailand’s biggest river. The queen consort and the princess were escorted to a separate boat which was dragged by a bigger boat to carry them over the river.Related Video: 6 Cleopatra Myths DebunkedHowever, the royal vessel capsized in strong currents and both were plunged into the water. None of the royal entourage proceeded to help them. Supposedly everyone followed the lead of the main guard, who did not assist them or urge anyone else to help the drowning royals–all three lives were lost while their attendants just stood and watched.Queen Sunandha Kumariratana,The guards, and everyone else on the scene, were adhering to an old and rigid Siamese law that did not allow any ordinary person to touch a member of the royal family. Breaking this law was punishable with death.Statue at Bang Pa-In PalaceAccording to Misfit History, besides the law, any desire to help save the life of the queen could have been diminished by a superstitious belief as well. Allegedly, saving a person who was drowning in the river was associated with misfortune. If someone offered help to the person that meant meddling with the spirits who lived in the water.Queen Sunanda Kumariratana Memorial, Photo: กสิณธร ราชโอรส –CC BY-SA 4.0After this incident, where three lives could have been easily spared with a little help, King Chulalongkorn proceeded to imprison the attendant who did not give any orders to attempt a rescue.The king greatly grieved the death of his spouse, who is said to be the one he loved the best of all. The funerary procession that was accordingly arranged for the queen was possibly the most expensive funeral in the history of this Asian kingdom.Related story from us: Queen Mary I of England was not known as “Bloody Mary” until more than a century after her deathThe king also carried out a great deal of work to complete the royal summer residence, which his revered wife was due to visit on the day of her unfortunate demise. In the backyard of the palace, he placed a memorial to Sunandha Kumariratana and the children, a reminder of the extraordinary circumstances that ended their lives all too soon.
Top Stories ATHENS, Greece (AP) – Former U.S. President Bill Clinton is meeting with Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras to discuss foreign investment in Greece.Clinton is in Greece to promote the “Hellenic Initiative,” an initiative by businessmen of Greek origin living abroad who want to facilitate foreign investment in the debt-ridden country and to raise $100 million to help charities active in Greece.Later, Clinton and Samaras will be joined by a team of Greek-American businessmen and Greece’s foreign, defense, finance and development ministers. New high school in Mesa lets students pick career paths Comments Share Men’s health affects baby’s health too Meghan McCain to release audiobook on conservatism, family Clinton is scheduled to speak to a select audience of Greek-American businessmen and will depart Athens on Sunday afternoon.(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Sponsored Stories Four benefits of having a wireless security system 5 things to look for when selecting an ophthalmologist Think Tank analyzes the second round of Democratic debates More Valley freeways to be closed this weekend for improvements
October 12, 2014 447 Views Share in Daily Dose, Government, Headlines, News HUD OIG Recoups $1B
The Office of Inspector General for HUD announced that civil investigations of some of the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) largest lenders have resulted in significant settlements in the last year.The civil investigations were conducted to enforce the FHA origination rules against lenders that falsely certify insurability of loans under FHA’s insurance program. Investigations of three of those lenders alone have totaled nearly $1 billion in money recouped, which has helped replenish FHA’s insurance fund. Another $650 million has been awarded for the benefit of other government entities.”These settlements are the latest step in a continuing effort to bring to light significant problems that we have identified in the loan underwriting practices of a number of large FHA-approved lenders, which have or will provide a meaningful financial boost to the FHA insurance fund,” HUD OIG David A. Montoya said.Every component of HUD OIG contributed to the investigations in the last year. Auditors served subpoenas for lender records, scrutinized lender underwriting practices, participated in the underwriting of thousands of loans, and reviewed many documents. As part of the investigations, OIG special agents interviewed many current and former employees of lenders as well as borrowers and many other individuals. The OIG’s Legal Office provided important guidance and advice to those conducting the investigations and coordinated their efforts with the U.S. Department of Justice and HUD.The staff in OIG’s Fort Worth Regional Office, Chicago Regional Office, and Joint Civil Fraud Division led these investigations and reviews. FHA HUD Inspector General Settlements 2014-10-12 Seth Welborn
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) is tackled by San Francisco 49ers linebacker Michael Wilhoite, left, and strong safety Craig Dahl during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) Top Stories The 5: Takeaways from the Coyotes’ introduction of Alex Meruelo Former Cardinals kicker Phil Dawson retires “He’s big on, like, don’t hit him low, hit him high,” Quin said Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Michael Rothstein. “He’ll tell you on the field like, ‘Hey bro, I’ll pay your fine for you. Like, don’t him me in the legs.’ He’ll rather you hit him up high. Don’t take his legs, because obviously you need your legs to run.”That’s easier said than done now that the NFL has altered its rules to prevent head injuries. It’s led to defensive backs aiming to tackle opponents below the waist, perhaps increasing the chance of causing leg injuries.Fitzgerald apparently felt that Quin’s tackle back in 2014 was at the knees, but Quin said he thought he’d hit the Cardinals receiver in the hip.“He’ll say it all the time,” Quin said. “You can ask anybody. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only DB. You ask anybody he’ll tell you like, ‘Hey man, don’t take my knees out like that.’”Whether it’s genetics, luck or the conversations he has with opposing defensive backs, Fitzgerald’s reliability has kept him quite healthy throughout his career entering its 14th season.The longtime Cardinal receiver has missed only six games in his 13-year career: three in 2006, one in 2007 and two in 2014. 6 Comments Share Derrick Hall satisfied with D-backs’ buying and selling Grace expects Greinke trade to have emotional impact Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald isn’t known as a trash talker. But he does talk.According to one opponent on the Detroit Lions, who Arizona plays to open the 2017 season, Fitzgerald requests that his opponents to hit him high rather than go low and risk injuring his legs.Detroit Lions safety Glover Quin said Fitzgerald has made such requests to him, though Quin has a special place in Fitzgerald’s memory. The defensive back made a tackle in 2014 that led to Fitzgerald missing two games because of a sprained knee.
Go back to the e-newsletterHualapai River Runners and Grand Canyon West, subsidiaries of the Grand Canyon Resort Corporation, have unveiled a unique new tourism experience for 2016: A guided two-day weekend tour of the Grand Canyon’s West Rim. The new tour lets adventurers whitewater raft the Colorado River, camp out overnight in Spencer Canyon and take a helicopter tour above the West Rim.“This is the only two-day rafting trip in the Grand Canyon. It’s unique and it lets people experience the treasure of the Grand Canyon,” said Earlene Havatone, the General Manager for Hualapai River Runners. “This trip is also compact, with all the experiences of the longer trips but the convenience of two days.”Located just two hours from Las Vegas and four hours from Phoenix, Grand Canyon West offers visitors a variety of outdoor and cultural experiences, including the Skywalk, Colorado River raft tours helmed by Hualapai River Runners certified guides, helicopter tours, and horseback riding. Lodging opportunities include the Hualapai Lodge, located on historic Route 66. Grand Canyon West also offers the Hualapai Ranch, with its rustic, western-themed cabins overlooking the Canyon Rim. All the Grand Canyon West tourism experiences pay homage to the culture and history of the Hualapai Tribe, which owns and operates the Grand Canyon Resort Corporation for the benefit of tribal members and the surrounding economy.Go back to the e-newsletter
6. Camel EstuarySpringing from Bodmin Moor and flowing out to the Celtic Sea, the River Camel stretches for about 30 miles. On the banks of the estuary lies the famous fishing port of Padstow, and on its west side acheologists have uncovered evidence that people have lived on this little patch of England since the Bronze Age. Just as famous for Rick Stein’s flagship Seafood Restaurant, you can also get a posh takeaway for under a tenner at Stein’s Fish and Chips in Padstow, best enjoyed out in the fresh breeze by the harbour. Image: Reading Tom, CC BY 2.0.4. PorthcurnoSet in a small valley that slides towards a beautiful white beach – one that wouldn’t look out of place in the South Pacific – Porthcurno is two and a half miles from Land’s End. This pocket-sized point played a big part in World War Two; it’s submarine communications cable station was a major hub, used to pass on important intelligence. Tunnels were built to protect the cable station from attack, and today you can visit them to see the exhibits on display in the Porthcurno Telegraph Museum. At £8.50 for adults and £5 for children, it’s a good bet should you be looking for things to do when the Great British summer starts. RelatedFive of the UK’s most scenic train journeysLife is a journey, not a destination. Perhaps that’s why trains evoke the magic of travel better than any other mode of getting from A to B. And then there’s the views. The 9.23 from Crewe might not have the glamour of the Orient Express, but the scenery out of…Where to see the Northern Lights in the UK in 2016-17If seeing the Northern Lights is at the top of your bucket list, you might be surprised to learn that with a little luck, it’s possible to see them here in the UK. Find out where and when to see the mighty Aurora Borealis without leaving home, plus get tips…20 of the best beaches in Europe that the locals don’t want you to know aboutPlanning a beach holiday and looking for a quiet spot where you won’t have to battle for an umbrella? Beat the miserable British summer by planning your escape to one of these secret beaches across Europe that you’ve probably never heard of… 1. Botallack MineA former tin mining area between St. Just in Penwith and Pendeen village, these abandoned mines hark back to the county’s industrial past and are now even more of a star Cornwall attraction, since featuring in 2015’s TV hit [Poldark] as the setting for the hero’s home, Nampara. Even better, it doesn’t cost a penny to take a 1.6km stroll through the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site to see the stone engine houses crumbling precariously near the surf, or explore Bottallack Count House, where the workers and mine captains once lived. 2. St. LoyHead to the south west coast, and the valleys and boulder strewn sands of St. Loy, for a Cornwall beach holiday to top all others. The best way to see what the gorgeous Cornish coves here have to offer is by taking a hike. Follow the 9km section of the South West Coast Path starting and finishing near the Lamorna Cove Hotel through pretty woodlands, passing historical monuments and enjoying panoramic views from Logan Rock headland over Lizard Point, the UK’s most southerly tip. 12. MarazionOn the theme of arts and crafts, Marazion is arguably Cornwall’s creative centre, with plenty of resident artists who make and sell their works in the town’s galleries. It might have something to do with the dramatic sight of St. Michael’s Mount rising out of the sea half-a-mile offshore. Make the journey to the National Trust island on foot at low tide, or jump on a short boat ride to visit the castle, which has been the St. Aubyn family home since around 1650. Check the website for the most up-to-date tide times. Search car hire deals in our app ReturnOne wayMulti-cityFromAdd nearby airports ToAdd nearby airportsDepart14/08/2019Return21/08/2019Cabin Class & Travellers1 adult, EconomyDirect flights onlySearch flights Map Image: Tim Green, CC BY 2.03. Cawsand and KingsandThese two super-cute villages on the Rame Peninsula were once favourite spots for smugglers. Though only around 45 minutes drive from Plymouth, they’re often referred to as ‘the forgotten corner of Cornwall’ so if you’re looking for places off the beaten coastal path, these might be your bag. You’ll also find plenty of fishermen here who supply local restaurants with the freshest daily catch. The gastronomic delights of France meet the Cornish coast at The Devonport Inn in Kingsand, which serves classic dishes using only fresh locally sourced produce like Rame crab (£7.50, starter) and Looe scallops (£15, main). For more chocolate box villages, check out your reader’s tips on more delightful villages around the UK. 9. FoweyIt’s a right royal affair in Fowey, home to the Royal Regatta for one week every August. But this popular event isn’t just about spruced up sailboats. Watch the Red Arrows put on a spectacular show right above your head in the harbour, join the party during the carnival parade or enjoy the fireworks display. Fower Harbour is as pretty as a picture whenever you visit, and it’s worth the 15 minute walk up to St. Catherine’s Castle from Readymoney Cove for windswept views of the estuary from the battlements. Discover more of our favourite ruins in this guide to the finest castles in the UK. Image: sage_solar, CC BY 2.0.8. Lands EndIt’s the final destination, or first port of call depending on your direction, on the UK’s longest road trip from John O’Groats to Land’s End – over 1,407km from start to finish. Affectionately known as The First and Last, Land’s End has enough natural beauty to postpone your epic journey for at least a few days. Walk along the clifftops to Sennen Cove for blooming carpets of heather and sea campion in the summer, stunning views across Britain’s most southwesterly point and prime bird-watching – look out for gannets, fulmars, shags and razorbills to name a few. Sunset walks can be finished up with a meal at the Land’s End Hotel next to the viewpoint. Try a steaming bowl of Cornish mussels from the bar menu to sample the best of the local waters. Search flight deals to Cornwall in our app Image: Loz Pycock, CC BY-SA 2.0.14. NewquayConsidered the surf capital of the UK, Newquay attracts plenty of people looking to hang ten, or just hang out on one of the pretty patches of sand that dot the Cornish coast. Crantock Beach is just outside the city centre and a perfect place to get some sea air if you’re flying in and out of town on a tight schedule. Great Western Beach is popular with families and has plenty of cafés for a quick ice cream cone, while the Headland Hotel overlooking Fistral Beach is certainly the most stylish place to stay; its red brick Victorian frontage can be spied for miles around. Whether you’re a surfer or a sunbather, we’ve got more beautiful beaches around the UK to share. Image: Darren Shilson, CC BY 2.0.11. St. IvesHave a jolly holiday in the quintessential British seaside town of St. Ives. From striped deck chairs lined up on Porthminster Beach, to traditional tearooms like Olive’s Cafe serving up delicious Cornish cream teas, St. Ives is a great place to come for some good old fashioned family fun. Culture fans can also add a dash of art to their holiday at Tate St. Ives: the little town with the big views has inspired a host of modernist painters and sculptors, including Barbara Hepworth and you can visit an entire gallery dedicated to her work here. Who needs London? If you’re more about art collections than cocktails on holiday, take a look at our top 5 cultural destinations. 13. Bedruthan StepsBetween Padstow and Newquay lies the Bedruthan Steps, stone stacks which have been separated from the mainland by sea erosion over hundreds of years; legend has it that a giant named Bedruthan used them as stepping stones to make a short cut across the bay. The south west coast path passes through these parts as well – take the short hour and a half walk from Carnewas car park and stop off at the handy Carnewas Tearoom on your return for the best angle on the Steps (over a big slice of cake, of course). Image: Jim Champion, CC BY 2.0.5. Wheal Coates, St. AgnesThis former tin mine still stands proud atop the cliffs between Porthtowan and St. Agnes on Cornwall’s north coast, protected by the National Trust as a site of historical significance. The surviving building dates from the 1870s and is rumoured to be haunted by the ghosts of the old mine workers. You can venture inside the mine shaft at low tide via a cave on Chapel Porth Beach, just one of the many beautiful beaches around St. Agnes. Stay in the centre at St. Agnes Hotel for easy bus connections to Truro, or opt for one of the romantic self-catering cottages strewn near beaches like Trevaunance, if you’ve got your own wheels. Image: Reading Tom, CC BY 2.0.10. Trevose HeadAnother of the many Cornwall place names beginning with ‘Tre’ (meaning ‘homestead’), you can take in amazing panoramic views all the way up the north coast of Cornwall and in to neighbouring county Devon from Trevose Head. Staring out to sea between Newquay and Padstow, Trevose Head Lighthouse has been safely guiding seafarers to shore since 1847 and remains a working lighthouse whose beams you can see up to 37km away. You can even stay in the former keeper’s cottages there, for early morning access to beautiful Constantine Bay a few miles down the coast. Image: Ed Webster, CC BY 2.0.7. Rough TorA tor is a rocky outcrop that juts out from the top of a hill, very characteristic of this south-western part of England. Rough Tor is stacked with enigmatic stone formations and is one of Cornwall’s twin peaks, sitting not far from the highest point in the county, Brown Willy. An 8km walk from the car park at Poldue Downs encompasses both sites and allows you to lose yourself in the epic horizons of the north Cornish moorlands, dotted with neolithic monuments and Bronze Age stone circles. Avoid getting lost by always checking the weather for mist warnings before heading out. Ramble over Britain’s best countryside with this rundown of the best hiking routes around the UK. Image: Jim Baldwin, CC BY-SA 2.0.Read more about places to visit in beautiful Britain:10 UK destinations to spark the imaginationYou’ll be spellbound by these pictures of Britain’s most mystical spots.The UK’s prettiest gardens to visit this springIt’s time to pack away the winter warmers and celebrate the start of (hopefully) some sunnier weather.10 beautiful coastal spots in Wales – in picturesMany of Britain’s most beautiful beaches are showcased along the stunning Welsh shoreline, and we’ve got the pictures to prove it!Alternative places to party in the UKNew Year’s Eve always the same old anti-climax? Not this year. Arm yourself with our guide to the best alternative places to see in the new year.Skyscanner is the world’s travel search engine, helping your money go further on flights, hotels and car hire. 15. PolzeathAnother great spot to catch some waves, Polzeath is a coastal town near Wadebridge with plenty of other charms as well as surfing. Tracks and trails made for keen cyclists wend their way through the countryside, like the 17 mile Camel Trail along a disused railway line from Bodmin all the way to Padstow (start in Wadebridge for a shorter section in either direction). For something less strenuous, walk the coastal path from family favourite Greenaway Beach to Daymer Bay, where the waves are smaller, making it ideal for swimmers and windsurfers. Check out more great cycling routes around Europe with our best bike rides. ReturnOne wayMulti-cityFromAdd nearby airports ToAdd nearby airportsDepartReturnCabin Class & Travellers1 adult, EconomyDirect flights onlySearch flights Map