Uchenna Udekwe Blog

Japan plans to introduce fingerprint currency for tourists

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 15:12:00 +0000

Coming summer Japan is set to introduce fingerprint currency. With this new innovation, tourists visiting Japan won't need to change their money up. After having their identity verified, visitors will then be able to buy things from shops with a flash of their finger when their card details have been processed.

It is also hoped the system could replace the need to present a passport when checking in at hotels

The Japanese government are introducing the project in bid to encourage visitors from abroad in the lead up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Government officials also hope the innovative measure will allay fears over credit and debit card fraud.

Japan News reports that 300 souvenir shops, restaurants, hotels and other establishments have signed up to participate in the experiment.

They are located in areas that are popular among foreign tourists such as Hakone, Kamakura, Yugawara in Kanagawa Prefecture, and Atami in Shizuoka Prefecture.

By 2020, and in time for the Olympic Games, it is expected Tokyo will be fully compliant with the system.

Cristiano Ronaldo sets two new records

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 13:08:00 +0000

Real Madrid faced an uphill task to qualify for the last four of the Champions League after falling to Wolfsburg 2-0 in the first leg of the tie and they were up to the task. Ronaldo opened scoring in the 15th minute to put the Spanish side ahead, he doubled the lead in the 17th minute to give Madrid a comfortable lead. The star man capped off a memorable night with his third of the evening when he whipped in a superb freekick in the 77th minute.

Making history, Ronaldo becomes the only player in the competition's to score 15 or more goals in two different seasons and the first player to score a hat trick thrice in the same season.

New study claims rising early could make you less honest

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 18 Jul 2014 08:35:00 +0000

New US study claims those who go to bed late and wake up early become less honest as the day goes on and are likely to cheat in the evening.

Researcher Sunita Sah, of Georgetown University, said: ‘They cast doubt on the stereotype that evening people are somehow dissolute.’

The researchers from John Hopkins, Washington and Georgetown universitys put 200 students through tests and games designed to measure their honesty. They also asked them questions to work out whether they were a lark or an owl.

Questions included how alert they felt on waking up, what time of day they felt at their best and when they feel like going to bed.

Morning types were more likely to cheat and inflate their scores in the evening – likely because they were low in the mental energy needed to resist temptation.

Dr Sah said the findings have major implications for workplaces and particularly those where employees work shifts.

Previous research has shown that those who pride themselves in being honest are most likely to lapse when tried.

In contrast, those who lie with ease practice less self-control to begin with and so are less affected by sleepiness.

FIFA obstruct Ghana Government’s World Cup Probe

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 18 Jul 2014 08:05:00 +0000

Few weeks after FIFA banned the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, sacking the entire Football Association, the world soccer governing body is now threatening to replicate the sanctions on Ghana.

This follows the Ghana government’s establishment of a Commission to inquire into events leading to the abysmal performance of the senior national team, the Black Stars as well as backroom events that put the country in the line of international ridicule.

Sahara Reporters reports; The Black Stars stumbled out of Brazil 2014 despite being perhaps Africa’s most fancied side after a player revolt that saw a player assaulting an official, a dismissal of 2 key players and the government flying in $3m do appease them before they played their last group stage match against Portugal. They lost that game 2-1 but each player had earlier been paid a whopping $100,000 each in appearance fees.

Back home from the tournament, the government instituted a 3-member committee comprising Appeal Court Judge, Justice Senyo Dzamefe, Sports Administrator and legal practitioner, Moses Foh Amoaning and Kofi Anokye Darko to look into the events of an unsuccessful campaign. Days after the institution of the committee, Minister for Youth and Sports, Mahama Ayariga, who himself has been brought in to replace the Sports Minister who led the team to Brazil, announced government’s decision to upgrade the Committee into a Commission, thus giving it powers to summon people to appear before it.

“I have monitored social media and media discussions since the Committee was set up. I had a meeting with the President and he has agreed that we should turn it into a Presidential Commission of Enquiry” he said. Mr. Ayariga buttressed his point, by quoting Article 278 of the 1992 Constitution which empowers the President to appoint a Commission of Enquiry to investigate any matter he (President) deems necessary. FIFA however seems not amused at what it considers ‘interference’.

Sub-section (g) of Article 13 of FIFA Statutes dealing with Members’ obligation states clearly that: “Members have an obligation to manage their affairs independently and ensure that their own affairs are not influenced by any third parties; to comply fully with all other duties arising from these Statutes and other regulations”.

According to Thierry Regenass, FIFA Director for Member Associations, “FIFA has the mandate to control association football worldwide, in all its aspects. This mandate is delegated to the national association, to control association football at the national level. This is about managing, controlling and developing football as a game and also the organization of the game in general. The associations have the obligation to do it on their own, in an autonomous way without outside interference, from the government or any other parties”.

In line with this, the world football authority has written to the Ghanaian FA enquiring about the nature of the government probe. In a three-paragraph letter, FIFA questions the Ghana Football Association on the composition and competences of the Commission set up by Government.

The letter signed by Deputy General Secretary, Markus Kattner reads:

“We have learnt from media reports that the Presidency of the Republic of Ghana has appointed a Committee of Enquiry and Investigation into the Black Stars’ participation to the 2014 FIFA World cup in Brazil. The composition and the competences of the said Commission are unclear. Provided the reports are true we deem it important to clarify from the beginning the procedures and to ensure that the GFA can operate without interference as required by FIFA statutes. Under this circumstance we kindly ask you to provide us with a report at your earliest convenience”.

There is an ongoing debate about how much ‘interference’ should be allowed with a popular sentiment that ‘he who pays the piper calls the tune”.

An enraged sports analyst wrote on his Facebook page: “How the hell does the government fund the game and still has no say??? That clause in the FIFA constitution should be challenged. It’s utter NONSENSE!”

FIFA lifts ban on Nigeria Football Federation

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 18 Jul 2014 07:22:00 +0000

FIFA has lifted the ban placed on Nigerian Football Federation, NFF, on July 9th after a high court sitting in Jos sacked the President of the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF, Aminu Maigari and other board members. FIFA had frowned at the court ruling, stating that the move was a government interference in football activities which is against its policy. FIFA then directed that a new court order reinstating Maigari and other NFF executives be obtained before it can lift the ban.
The new court order reinstating the NFF President and other executives was obtained two days ago, Tuesday July 15th, hence the lifting of the ban yesterday.

The President of NFF, Maigari and the board will resume their duties today until next month’s election when they could be scaked through the ballot, in line with FIFA’s policies.

Update: The shooting down of Flight MH17 with 295 people onboard

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 18 Jul 2014 06:53:00 +0000

Flight MH17, a Boeing 777-200 aircraft on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, with 295 people onboard, exploded into flames at 33,000ft as it was hit by a sophisticated surface-to-air missile over territory near Donetsk held by pro-Russian rebels.

UK Daily Mail reports; Russian President Vladimir has blamed Ukraine for the Malaysian Airlines tragedy that claimed the lives of all 298 people on board, including around 100 children - but didn't deny Russian-backed separatists were to blame for shooting it out of the sky.

Cor Pan

A Dutch passenger posted a haunting Facebook picture just moments before he boarded the doomed plane.

Cor Pan, who is listed on the social media site as living in Volendam in North Holland, uploaded the picture of the aircraft with the caption: ‘If it disappears, this is what it looks like.’

The comment is believed to have been a reference to Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 which disappeared while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on 8 March.

After seeing the photo friends initially went along with the joke and wished him a good trip, but their messages quickly turned frantic when news of the crash emerged.

Posting underneath the picture they asked whether his flight was the one that had gone down and said that they were praying that it wasn’t true.

The Security Service of Ukraine, (SBU) reportedly released recordings of the intercepted phone calls between Russian military intelligence officers and Russian-backed Cossack militants to the Kiev Post.

The first phone call was reportedly made at 4.40pm local time, or 20 minutes after the crash.

On the line allegedly is Igor Bezler, who according to the SBU is a Russian military intelligence officer and commander of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic.

He is apparently on the phone to a colonel in the Russian Federation armed forces named Vasili Geranin, explaining that the plane has gone down.

The SBU also released to the Kiev Post another telephone conversation between two militants identified only as 'Major' and 'Grek' who have returned from the crash site.

This phone call takes place 40 minutes after that which allegedly took place between Bezler and Geranin.

Militants nicknamed ‘Major’ and ‘Greek’ were recorded speaking as ‘Major’ inspected the crash site and found only ‘civilian items’.

Also on the line were Igor Bezler, who authorities says is a Russian military intelligence officer and leading commander of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, and a colonel in the main intelligence department of the general headquarters of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, Vasili Geranin.

The unverified transcript was posted online by the Kiev Post newspaper:

Igor Bezler: We have just shot down a plane. Group Minera. It fell down beyond Yenakievo (Donetsk Oblast).

Vasili Geranin: Pilots. Where are the pilots?

IB: Gone to search for and photograph the plane. Its smoking.

VG: How many minutes ago?

IB: About 30 minutes ago.

SBU comment: After examining the site of the plane the terrorists come to the conclusion that they have shot down a civilian plane. The next part of the conversation took place about 40 minutes later.

'Major': These are Chernukhin folks who shot down the plane. From the Chernukhin check point. Those cossacks who are based in Chernukhino.

'Grek': Yes, Major.

'Major': The plane fell apart in the air. In the area of Petropavlovskaya mine. The first “200” (code word for dead person). We have found the first '200' - which is code for a civilian.

'Grek': Well, what do you have there?

'Major': In short, it was 100 percent a passenger (civilian) aircraft.

'Grek': Are many people there?

'Major': Holy sh__t! The debris fell right into the yards (of homes).

'Grek': What kind of aircraft?

'Major': I haven’t ascertained this. I haven’t been to the main sight. I am only surveying the scene where the first bodies fell. There are the remains of internal brackets, seats and bodies.

'Grek': Is there anything left of the weapon?

'Major': Absolutely nothing. Civilian items, medicinal stuff, towels, toilet paper.

'Grek': Are there documents?

'Major': Yes, of one Indonesian student. From a university in Thompson.

Militant: Regarding the plane shot down in the area of Snizhne-Torez. It’s a civilian one. Fell down near Grabove. There are lots of corpses of women and children. The Cossacks are out there looking at all this.

They say on TV it’s AN-26 transport plane, but they say it’s written Malaysia Airlines on the plane. What was it doing on Ukraine’s territory?

Nikolay Kozitsin: That means they were carrying spies. They shouldn’t be f**cking flying. There is a war going on.

In a third conversation, a rebel fighter says: 'It turned out to be a passenger plane. It fell in Hrabove area. There's a sea of women and children ...'

He adds: 'But what was it (the Malaysian airlines flight) doing over Ukraine?'

The man he is talking to replies: 'That means they've called up spies. No way to flights. This is war'

'Okay, understood,' he replies.

'They discuss Russian saboteurs bringing down a passenger plane. They discuss the number of victims. We have fixed this conversation as taking place at 4.20. Now you know who carried out this inhuman crime against humanity,' Nalivaychenko said.

'We will open up to all possible channels, the means of this crime being objectively investigated, and the officers of the Russian Federation who carried out this crime being punished.'

Officials for the Obama administration confirmed the plane was hit by a single missile while at cruising speed and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said that 'it was not an accident', adding it was 'blown out of the sky'.

Biden, who had talked with Ukrainian President Poroshenko on the phone, is the most senior US official to raise the idea that the aircraft was deliberately brought down - but he did not divulge who he thought was responsible.

But U.S. Senator John McCain said there 'would be hell to pay' if the plane was shot down by the Russian military or separatists. He said: 'To leap to conclusions could be very embarrassing... But if it is the result of either separatist or Russian actions mistakenly believing this was a Ukrainian war plane, I think there's going to be hell to pay and there should be'.

McCain's suspicions were further backed up by video footage and tweets that emerged in the aftermath of the tragedy. Rebels can be heard gleefully bragging about bringing down the plane as a fireball rose from the debris.

One of the voices is believed to be militia commander Igor Strelkov, who then penned a triumphant war cry on Twitter, saying: ‘We warned you – do not fly in “our sky”.'

It is believed that he thought he had brought down an Antonov-26 military plane of the Ukrainian Air Force. Later, when the horror became clear, the tweet was deleted.

Meanwhile, reports emerged that the separatists had recovered the plane's black box and had handed it over to Moscow - possibly giving Russia the opportunity to hinder the investigation.

According to Russian news agency Interfax, First Deputy Prime Minister Andriy Purgin of the breakaway Donestsk Republic said the box will be transferred to Moscow for examination.

WHY WAS FLIGHT MH17 FLYING THROUGH A WARZONE IN THE FIRST PLACE?

The airspace Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 was flying in when it was shot down was not restricted, but airlines had been warned about the potential dangers, it has emerged.

The International Transport Association said that an initial assessment revealed that the airspace the aircraft was traveling through was 'not subject to restrictions'.

However, it emerged on Thursday that the Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777-200 was flying just 300 meters above restricted airspace when it shot down

Previous to this Ukrainian authorities had barred aircraft from ground level to 32,000 feet but the downed plane was cruising at 33,000 feet, within range of ground-to-air missiles, when it was hit.

Indeed, speculation exists that the aircraft may have taken a short-cut across the disputed region of eastern Ukraine to save itself fuel.

On Monday, Eurocontrol – the body that coordinates all traffic across European airspace – sent out an official note to airmen,known as a Notam, repeating the warning and saying it ‘strongly advises’ avoiding the airspace.

But many carriers continued to use the route because it was shorter and therefore cheaper.

On July 8, the State Aviation Administration of Ukraine closed its airspace to civilian aircraft after rebels shot a military transport aircraft that was flying over 20,000 feet.

The restriction warned commercial aircraft against using Ukrainian airspace.

Flight MH17 could have been taking a short cut to save fuel.

The crash comes four months after the mysterious disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 which is thought to have crashed into the Indian Ocean.

Two weeks ago, investigators say what little evidence they have to work with suggests the plane was deliberately diverted thousands of kilometres from its scheduled route before eventually plunging into the Indian Ocean.

But a month later, officials conceded the wreckage was not in that concentrated area, some 1,000 miles off the northwest coast of Australia, and the search area would have to be expanded.

The next phase of the search is expected to start in August and take a year, covering some 60,000 sq km at a cost of AU$60 million ($56 million) or more. The search is already the most expensive in aviation history.

Culled from UK Daily Mail

Church of England votes to allow women bishops

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 15 Jul 2014 04:49:00 +0000

Church of England, the largest church of Anglican Communion, after a vote in New York, yesterday voted to allow women Bishop.

The law was passed at the church's General Synod to scrap the ban after a plea from the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Archbishop of Canterbury arrived for the General Synod of Church of England meeting at The University of York

Two thirds majority voting bodies of the church needed to get rid of the ban.

37 bishops voted in favour with just two against and one abstention. A further 162 clergy were in favour, 25 against and four abstentions. In the crucial lay votes there were 152 votes in favour, 45 against and five abstentions.

This means for the first time, the next Archbishop of Canterbury or York could be a woman, which could be announced within months.

The Church of England first began ordaining women as priests in 1994 (20 years ago) and has been debating whether they should become bishops since 2005.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, most Rev Justin Welby

The head of the Church of England, Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, said the Church had been wrong on women bishops 'theologically' for centurieshe and was "delighted" with the result.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said it was a 'watershed moment for the Church of England and a huge step forward in making our society fairer'.

He said: 'I would like to congratulate the strong leadership that Archbishop Welby has shown on this issue.

'Allowing women to become bishops is another long overdue step towards gender equality in senior positions. I welcome the Church of England’s decision which means that women can now play a full and equal role in the important work of the Church.'

LG shows of the transparent screen, and you can roll it up

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 20:10:00 +0000

It's no longer a curved TV, but a rollable TV which can be rolled up to a radius of 3cm without affecting the function of the display. The portable TV is also transperent when not in use.

LG showed off a working 18inch version of its rollable TVs and says a 60 inch screen could go on sale in 2017.

The Ultra HD screen uses a special film instead of plastic as backing to allow screen to be rolled into a tight tube for transport.

The flexible OLED panel has a high-definition class resolution of 1200 X 810 with almost 1 million mega-pixels

This proves that LG Display can bring rollable TVs of more than 50 inches to the market in the future, the firm said.

'LG Display pioneered the OLED TV market and is now leading the next-generation applied OLED technology,' said In-Byung Kang, Senior Vice President and Head of the R&D Center at LG Display.

'We are confident that by 2017, we will successfully develop an Ultra HD flexible and transparent OLED panel of more than 60 inches, which will have transmittance of more than 40 percent and a curvature radius of 100R, thereby leading the future display market.'

Leak: The 'undestructable' Apple's iPhone 6 screen

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 00:49:00 +0000

Marques Brownlee, a YouTube video maker claims to have gotten hold of one what appeared to be the screen of the Apple’s iPhone 6 made from sapphire crystal, and has subjected it to a variety of extreme stress test, from stabbing it with a knife and keys to bending and twisting it.

In the video, after subjecting it to a variety of extreme stress test, the screen emerges totally unscathed, raising hopes is could lead to a far more resilient handset from Apple.

'I slowly realized there is absolutely no way I can break this display under my own power,' he said.

'The worst blemish on the surface was actually my fingerprint marks and the dust from handling it so much.'

The only explanation Brownlee offered for how we came into possession of the new 4.7-inch screen was "it's 2014; everything leaks"—a maxim proved by Steve Hemmerstoffer's YouTube channel, which has uploaded a Chinese-language video showing the same screen being subjected to even more outrageous tests.

Apple already uses a small amount of sapphire glass for the 'Home' button and camera lens in the iPhone 5S.

Reports Apple was experimenting with sapphire displays began last year, yet sources claimed at the time Apple found the technology ‘infeasible.’

This was because sapphire glass is more expensive to produce than normal screens.

However, Apple recently announced plans to open a mineral plant in Arizona with sapphire glass experts GT Advanced Technologies.

The facility is expected to employ around 700 people to manufacture sapphire crystal and sapphire glass, and this technology could make its way onto the screens of the next iPhone.

The iPhone 6 is scheduled for an official unveiling on Sept. 19, and will go on sale shortly after.

The looks of victory: Germany celebrate World Cup triumph over Argentina

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 00:35:00 +0000

Germany's Mario Götze scored the winning goal as his team beat Argentina 1-0 in the 2014 World cup final.

Midfielder Götze, 22, came on as a substitute to net the winner, controlling the ball with his chest before volleying it into the Argentine goal, making the Germans the first European team to win the title in South America.

Argentine captain Lionel Messi won the FIFA 2014 World Cup Golden Ball Award, while German goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer won the Golden Gloves.

Wife's and Girlfriend's of German squad

Dubai to build 'The world's first temperature-controlled Pedestrian city', with indoor theme park, 100 hotels and apartments

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 05:02:00 +0000

Dubai, the home to the tallest tower in the world is set to brake another record soon. Its next project involves building the largest shopping mall on earth, complete with five miles climate-controlled streets, the world's largest indoor theme park and 100 hotels and apartments.

The emirate has dubbed the project a 'temperature-controlled pedestrian city'.

Occupying 48 million square feet, the Mall of the World will also contain health resorts, theatres, a Celebration Steet modelled on the Ramblas boulevard in Barcelona and 'retail streets network' that will stretch over four-and-a-half miles.

The grand project is part of Dubai's bid to become a year-round tourism destination “a tourism hub”, despite soaring temperatures in summer that can reach nearly 50C.

The new mall, which will be a city-within-a-city, will be the emirate's chance to attract over 180 million visitors a year, even in the height of the summer, by providing a completely climate-controlled experience.

In the cooler winter months, the dome will open, allowing people to shop in the fresh air, closing as the summer heats up.

The emirate's ruler and vice president of the UAE Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, said: 'This project complements our plans to transform Dubai into a cultural, tourist and economic hub for the two billion people living in the region around us; and we are determined to achieve our vision.

'The growth in family and retail tourism underpins the need to enhance Dubai’s tourism infrastructure as soon as possible.

'We are confident of our economy’s strength, optimistic about our country’s future and we continue to broaden our vision.'

The supersized mall will be built near the existing Mall of the Emirates, already one of the largest shopping centres in the world, with its own indoor ski slope.

It will also be a short drive to the world's tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa, which stands at 2,717ft.

Sheikh Mohammad stated: 'Our ambitions are higher than having seasonal tourism - tourism is key driver of our economy and we aim to make the UAE an attractive destination all-year long.

'This is why we will start working on providing pleasant temperature-controlled environments during the summer months.'

The idea is to create a cultural area, with theatres hosting shows at West End and Broadway levels, as well as a network of streets that will be entirely climate controlled.

Breakthrough: Molecule which causes quick spread of breast cancer identified

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 10 Jul 2014 03:19:00 +0000

Finally, there is a breakthrough. Scientists have identified the molecule which causes cancerous cells to grow and spread faster, making them hard to treat.

As a result of the findings, new treatment to stop the spread of breast cancer will commence. Scientists are confident they can use an existing drug to stop the cancer. The discovery offers hope for women diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer, which tends to spread far more quickly than other types.

Researchers from the Bart’s Cancer Institute at Queen Mary University of London conducted the study. They hope that in future women could have tumour biopsies to check for the presence of the molecule.

If found, they would be offered the existing drug – which is mainly only used in trials – alongside Herceptin.

Early studies on mice have shown that the combination of these two treatments eradicates the tumours.

The research, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, looked at tumour samples provided by 2,000 women with breast cancer.

About 40 per cent of them were found to contain this molecule – known as αvβ6.

In further experiments on mice, they used another treatment called 264RAD to target this molecule and found it completely eradicated the tumours.

Dr John Marshall, from Queen Mary, who led the study said: ‘High αvβ6 levels could be tested for in routine biopsies to identify which women are at a high risk of metastasis, (cancer spreading), ensuring these women can receive personalised treatment, improving their chances of survival.’

They will now carry out trials on women to test how well this treatment works alongside Herceptin.

If successful, it is hoped the treatment would be routinely available within the next ten years.

FIFA suspends Nigeria Football Federation

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 10 Jul 2014 03:03:00 +0000

FIFA, The world football governing body suspended the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, with immediate effect from all activities in football. The announcement was made in a statement released on FIFA website today, 9th July.

The suspension was on account of government interference in football activities, particularly as a result of a court order preventing the president of the NFF, the NFF Executive Committee members and the NFF Congress from running the affairs of Nigerian football was granted by a High Court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. A High Court sitting in Jos had on July 4th sacked Aminu Maigari and other executives from the board of the NFF.

As a result of this decision, no team from Nigeria of any sort (including clubs) can have any international sporting contact (art. 14 par. 3 of the FIFA Statutes). During the period of suspension, the NFF may not be represented in any regional, continental or international competitions, including at club level, or in friendly matches. The most immediate effect is that Nigeria will not be entitled to participate in the upcoming FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup (5-24 August 2014) should the suspension not be lifted by 15 July 2014.

The suspension will be lifted once the court actions have been withdrawn and the properly elected NFF Executive Committee, the NFF general assembly and the NFF administration are able to work without any interference in their affairs.

LumiDecoNail: Smart fingernails that light up when you receive a call

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 04 Jul 2014 04:10:00 +0000

Ladies, there is a new fashion in vogue.

From smartphone to smartwatches, glasses and electronic t-shirts and now smart nails. Cool!

Takara Tomy, Tokyo toy company has released a “smart nails” that lights up when you receive a call.

The £7; $12 'LumiDecoNail' uses a technology called Near Field Communication (NFC), in which small amounts of power are transferred very short distances, to communicate with a smartphone.

This means that when the 'smart nails' come near an NFC device, such as a phone, they will light up.

It also flashes whenever the wearer uses an electronic money card such as a train pass.

The set of 16 LED nail sticker 'LumiDecoNail,' are currently only available for a variety of Android devices. Apple users are sure to be disappointed.

Misayo Aruga, the company spokesman said, the product is marketed mainly at young people.

'I am now wearing it on the middle finger of my right hand,' she said in a press release.

'It blinks whenever I pass through train gates, which lifts my heart a bit.'

The product is only on sale in Japan for now. The company will consider marketing the cosmetic product overseas after seeing consumers reaction in Japan react.

US scientists: looks affect your risk of illness

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 04 Jul 2014 03:52:00 +0000

Looking pretty/handsome is not just a good business, but now a technique to fight illness, claims US scientists.

The research claims attractive people are less likely to get tinnitus, asthma, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

The more physically attractive men and women are rated, the more unlikely they are to suffer from a wide range of health problems, from high cholesterol to depression. They also feel healthier, have less time off work and are diagnosed with fewer physical and mental health conditions during their lifetime.

These extraordinary findings by U.S. researchers are based on a study of 15,000 men and women aged 24 to 35 who have been followed since they were ten. It’s the biggest study yet to find links between attractiveness and good health, and the first to home in on a number of individual diseases.

The researchers, whose work is being published in the journal Evolution And Human Behaviour, say that attractiveness may be a marker of good genes, which also signal good health, as well as increasing the likelihood of having healthy offspring.

The researchers, from the University of Cincinnati and other centres, point out that, until now, most studies have been on students. The study involved face-to-face interviews and questionnaires rather than assessments based on pictures, drawings or videos, as well as an analysis of health data.

The men and women were quizzed about whether they had been diagnosed with various conditions or suffered symptoms of them.

Attractiveness rating was based on the assessment made by each interviewer after a 90-minute session.

The men and women were put into five categories — very unattractive, unattractive, about average, attractive or very attractive.

There were direct links between attractiveness and a number of health conditions, and the more attractive the person was rated, the lower the risk of ill-health.

For each increase in the rating of physical attractiveness for men, there was a 13 per cent reduction in the likelihood of a diagnosis for high cholesterol, a 20 per cent drop in the risk of high blood pressure, a 15 per cent reduction in the probability of being diagnosed with depression, a 23 per cent decrease in the likelihood of an ADHD diagnosis, and a 21 per cent lower likelihood of stuttering.

Women who were rated as more attractive were 21 per cent less likely to be diagnosed with high blood pressure, 22 per cent less likely to have diabetes, 12 per cent less likely to be asthmatic, 17 per cent less likely to suffer from depression, 18 per cent less likely to receive an ADHD diagnosis, 18 per cent less likely to stutter and 13 per cent less likely to have tinnitus.

Both the men and women who were rated as very physically attractive were also more positive about their own health and had fewer days off work due to illness.

They also had a reduced number of chronic disease diagnoses, of psychological disorders and of disease diagnoses overall.

The researchers suggest their findings support the theory that attractiveness is a marker of healthy genes.

Meanwhile, previous research from Newcastle University in 2012 suggests that children rated as physically unattractive had poorer health by the age of 50.

Economist Dr Nils Braakmann, who led the study, said: ‘Ratings of physical attractiveness at age 11 influence health at age 50, even when considering a large variety of childhood conditions, with unattractive people generally faring worse.

‘These results imply that individuals who are unattractive at an early age experience large welfare losses due to the way they’re treated by others.’

But Dr Viren Swami, reader in psychology at the University of Westminster, suggests there may be other, non-evolutionary explanations for links between health and beauty.

‘People think that “what is beautiful is good”, and we call this a halo effect,’ he says.

‘Attractive people are perceived as having all kinds of wonderful, positive qualities, and seen as being happier, more popular, more successful, and so on.

‘We also treat them more positively than less attractive people.

'We give them more social space [e.g., more time and understanding to achieve a task] and we are more likely to help them.

'This being the case, it’s quite possible that the health benefits of being attractive are the result of this better treatment.

Source: UK Dailymail

Egyptian military claims to have invented cure for AIDS, hepatitis and other viruses

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 05:27:00 +0000

The miraculous gun like devise doesn’t need a blood sample and is believed to detect and cure AIDS and Hepatitis.

The head of the army’s Engineering Agency said “the military had produced an 'astonishing, miraculous scientific invention' that could detect AIDS, hepatitis and other viruses without taking blood samples and also purify the blood of those suffering from the diseases.”

The technology was supposed to be revealed to the public last week, but need six more month of testing. In a press conference held in a military hospital in Cairo Saturday, a military doctor said the devices needed further tests before they could be released to the public.

The claim caused uproar among scientists and the public, with many pointing out that it had not been properly verified.

'Scientific integrity mandates that I delay the start of the public release until the experimentation period is over, to allow for a follow up with patients already using it,' Egypt’s state news agency MENA quoted Maj. Gen. Gamal el-Serafy, director of the Armed Forces Medical Department, as saying.

El-Serafy said doctors had already started testing one of the machines, the so-called 'Complete Cure Device', on 80 Hepatitis C patients who were also being treated with medication.

Saturday’s news conference notably dropped any mention of the devices as a cure for AIDS, only referring to hepatitis.

The original claim in February raised concerns that the military’s offer of seemingly inconceivable future devices would draw Egypt back into a pattern of broken promises by successive rulers who would frequently announce grand initiatives that failed to meet expectations.

Generals working on the project and pro-military media adopted a defensive stance over the matter, insisting that the invention would be released to the public and that any criticism of it was part of a foreign plot to rob Egypt of a major scientific victory.

Hotels in Abuja to submit list of guests to DSS police daily

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 05:13:00 +0000

Following recent attacks by Boko Haram men on the nation's capital, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed issued a statement directing all hotels in Abuja to henceforth submit the list of guests in their hotels on a daily basis to the FCT Directorate of Department of State Security as well as the FCT Police command.

The statement which was signed by the Minister's special assistant, Media, Nosike Ogbuenyi, advised residents of Abuja to embark on operation 'know your neighbor' campaign for early identification of strange faces within their neighborhood.

The statement directed all traditional rulers in the FCT to conduct periodic meetings with all the communities within their domain so that they can take stock of the people in their area and report strange faces, if any, to the Police.

The statement also directed that trucks/ lorries bringing goods into the FCT must now offload their contents during the day and not at night anymore. The Minister in the statement said legal actions would be taken on owners of uncompleted buildings in Abuja whose buildings may have been converted to criminal hideouts.

Press Release: Uchenna Udekwe Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 05:01:00 +0000

Uchenna Udekwe unveils the newly redesigned Blog “Ucheude.blogspot.com”

Uchenna Udekwe blog is an informative blog, aims to keep his visitors informed by providing selected and important information on News, Health, Entertainment, Technology, Fitness, Motivational/Inspirational talks, Event, Fashion etc. from around the globe.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) – July, 01, 2014 - IKOYI, Nigeria.

The carefully selected content makes the blog unique and without doubt stands out positively among other blogs. The posts/articles is without adult content which makes it accessible for everyone. The embedded chat platform makes it easier for guest to interact and share ideas within themselves and the admin. Other feature which makes the blog user friendly includes the redesigned incorporated bold colors, visual aided content for easy understanding, contact page, and the social media panel for easy communication and sharing of information.

“Online visitors will now have a lively and all-in-one blog experience where individual can learn more and stay informed, said the CEO, Uchenna M. Udekwe”.

Uchenna Udekwe blog is open for advertising and collaboration. It negotiable advertising services charge ranges from fifty thousand Naira (N50,000) to one million (N1,000,000) Naira. The advertising charge depends on the duration and type of advert placement.

The blog was launched on the 12^th of March 2013, now with over 2300 posts/articles to keep visitors informed.

For more information about the blog visit http://Ucheude.blogspot.com

Contact:

Uchenna M. Udekwe

Address: No5. Nwamba Street, Achara Layout Enugu. Nigeria

Tel: +2347067307763, +2348057933174

Email: ucheudeblog@gmail.com, yzone_uc@yahoo.com

Information is power. Stay Informed! Stand Out!!

--- End ---

Super Eagle coach and team captain quit team

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 04:45:00 +0000

After failure to qualify for the 2014 world cup quarter final, Super Eagle coach (Nigeria) Stephen Keshi and team captine, Joseph Yobo quit the team.

Keshi said, "I have to go back to my family and face fresh challenges,”.

Keshi tweeted:

Friends, it has been a good run and I have enjoyed every moment. It's been an honor coaching the SuperEagles. It is however time to bow out.
— Stephen Keshi (@OfficialKeshi) June 30, 2014

Congratulations to Joseph Yobo on his 100 caps. He has served Nigeria and well. On his retirement, I wish him success in future endeavors.
— Stephen Keshi (@OfficialKeshi) June 30, 2014

Eagles Captain, Yobo Joseph also said he's had enough and can go no further as national team player.

"It was a bitter-sweet moment for me but I think it is time to focus on my family. It has been a long road. I never thought that I’d be here because I missed the last six games of the season through injury. They gave me an opportunity but it is unfortunate what happened. I gave my all,”

“I think I should give the younger ones the opportunity to forge ahead. I have nothing new to offer.” He said

The hidden sugar in your food. Cut total sugar intake to 5 teaspoon each a day

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 10:43:00 +0000

Too much sugar in the diet is known to be one of the primary reasons for the obesity epidemic and rising rates of Type 2 diabetes.

Health officials are urging people to halve their sugar intake to as little as five teaspoons a day to prevent obesity levels continuing to soar.

Guidelines from scientists advising Public Health England, the agency given the job of tackling obesity, stated that women should have no more than five to six teaspoons of sugar a day, and men seven to eight

A 330ml can of fizzy drink contains around seven teaspoonfuls, so would meet this limit on its own.

People consume an average of 15 teaspoons daily, mainly due to the high volumes of sugar hidden in everyday items such as fruit juice, candies, fizzy drinks, smoothie, breakfast cereal, yoghurts, sandwiches and ready meals.

Experts are advising parents to control their children daily sugar intake. Milk should be used Instead of soft drinks or juice in their lunch box.

The food industry have not made any promises to reduce sugar. Health officials want the Government to force food manufacturers to cut sugar levels, ensure products are clearly labelled and impose a tax on soft drinks.

Managing the level of daily sugar intake seems difficult as almost all food contain a bit of sugar. To regulate qdaily sugar intake, I advise we should avoid adding sugar in our breakfast cereal, tea, custard etc and cut down the level of soft drink or juice intake.

Google Domains: Google want to start selling domain names

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 04:59:00 +0000

Google, one of the leading brand across the globe, a major player in search, online mapping, social networking and other key functions of the Web. Now it wants to sell domain names, too.

Google announced the launch of an invite-only service, Google Domains, to help small businesses find, register and manage their Web addresses. The service is currently in beta testing with a small number of users.

"Businesses will be able to search, find, purchase and transfer the best domain for their business -- whether it's .com, .biz, .org, or any of the wide range of new domains that are being released to the Web," Google said in a blog post about the venture.

Cool thou, but with this new service, Google will be directly competing with companies they once partnered with. Their most notable partner-turned-rival will be GoDaddy, the world's largest domain-management company, which has faced financial troubles in recent years.

The new Google service will allow users to purchase new domain names as well as transfer existing ones. It also offers some perks that other companies don't, such as free private registration, which keeps the site owner's personal information hidden from the public.

The Google hasn't quoted a prices yet, although a window on the Google Domains site suggests that registering a domain will cost $12 a year.

Google hasn't announced when Domains will be available to the public, although it's encouraging potential customers to request invite codes to test the service. Google said the beta-testing process will investigate ways to streamline Domains for users, improve customer service and determine which extra services, such as mobile-site design, will be offered.

The service will allow Google to take advantage of 1,400 newly created top-level domain endings, such as the already popular .guru. Google is already on the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Number's list of accredited registrars for well-known domains like .com, .net, and .org.

Google is late to the domain-name market. But as a dominant Internet player, it may be able to leverage this new service in ways smaller rivals cannot. Registered businesses will be hooked into Google many products including Google Apps, Gmail, Google Pages, etc

Extreme piercing: Body artist creates 36mm hole in his cheeks

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 04:45:00 +0000

Joel Miggler, 23, from Küssaberg, Germany has taken piercing to a whole new level after creating huge 36mm hole into the side of his cheeks. But plans to eventually stretch them to 40mm.

Joel began modifying his body at the tender age of 13. Since then, he has spent over £4,000 altering his body to a grand total of 27 different piercings, as well as six tattoos, an implant and has even had his buttock branded.

Joel insists his look has not affected his life. He has been dating an artist and body piercer for over six months and when eating he simply takes smaller bites instead.

He said: 'When I walk around on the street, people only stare or sometimes ask me questions if they are interested in my jewellery.

'It is only on social networks that they mostly discriminate and offend me.

'My mother likes most of my modifications and she has supported my decision to look the way I do but she doesn't think the more extreme things, like my cheeks, are very beautiful.

'There is not one person or one thing that inspired me, I just enjoy playing with my body and blood.

'Having my cheeks pierced was not really painful, there was a local anesthetic involved in the procedure.

'My cheeks are currently 36 millimetre wide in diameter but my goal is to stretch them to 40 millimetres.'

Surprisingly, his mother is supportive of his decision to change his body, but not too fond of his cheek tunnels.

Facebook's launched new gender options in the UK

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 04:30:00 +0000

Only male and female options were available on the gender tab in profiles, before the change. But now, Facebook users in the UK can now choose from one of 70 gender options, including 'asexual', 'two-spirit', 'intersex' and 'cisgender.'

Facebook has also updated its settings so users can choose a neutral pronoun, meaning they are referred to as 'they, their or them'.

The changes are aimed at giving people more choices in how they describe themselves, such as androgynous, bi-gender, intersex, gender fluid or transsexual.

Brielle Harrison, Facebook software engineer said, 'there's going to be a lot of people for whom this is going to mean nothing, but for the few it does impact, it means the world.'

'All too often transgender people like I and other gender nonconforming people are given this binary option, do you want to be male or female? What is your gender?' said Harrison.

'And it's kind of disheartening because none of those let us tell others who we really are,' she said.

'This really changes that and for the first time I get to go to the site and specify to all the people I know what my gender is.'

FACEBOOK’S NEW GENDER OPTIONS
Agender (people who lack a gender) Androgyne/Androgynous (a 'non-binary' gender. They may possess traits that are simultaneously feminine and masculine, or neither) Asexual (without sexual feelings or associations) Bigender (a person who feels their gender is fully male and fully female, or any pair of genders, generally switching between the two) Cis (cisgender and cissexual are a closely related class of gender identities where an individual's gender matches the behaviour or role considered appropriate for one's sex) Cis Female Cis Male Cis Man Cis Woman Cisgender Cisgender Female Cisgender Male Cisgender Man Cisgender Woman Female to Male FTM (FTM is 'female-to-male' transsexual) Gender Fluid (moving between genders)	Gender Nonconforming (or 'gender variant' is behaviour or gender expression that does not conform to dominant gender norms) Gender Questioning Gender Variant Genderqueer (a term for gender identities other than man and woman) Hermaphrodite (a person how has reproductive organs typically associated with both male and female sexes) Intersex (a person born with sexual anatomy, reproductive organs, and/or chromosome patterns that do not fit the typical definition of male or female) Male to Female/MTF ('male-to-female') Neither Neutrois (taken to mean 'non-gendered class.' It refers to a gender identity which is also called null-gendered on occasion) Non-binary (gender identities that don't fit within the accepted binary of male and female.) Other Pangender (similar to Androgyne) Trans (transgender people are those born into a body not associated with their gender	Trans Female/Male/Man/ Person *TransFemale** (the asterisk creates an umbrella term that specially encompasses every single gender identity) *TransMale TransMan* *TransPerson TransWoman* Transexual (a subset of transgender, and refers generally to people who identify as a sex other than that they were assigned at birth) Transexual Female Transexual Male Transexual Man Transexual Person Transexual Woman Transgender Female Transgender Person Transmasculine (describes those assigned female at birth, but identify as more male) Two-spirit (describes Indigenous North Americans who fulfill one of many mixed gender roles found traditionally among many Native Americans and Canadian First Nations indigenous groups) Definitions from gendercentre.org.au

Simon Milner, Policy Director, UK Middle East and Africa at Facebook, added: 'When you come to Facebook to connect with the people, causes, and organisations you care about, we want you to feel comfortable being your true self.

'An important part of this is the expression of gender especially when it extends beyond the definitions of just "male" or "female". Today’s announcement provides significantly more options for people in the UK.'

The Human Rights Campaign last year found that 10 percent of the 10,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender youths it surveyed used 'other' or wrote in their own gender terms.

The change to the gender selection option is seen as a major step toward acceptance for people who don't self-identify as male or female, but the high-profile development seemed senseless to those who believe in two genders, no more.

Masen Davis, executive director of the San Francisco-based Transgender Law Center, said it may be hard for some people to understand the importance of having the ability to select from multiple genders online. But he said many transgender people will be thrilled with the change.

'We applaud Facebook for making it possible for people to be their authentic selves online,' he said.

In the past decade, the transgender movement has become much more organised and outspoken, demanding the kind of civil rights and respect already sought by gay activists.

Google+ offers male, female and 'other' as choices, but transgender advocates said Facebook's many specific options puts the platform well ahead of any other online community. About 1 per cent of Google+ users identify as 'other'.

The idea of expanding gender choices percolated at Facebook for about a year and started to come to completion during an in-house brainstorming four months ago, project manager Lexi Ross said.

Facebook said advertisers cannot target ads to those who declare themselves transgender or recently changed their gender.

Users also can select 'neither' or 'other' and separately indicate whether they want to be referred to as he, she or they.

Facebook, which has 1.23 billion active monthly user around the world, also allows them keep their gender identity private. so don't worry, your gender is safe.

Nutritionist warns: Don’t eat Suya without vegetables

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 21:40:00 +0000

I guess there is always a bit of hidden bitter in every sweet. I must confess, most times I eat my suya without the veg.

Lovers of grilled and barbecued beef and chicken popularly called suya in Nigeria, have been advised to always eat the delicacy with generous portions of the slices of onions, cabbage, tomatoes and other vegetables usually served along with the meat.

Prof. Ignatius Onimawo, a Professor of Nutrition and Director of Academic Planning at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma and Edo State, said there is a strong link between consumption of suya and increased risk of cancer, consumption of suya garnished with onions and other vegetables, has a strong cancer-lowering effect.

Onimawo, who is Immediate past President, Nutrition Society of Nigeria, and Dean, College of Food Processing & Storage Technology ,Michael Opkara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, recalled a warning by the World Health Organisation, WHO, that except there is deliberate effort to imbibe healthier dietary and lifestyle habits over the next 10 years, cancer and other Non-Communicable Diseases, NCDs, will increase by more than 27 percent in developing countries like Nigeria, compared to 17 percent in the developed world.

Speaking during the nutrition workshop organised by Coca-Cola Nigeria for health writers, the nutrition expert remarked that dietary habits play a major role in outcome of our health and one of this is the issue of cancer.

“Breast cancer used to be very low among our women in those days and it was even tagged oyinbo disease because it was very rare in Nigeria or in Africa for that matter”. “But today, this is no longer the case”. “in our research to trace it origin in Nigeria, it origin was traced to suya consumption”.

“During preparation of suya, the meat is cooked over an open fire, and oils from the meat undergo complex chemical reactions that produce toxins that are carcinogenic (cancer-causing) in nature”.

“Meat cooked over open flame often causes the formation of toxic compounds known as Heterocyclic Amines, HCAs, which are carcinogenic compounds”. “The more well-done a meat is cooked, the higher concentration of carcinogenic HCA’s can form”.

When suya is served, the onion and other vegetables are actually added to act as antidote to the effect of the oil from the suya. Onions neutralise the oxidative effect of the chemicals in the oil and help prevent cancer.

The use of local spices such as ginger, clove, red pepper, black pepper, onion, thyme, oregano and garlic in a meat marinade before grilling is encouraged as it drastically reduce any carcinogens that normally would form on grilled meat.

The suya sauce popularly called Yaji, comprising most of these spices is believed to help ameliorate possible negative effects of the roasted red meat. But excessive consumption of suya sauce could possible lead to kidney damage.

When meat is cooked in a water base as opposed to grilling, HCAs are eliminated. Meat cooked in a soup or pot will not have carcinogenic HCAs and is a healthier way to cook meat.

If you must eat suya, eat alongside with vegetables with less sauce. Prevention they say is better than cure.

Credit: Vanguard NG

Edited by Uchenna Udekwe

PayPal expands payment services to Nigeria, 9 other countries

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 18 Jun 2014 00:49:00 +0000

I get the expression on your face when denied Paypal Payment services, worry no more, Payment has now been made easier.

PayPal, on Monday revealed plans to extend their payment service to Nigeria and 9 other new countries, providing online payment alternatives for consumers via mobile phones or PCs.

In an interview on Monday, Rupert Keeley, the executive in charge of the EMEA region of PayPal, the payments unit of eBay Inc, said the expansion would bring the number of countries it serves to 203.

Beginning from Tuesday, consumers in Nigeria, which has 60 million users and has Africa's largest population, along with nine other markets in sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America will be able to make payments through PayPal.

Keeley said, "PayPal has been going through a period of reinvention, refreshing many of its services to make them easier to use on mobile (phones), allowing us to expand into fast-developing markets,".

Once the services go live, customers in the 10 countries with access to the Web and a bank card authorized for Internet transactions will be able to register for a PayPal account and make payments to millions of sites worldwide.

Initially, PayPal is only offering "send money" services for consumers to pay for goods and services at PayPal-enabled merchant sites while safeguarding their financial details. This is free to consumers and covered by fees it charges merchants.

"We think we can give our sellers selling into this market a great deal of reassurance," said Keeley, a former regional banking executive with Standard Chartered Plc and senior executive with payment card company Visa Inc.

PayPal does not yet cover peer-to-peer transactions, which allow consumers to send money to other consumers. It has not yet enabled local merchants in the new markets to receive payments, nor is it offering other forms of banking services, he said.

A 2013 survey of 200 UK ecommerce sites by Visa's CyberSource unit estimated that 1.26 percent of online orders are fraudulent and that 85 percent of merchants expected fraud to increase or remain static last year.

CyberSource also estimated that suspicion of fraudulent transactions result in 8.2 percent of online orders in Latin America being rejected by merchants, compared with 5.5 percent in Europe and 2.7 percent in the United States and Canada.

Such fraud can include ID theft, social engineering, phishing and automated harvesting of customer financial data via botnets, or networks of computers controlled by hackers.

A total of 80 million Internet users stand to gain access to PayPal global services this week, including those in five European markets - Belarus, Macedonia, Moldova, Monaco and Montenegro, four in the African nations of Nigeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and Zimbabwe, as well as Paraguay. Internet usage figures are based on research by Euromonitor International.

PayPal counts 148 million active accounts worldwide.

Last week, MasterCard Inc, the world's second-largest debit and credit card company, and a PayPal rival in payment processing, said it was working with the Nigerian government on a pilot to overlay payment technology on a new national identity card.

PayPal has operated in 190 markets since 2007 and added three countries - Egypt, Georgia and Serbia last year. Roughly a quarter of the $52 billion in payment volumes PayPal reported in the first quarter of 2014 were for cross-border transactions. PayPal reported $1.8 billion in revenue during the period.