Posts

Showing posts from February, 2022

Ukraine war follows decades of warnings that NATO expansion into Eastern Europe could provoke Russia

Image
Ukraine war follows decades of warnings that NATO expansion into Eastern Europe could provoke Russia: As fighting rages across Ukraine, two versions of reality that underlie the conflict stare across a deep divide, neither conceding any truth to the other. The more widespread and familiar view in the West, particularly in the United States, is that RU.S.a is and has always been an expansionist state, and its current president, Vladimir Putin, is the embodiment of that essential Russian ambition: to build a new Russian empire.

Show me the money: Employees not only want better pay, they want status

Image
Show me the money: Employees not only want better pay, they want status: () Over 50 per cent of working Americans continue to be dissatisfied with their ‘unjust’...

Five essential commodities that will be hit by war in Ukraine

Image
Five essential commodities that will be hit by war in Ukraine: The war in Ukraine is threatening further disruption to already stretched supply chains. Ukraine and Russia may only account for a small proportion of the imports of major manufacturing nations like Germany and the US, but they are essential suppliers of raw materials and energy for many crucial supply chains. Though the economic consequences of a war that threatens the lives and livelihoods of many Ukrainians will always be secondary to the looming humanitarian crisis, here are five areas likely to see trouble ahead:

Invasion of Ukraine: A VICE News Special Report

Image
Invasion of Ukraine: A VICE News Special Report: nvasion of Ukraine: A VICE News Special Report. We were there as Russia began its full-scale attack on Ukraine. In Invasion of Ukraine: A Vice News Special Report, correspondents in Kyiv, Moscow, and Washington, D.C., breakdown how we got to this moment—talking to soldiers at the front, families running for safety, and the remaining Russian opposition.

St. Patrick’s Day Sandwiches

Image
St. Patrick’s Day Sandwiches: Make Your St. Patrick’s Day Spread Green with Envy with St. Patrick’s Day Sandwiches. Freshen up your St. Patrick’s Day menu with easy, light Sandwiches inspired by the traditional color of the festivities. These open-faced noshes can be perfect for lunch, snack time or even as an appetizer for get-togethers with friends and family. Layered with a smooth cream cheese and mozzarella mixture then topped with crisp cucumber and a stem of green bell pepper, these St. Patrick’s Day Sandwiches are easy and cute, which makes them a fan favorite at nearly any green gathering. They’re also sprinkled with lemon juice to add a little acidity and create a nice, light bite.

How much damage could a Russian cyberattack do in the US?

Image
How much damage could a Russian cyberattack do in the US?: () Hackers can get eyes inside systems that are supposed to be secure. Yuichiro Chino...

What is 3G and why is it being shut down?

Image
What is 3G and why is it being shut down? : On Feb. 22, 2022, AT&T is scheduled to turn off its 3G cellular network. T-Mobile is scheduled to turn its off on July 1, 2022, and Verizon is slated to follow suit on Dec. 31, 2022. The vast majority of cellphones in service operate on 4G/LTE networks, and the world has begun the transition to 5G, but as many as 10 million phones in the U.S. still rely on 3G service. In addition, the cellular network functions of some older devices like Kindles, iPads and Chromebooks are tied to 3G networks. Similarly, some older internet-connected systems like home security, car navigation and entertainment systems, and solar panel modems are 3G-specific. Consumers will need to upgrade or replace these systems. So why are the telecommunications carriers turning off their 3G networks?

What makes a fruit flavorful?

Image
What makes a fruit flavorful? : What makes a fruit flavorful? Artificial intelligence can help optimize cultivars to match consumer preferences. The big idea Which flavors and chemical compounds make a particular variety of fruit more appealing to consumers can be identified and predicted using artificial intelligence, according to our recently published study. Flavor, defined by scientists as the interaction between aroma and taste, is chemically complex. The sugars, acids and bitter compounds in food interact with the taste receptors on our tongues to invoke taste, while volatile compounds that interact with olfactory receptors in our noses are responsible for aroma.

How Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard takeover will drive metaverse gaming into the mass market

Image
Microsoft was positioning itself as one of the pioneers of the metaverse even before its US$75 billion deal to buy online gaming giant Activision Blizzard. In the days after Mark Zuckerberg rebranded Facebook last October as Meta with his near movie-length promotional film about the potential for virtual worlds, Microsoft announced that users of its Teams online meetings app would be able to turn themselves into avatars – in a first step towards getting users used to virtual interaction. If that was an incremental move, the Activision deal is something very different. Assuming it is permitted by the competition authorities, it will mean that the Xbox giant controls many of the best known virtual worlds that already exist online, including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and Starcraft – adding to the two it has already, Minecraft and Altspace VR. It is the latest example of a land grab for space by some of the world’s biggest companies in the coming 3D version of the internet. So what

COVID may have made us less materialistic – new research

Image
COVID may have made us less materialistic – new research: COVID may have made us less materialistic – new research. The early days of COVID brought a new sense of urgency to shopping for certain items. Toilet paper, pasta and bread flew off the shelves as people stocked up on vital supplies. Then came the must-have purchases to help with the tedium of lockdowns, with hot tubs, kitchen gadgets and new pets becoming extremely popular purchases. So did the pandemic make us generally more materialistic?

Home & Auto Insurance Myths Debunked

Image
Home & Auto Insurance Myths Debunked: Do new red cars cost more to insure? Myths debunked. When it comes to insurance, there are several myths that continue to persist, like the myth that red cars are more expensive to insure. That’s false, by the way. Car color has no impact on insurance premiums. Instead, factors like your driving history, annual mileage driven, the cost of your vehicle and other things will affect how much your insurance will cost. Insurance is one of the most useful investments you can make to protect your family, belongings and financial assets, but it’s important to know what is actually being purchased. Here are four things you should know about your auto, homeowners or renters insurance policy to ensure adequate protection in the event of an unforeseen or unexpected loss.

What are false flag attacks – and could Russia make one work in the information age?

Image
What are false flag attacks – and could Russia make one work in the information age?: In the past few weeks, U.S. officials have warned several times that Russia plans to create the appearance of an attack on its own forces and broadcast those images to the world. Such a “false flag” operation, they alleged, would give Russia the pretext to invade Ukraine by provoking shock and outrage. By exposing this plan, the Biden administration sought to undermine its emotional power and stop the Kremlin from manufacturing a casus belli, or justification for war.

Deliciously Healthy Dishes from Sweet to Savory

Image
Deliciously Healthy Dishes from Sweet to Savory: Deliciously Healthy Dishes from Sweet to Savory. Supplementing meals and snacks with powerful, versatile ingredients can take healthy eating from bland and boring to delicious and adventurous. Take your breakfasts, appetizers, dinners and desserts to new heights while maintaining nutrition goals with naturally nutritious and surprisingly versatile California Prunes. Rich and smooth with an ability to enhance both sweet and savory flavors, they can expand your menu with nearly endless powerful pairing options.

Does scaring people work when it comes to health messaging?

Image
Does scaring people work when it comes to health messaging?: Does scaring people work when it comes to health messaging? A communication researcher explains how it’s gone wrong during the COVID-19 pandemic In the recent film “Don’t Look Up,” two astronomers learn that a comet is on track to collide with Earth and destroy human civilization. When they try to sound the alarm, all manner of obstacles get in their way. In the end, well, you’ll have to watch the movie to find out. The film is fiction, of course, but the situation illuminates one facet of reality: When people try to warn others of impending danger, success is not guaranteed.

Happy Twosday! Why numbers like 2/22/22 have been too fascinating for over 2,000 years

Image
Happy Twosday! Why numbers like 2/22/22 have been too fascinating for over 2,000 years: Happy Twosday! Why numbers like 2/22/22 have been too fascinating for over 2,000 years This Feb. 22, the world hits an unprecedented milestone. It’s the date itself: 2/22/22. And this so-called “Twosday” falls on a Tuesday, no less. It’s true the number pattern stands out, impossible to miss. But does it mean anything? Judging by the thousands of commemorative products available for purchase online, it may appear to. “Twosday” carries absolutely no historical significance or any cosmic message. Yet it does speak volumes about our brains and cultures.

Salmon and Shrimp Coconut Curry

Image
Salmon and Shrimp Coconut Curry: avor a New Way to Seafood Adding salmon to your weekly menu can take dinnertime from drab to delicious. Combining it with bright, fresh veggies heightens the savory experience even more for a burst of seafood flavor. (Family Features)  Loaded with salmon and shrimp, this Salmon and Shrimp Coconut Curry is a perfect option for putting together a quick yet delicious meal.

86 year old grandpa is starting van life

Image
86 year old grandpa is starting van life: 86 year old grandpa is starting van life

Helping kids develop confidence and become more resilient

Image
Helping kids develop confidence and become more resilient : While the past two years have been tough on everyone, they’ve been especially hard for children living with challenging family circumstances or in communities hit hardest by health and economic difficulties. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital Association recently declared children’s mental health a national emergency due to the serious toll COVID-19 has taken on families. According to the CDC, between March and October 2020, the percentage of emergency department visits for children with mental health emergencies grew by 24% for children ages 5-11. The pandemic also caused a decline in children receiving primary care and behavioral health services, which can negatively impact their well-being.

Sustainable Family Meals from Farm to Table

Image
Sustainable Family Meals from Farm to Table: Sustainable Family Meals from Farm to Table. Much time is often spent planning and preparing family meals, from choosing recipes to gathering ingredients and working in the kitchen.

Placebos have a powerful healing effect on the body and mind

Image
Placebos have a powerful healing effect on the body and mind: In research studies and in real life, placebos have a powerful healing effect on the body and mind. Did you ever feel your own shoulders relax when you saw a friend receive a shoulder massage? For those of you who said “yes,” congratulations, your brain is using its power to create a “placebo effect.” For those who said “no,” you’re not alone, but thankfully, the brain is trainable. Since the 1800s, the word placebo has been used to refer to a fake treatment, meaning one that does not contain any active, physical substance. You may have heard of placebos referred to as “sugar pills.”

Fat Fiction – Full Movie – Free

Image
Fat Fiction – Full Movie – Free: Fat Fiction reveals how the United States government relied on questionable evidence to support one of the most damaging public health recommendations in the history of our country: the “low fat diet.”

Partnering up can help you grow as an individual

Image
Partnering up can help you grow as an individual: Partnering up can help you grow as an individual – here’s the psychology of a romantic relationship that expands the self. It’s common to want to become a better version of yourself. Much like the desires to eat, drink and avoid harm, human beings also experience a fundamental need to learn, grow and improve – what psychologists call self-expansion.

This god shoots love darts – but no, it’s not Cupid

Image
This god shoots love darts – but no, it’s not Cupid : This god shoots love darts – but no, it’s not Cupid. With the coming of Valentine’s Day, images of a chubby Cupid aiming his arrows of love at unwary humans’ hearts seem to be everywhere.

Why do we bleed?

Image
Why do we bleed?: “Ouch!” I cried out, looking down at where my family’s puppy, Hercules, had just bitten me. Two tiny dots of red started to bloom where he had sunk his canine teeth into my finger. “Bad dog,” I said to him. He looked up at me sheepishly. “Well, I guess I’m a bad human for putting my finger near your mouth,” I admitted. He wagged his tail and licked my arm. I put pressure on my finger until the bleeding stopped. Three weeks later the area had healed, and we had taught Hercules to heel, too!

Seizures can cause memory loss, and brain-mapping research suggests one reason why

Image
Seizures can cause memory loss, and brain-mapping research suggests one reason why: Epilepsy is a disease marked by recurrent seizures, or sudden periods of abnormal, excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. One in 26 people in the U.S. will develop epilepsy at some point in their life. While people with mild seizures might experience a brief loss of awareness and muscle twitches, more severe seizures could last for several minutes and lead to injury from falling down and losing control of their limbs.

Midlife isn’t a crisis, but sleep, stress and happiness feel a little different after 35 – or whenever middle age actually begins

Image
Midlife isn’t a crisis, but sleep, stress and happiness feel a little different after 35 – or whenever middle age actually begins: Fewer than one-fifth of Americans say they actually experienced a midlife crisis. And yet there are still some common misunderstandings people have about midlife.

Guacamole Recipes to Make Your Big Game Menu a Touchdown

Image
Guacamole Recipes to Make Your Big Game Menu a Touchdown: Guacamole Recipes to Make Your Big Game Menu a Touchdown. Whether you’re hosting a big game party at home or hitting the road to join friends and family, scoring a touchdown with the crowd starts by supplying superstar snacks.

What is earwax?

Image
What is earwax?: Imagine you’re watching TV. Suddenly, your ear feels a little itchy. You stick your pinky finger in there and dig around a bit. You pull it out and stare at the little brownish blob on the tip of your finger. That’s earwax. This kind of waxy ear booger has plagued people for centuries. Tools to remove earwax from thousands of years ago have been discovered in ancient Roman and at Viking archaeological sites. But if you could snap your fingers and suddenly wish away all the earwax in the world, it might not be as great as you imagine.

New forms of advertising raise questions about journalism integrity

Image
New forms of advertising raise questions about journalism integrity : New forms of advertising raise questions about journalism integrity. Mainstream news media outlets have, in recent years, begun to create advertisements that look like news articles on their websites and on social media. My research raises questions about whether this modern form of advertising might influence those outlets’ real journalism. These specific advertisements are called “native advertising,” but are also tagged as “sponsored content,” “partner post” or other labels consumers don’t understand. They look like news articles, with headlines, photos with captions and polished text. But really they are ads created by, or on behalf of, a paying advertiser.

Set the table for romance with a delicious date night at home

Image
Set the table for romance with a delicious date night at home: Made with Love Set the table for romance with a delicious date night at home. Planning a delicious, romantic date night doesn’t have to take you any further than your own kitchen. You don’t have to be an accomplished chef to set the table for romance, but you can take inspiration from simple, quality Italian dishes to celebrate the link between food and love.

Americans are returning to the labor force at a quickening rate – do they just really need the work?

Image
Americans are returning to the labor force at a quickening rate – do they just really need the work? : Americans are returning to the labor force at a quickening rate – do they just really need the work? The U.S. economy surprised analysts by adding 467,000 jobs in January, overcoming omicron concerns and continuing a long streak of gains, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Feb. 4, 2022. Yet at the same time, the unemployment rate ticked up a notch, from 3.9% to 4%. Confused? Shouldn’t a large increase in jobs drive joblessness lower? I believe the main culprit behind these conflicting results is a jump in the number of people rejoining the job market – in fact, the biggest increase in 19 months.