By Mindy Weisberger Could city sidewalks one day generate the energy that powers streetlights? An interactive installation in London is taking the first steps toward that futuristic idea, by lining a littleused lane with interactive tiles, to transform it into an energy-harvesting "smart street." The project launched June 29 on Bird Street, a quiet and relatively traffic-free road adjacent to Oxford Street in London's West End neighborhood, according to a statement released by Pavegen, the company that produced the interactive street tiles. When visitors amble down Bird Street, now closed to traffic, a tiled path down the center of the street captures energy from their steps and generates power to trigger soundscapes of chirping birds and nighttime light displays along the avenue. Other technological innovations included in the installation: a seating area that doubles as an air purifier and surfaces covered in special paint that absorbs nitrogen oxide gas present in fossil fuel emissions, Pavegen representatives said in the statement. Energy produced by the tiled array, which measures about 108 square feet (10 square meters), also powers low-energy Bluetooth transmitters embedded in the pathway. The transmitters interact with apps that provide walkers with data about steps taken and how much energy those steps produce; their steps also deliver vouchers and discounts for a variety of popup shops along the street, according to the statement. Visitors can also get a breath of fresh air on a "CleanAir Bench" built by Airlabs, a design company addressing air pollution in urban environments. Eight fans inside the bench draw in polluted air, which the bench then processes internally to remove up to 95 percent of nitrogen dioxide — an urban pollutant. The bench then "exhales" clean air for seated users to enjoy, according to a description on the Airlabs website. The "smart street" debut followed the unveiling of a new initiative to make London a leading "smart city" by using cutting-edge technology to address social, economic and environmental challenges, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announced June 12 in a statement. Khan further described plans to advance London as a global innovator by appointing the city's first Chief Digital Officer, who will oversee the development of smart city tech, the mayor's representatives said in the statement. "From air pollution and climate change to housing and transport, new technologies and data science will be at the heart of the long-term solutions to urban challenges," Khan said.
DIE BELANGRIKSTE LIGGAAMSDEEL: Skrywer onbekend My moeder het my van jongs af gevra wat is die mees belangrikste deel van my liggaam. Deur die jare het ek gereeld ‘n raaiskoot gewaag sodra ek dink ek ken die antwoord. Terwyl ek jonger was het ek gedink dat klank baie belangrik vir ons as mense is en ek het geantwoord, “My ore, Mamma.” Sy het gesê, “Nee, daar is baie mense wat doof is. Maar hou aan om daaraan te dink, ek sal jou binnekort weer vra.” ‘n Paar jaar het verloop voordat sy my weer gevra het. Sedert my eerste probeerslag het ek lank gedink oor die korrekte antwoord. Die keer vertel ek haar, “Mamma, sig is baie belangrik vir enige iemand, soos daarom moet dit my oë wees.” Sy het na my gekyk en gesê, “Jy leer vinnig, maar die antwoord is nie korrek nie want daar is baie mense wat blind is.” Teleurgesteld het ek maar my soektog voortgesit na kennis om die regte antwoord te kry en deur die jare het Moeder my ‘n paar keer gevra of ek die antwoord ken en gereeld was haar antwoord, “Nee. Maar jy word elke jaar slimmer my kind.” Verlede jaar, is my oupa oorlede. Almal was hartseer en almal het gehuil, selfs my vader wat ek nog net eenkeer van tevore sien huil het. My Moeder het na my gekyk toe dit ons beurt was om blomme op oupa se kis te plaas. Sy vra my toe, “Weet jy nou al watter is die mees belangrikste deel van die liggaam my kind?” Ek was geskok omdat sy my die vraag nou vra. Ek het altyd gedink dit was ‘n soort spel tussen ons. Sy het die verwarring op my gesig opgemerk en sê, “Dit is ‘n baie belangrike vraag. Dit wys of jy al regtig in jou lewe geleef het. Elke liggaamsdeel wat jy aan my genoem het in die verlede het ek gesê is verkeerd en elke keer ook met ‘n rede, hoekom. Maar vandag is die dag wat dit noodsaaklik is dat jy die belangrike les leer.” Sy het afgekyk na my op die manier soos net ‘n moeder kan. Ek sien die trane wat opwel in haar oë. Sy sê, “My kind, die mees belangrike deel van jou liggaam is jou skouer.” Ek vra, “Is dit omdat dit my kop regop hou?” Sy antwoord, “Nee, dis omdat dit die kop kan hou van ‘n vriend of ‘n geliefde wanneer hulle huil. Elke mens in die lewe het soms ‘n skouer nodig om op te huil. Ek hoop dat jy genoeg geliefdes en vriende het wat altyd ‘n skouer sal hê vir jou om op te huil wanneer jy dit nodig het.” Daar en dan het ek geweet dat die mees belangrikste liggaamsdeel nie ‘n selfsugtige deel is nie. Dit is simpatiek teenoor die pyn van ander.
Break out those pizza socks. You’re going to want the world to see them. BY MORGAN CUTOLO
Wearing brown socks with a black suit is seen as very taboo. But wearing bright green socks with little flamingos on them is something you are starting to see more men and women sporting. Not only will this bold fashion statement be turning a few heads, but it’s actually scientifically proven to make you more successful and confident. In 2013, Harvard Business School conducted a survey studying people’s opinions on nonconformist behaviors. They looked into how people reacted to funky sneakers and distressed jeans being worn in a formal environment. Surprisingly, the reactions were all positive. They came to the conclusion that a nonconformist look is associated with higher status and success. So even if you only paid $5 for those neon socks that look like a game of Tetris, wear them loud and proud. Now that you know people perceive you as successful when you’re a nonconformist, you’ll also be more confident. Joshua I. Davis, a psychologist at Northwestern University, studied how the clothes you wear influence your behavior. He looked at people’s performance on a series of tests; some wearing lab coats, some not. Those wearing the lab coats felt smarter and performed much better. Even though you might be shy and living paycheck to paycheck, rock those crazy socks because you’ll have people fooled into thinking that you work on Wall Street and are super confident. Be brave, science is here to back up your fashion choices.
Chicken pox can leave you with a nasty surprise down the road: Shingles, a reccurence of the infection in adults. Now it looks like a shingles outbreak can raise your risk of heart disease. BY LAUREN CAHN
You feel so lousy that you suspect the flu, except it’s way past flu season. And then there’s that rash—an ugly strip of red, pimply-looking blisters just below your rib cage that hurts like crazy. You could try identifying that rash with this guide to most common skin irritations, but it sounds like you could have shingles, and the news just got worse: An outbreak may mean you’re at a higher risk for heart attack and stroke, according to a study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Shingles is caused by the varicella zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Once you’ve had chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in the body and can reactivate years later. Shingles is common enough that one in every three people in the United States will develop the infection at some point in their lifetime; your risk increases after the age of 50, or any time your immune system is compromised. In addition, it appears that women are more prone to the condition than men, according to the South Korean researchers behind the study. Sifting through data on 519,880 patients registered with the National Health Insurance Services, the researchers found 23,233 cases of shingles. After comparing them to shingles-free patients, the researchers discovered that a bout of shingles was linked to a 59 percent increased risk of heart attack and 35 percent higher risk of stroke. The danger was greatest in first year after the onset of shingles, and then risk decreased over time. Notably patients with shingles also tended to have more of the general risk factors for heart attack and stroke, such as old age, high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol—meaning their health status could have made them more susceptible to a shingles outbreak. On the other hand, they were less likely to smoke, more likely to exercise, had a lower alcohol intake, and tended to be part of a higher socioeconomic class than the shinglesfree people in the study. Interestingly, among those who had shingles, risk of having a heart attack or stroke was highest under 40 years of age, when the under-40 crowd is generally at lower risk for heart disease in a general population. Clearly, the findings require further study, Sung-Han Kim, MD, PhD, a physician in the department of infectious diseases at Asian Medical Center in Seoul and one of the study authors, told Science Daily. However, the findings build on prior research linking shingles and heart disease risk, so it’s something doctors need to be aware of and warn patients about, says Dr. Kim.
I was shocked when I got return letters from all three of them. But one stood out to me more than the others, so I wrote back. BY LOWELL C. COLLINS
As a 20-year-old PFC in the Air Force, Oct. 27, 1949, was a day I’ll always remember. I was stationed at Chanute Field, Illinois, after finishing basic training at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. I was transferred to Chanute to attend aircraft engine and general aircraft training. While on barracks cleanup duty, I found a copy of the Vancouver Sun newspaper, from British Columbia. The front-page article was about the Pacific National Exhibition Beauty Contest, with a photo of the winner, Miss Vancouver. The article also listed the 11 other contestants and the cities they represented.
The latest episode of FOX’s “The F Word with Gordon Ramsay” featured yet another impressive cooking-themed Guinness World Records attempt.
Well, I got the bright idea of writing a letter to the winner, hoping to get some mail in return. Since I had been away from home for almost a year, the highlight of my day was mail call. I wrote to two other contestants as well, but had only their cities to use for the address. I was shocked when I got return letters from all three contestants. I was very impressed with the letter from Miss Port Moody, Kay Ronco, and we began writing regularly.
Gordon Ramsay invited sushi chef Hiroyuki Terada to take on a daring challenge and put his culinary skills to the absolute test. The attempt was for the Most slices of carrots sliced while blindfolded in 30 seconds – a record which should only be attempted by skilled professionals!
By this time, I had finished the tech school programs and was transferred to a base in Omaha, Nebraska. Kay and I continued to write. After seven months, I was made a crew member on a B-29 bomber scheduled to fly to Seattle, Washington, for modification. Once I got into town, I boarded a train north to Vancouver and took a bus to Kay’s house. She had no idea I was coming and I know she was surprised to see me. Our time together flew by as we talked and got to know each other.
Guinness World Records adjudicator Michael Empric was on hand to officiate the challenge and was thrilled to announce that the chef successfully achieved a total of 88 slices, 38 more than the minimum needed for the record. Gordon Ramsay asked chef Hiro how felt after the attempt:“Great! I still have 10 fingers!”
I told her I would be back soon and, sure enough, six months later I was. During my 10-day furlough, I met Kay’s mother and father, who lived in Pleasantside, British Columbia, near Vancouver, plus her sister and many of her friends. The next time I saw her, I gave her an engagement ring and soon afterward we were married, settling eventually in Florida. Kay and I have now been happily married for 64 years. For the past nine years, she has had dementia. I do what I can to make her days pleasant. When she would demand that I take her home to Pleasantside, I would drive a short while and return past a totem pole I had installed at our Florida residence. When she saw the pole in the driveway, she’d say, “We’re home.”
MILO KAASKOEK TERTKORS 200g tennisbeskuitjies, fyngemaak 60ml milo 125ml gesmelte margarine Maak ‘n krummelkors en voer ‘n tertbord daarmee uit en verkoel tot benodig. VULSEL 2 houers (250g elk) geroomde maaskaas 1 blik kondensmelk 20ml gelatin 30ml koue water 100ml kookwater 250ml room, verkoel 200ml milo ekstra milo om oor te sif METODE Klits maaskaas en kondensmelk effens saam. Sprinkel gelatine oor koue water. Laat tot sponserig, giet die kookwater by en roer tot opgelos. Voeg by die maaskaasmengsel en meng deur. Klits die room en milo saam tot styf en vou by die kaasmengsel in. Giet in die tertkors en verkoel oornag, tot stewig. Sif ekstra milo bo-oor. Lewer ‘n middelslag tert.
You'll never look at an avocado the same way again. BY MARISSA LALIBERTE
There are tons of reasons to love avocados. Not only are they chock-full of good fats that keep your heart healthy and cut your cancer risk, but they taste dang delicious. But they might take on a new giggle-worthy meaning when you learn their back-story. Avocados originally came from Mexico and Central America, where the indigenous Nahua people found them. Back then, avocados were called the Nahuatl word āhuacatl—which also happened to mean “testicles.” Scholars think the Nahua chose the name because of the fruit has a, uh, suggestive shape and was considered an aphrodisiac, according to NPR. The Nahua probably used the anatomical definition as slang, like how we might use “nuts” today, Nahuatl scholar Magnus Pharao Hansen, PhD, tells Snopes. When the Spanish conquistadors came, they changed the name to aguacate, according to Today I Found Out. The United States imported the fruits, but they were a tough sell because Americans had a hard time saying the word. Marketers tried using “avagato pear” and “alligator pear” in reference to its shape (a more G-rated choice than the first time around). Eventually, they settled on “avocado.” Some people claim “guacamole” means “testicle sauce” because it comes from āhuacamōlli—a combination of āhuacatl (avocado) and mōlli (sauce). But Mesoamerican language specialist Frances Karttunen, PhD, says that isn’t quite accurate. Guac didn’t come around until the fruit became aguacate, and that Spanish translation didn’t carry the same double meaning the Nahuatl word did. “Seems to me that contemporary Nahuah get a giggle out of looking up at the fruit hanging in the trees and thinking of them as vegetable testicles,” says Dr. Karttunen. “But, except in jest, I don’t think a Nahua would imagine āhuacamōlli to be anything other than mashed up avocado.”
PROF. DR. CHRISTIAAN NEETHLING BARNARD (1922-2001) het nie net die eerste hartoorplanting in die geskiedenis gedoen nie, maar ook chirurgiese prosedures vir orgaanoorplantings en nuwe hartkleppe ontwikkel. Hy en sy span het in nag van 2 op 3 Desember 1967 in ’n epiese operasie van vyf uur die eerste keer die hart van een mens in ’n ander een oorgeplant. Die skenker was ’n jong meisie, Denise Darval, wat noodlottig in ’n motorongeluk beseer was. Die operasie is in die Groote Schuur-hospitaal in Kaapstad gedoen. Die ontvanger, ene Louis Washkansky, is net agttien dae ná die operasie oorlede, maar Barnard het later in sy loopbaan geslaagder oorplantings gedoen en sekere van sy hartontvangers het jare lank bly lewe. Barnard, die hoof van die harteenheid by Groote Schuur, was later ook die pionier van die tegniek van die abba-hart. In só ’n operasie word die ontvanger se hart nie verwyder nie, maar die skenker s’n word daarby gevoeg om as ’n hulp-pomp te dien. In November 1977 het die professor weer opspraak gewek deur ’n bobbejaanhart en ’n sjimpanseehart as tydelike maatreëls in twee sterwende pasiënte oor te plant. Die pasiënte het egter net ’n paar uur en vyf dae onderskeidelik bly lewe. Weens die intense verwerping van die vreemde weefsel het prof. Barnard besluit om hierdie tegniek te laat vaar. Maar deur al sy innoverings, kan gesê word, is duisende menselewens verleng, en hy verdien ’n plek in die galery van die voorste medici van die twintigste eeu. Barnard het die wêreld met nuwe oë na die sofistikasie van die geneeskunde in Suid-Afrika laat kyk.
SKEERMESLEMMETJIE (1901) DIE ingrypendste ontwikkeling in die praktyk om baard en hare af te skeer, was in die vroeë 1900’s toe die moderne veiligheidskeermes sy verskyning gemaak het. ’n Amerikaanse smous, King Camp Gillette, was een oggend aan die einde van die 1800’s besig om te skeer toe dit hom irriteer dat die skeermes se lem so gou stomp raak. Net daar kry hy die blink ingewing: waarom nie ’n skeermes maak met los lemmetjies wat weggegooi kan word nie? Hy het ’n houer vir die lemmetjies ontwerp, maar ’n volle ses jaar sou verbygaan voordat ’n lemmetjie gemaak kon word wat dun genoeg vir die houer was. Die oplossing het in 1901 gekom toe hy en ’n ingenieur, ene William Nickerson, saamgespan het. Nickerson het die nodige masjinerie ontwerp wat die lemmetjies kon maak. Sedertdien het die lemmetjie sonder enige moeite hoegenaamd sy pad deur die twintigste eeu oopgekerf tot vandag toe.
JULIE / AUG / SEPT 22/07/2017
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Warning: Don't read it out loud. BY MARISSA LALIBERTE
When you think of a generic ballpoint pen, you’re probably thinking of a Bic. The manufacturer sells more pens (and lighters) than any other company in the United States. Need branded pens for a company giveaway? Chances are they’ll be Bic. Stocking up for your kid’s school year? Bic again. Ballpoint pens are painfully ordinary today, but the first ones caused quite the stir. Reynolds International Pen Co. introduced the first modern ones to the United States in 1945. “It had a tiny ball bearing instead of a point, was guaranteed to need refilling only once every two years, would write under water (handy for mermaids), on paper, cloth, plastic or blotters,” hailed a 1945 Time article. If you only ever type these days, there’s good reason to rediscover pens: Writing by hand could make you smarter. Back then, thousands of customers lined up to pay $12.50—worth about $170 these days—for the newfangled pens. Spend that kind of money on pens these days and you could get about 2,050 ballpoints. But spend that office supply money wisely: Science says having a lucky pen could make you a better writer. Meanwhile, one Frenchman had set up a business making parts for fountain pens and mechanical pencils. With the rising popularity of ballpoint pens, he added plastic pen barrels to his repertoire. Then in 1950, he decided to try his hand at making his own full pens. These ones were simple without a retractable tip, and cost just 19 cents, worth about two dollars by today’s standards. That French pen maker’s name? Marcel Bich. Luckily, he decided to shorten his last name from Bich to Bic. The company claims the shortness was a “more memorable version” of Bich’s name, which is pronounced “beek” in French. But we can only imagine the awkward moments and immature jokes from English speakers if he’d kept the original spelling. Interested in more?
Die Tannie is n getroue kerkganger.Haar plek is nooit leeg nie. Van die oom kan nie dieselfde gesê word nie, maar almal het dit lankal aanvaar. Op n dag begin die tannie by die kerk opdaag met n kardoesie in die hand. Sy sit dit sorgvuldig langs haar neer op die bank en neem dit weer saam huistoe. Teen die vierde agtereenvolgende Sondag kon die Dominee sy nuuskierigheid nie meer bedwing nie. Wat is die storie van die kardoesie wat tannie deesdae so getrou kerk toe bring, wil hy by haar weet. Dominee, antwoord sy, die saak staan so. As ek Sondae van die kerk kom wil die oom eet, daarom sit ek al die kos op stadige hitte op die stoof voor ek hierheen kom. Ek het dit al so verfyn dat alles net mooi reg is teen die tyd dat as ons moet aansit… Maar toe begin die Oom met n nuwe laai. Hy eet al die die lekker stukkies vleis op terwyl ek nog in die kerk is. NOU BRING EK MAAR SY TANDE SAAM KERK TOE.
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