Friday, June 11, 2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
how old are you and how old are your blood vessels
It is a question gaining increasing attention as researchers look for more effective ways to communicate risk of cardiovascular disease to patients and to motivate them to make changes in their lives that can help prevent heart attacks, strokes and other serious heart-related problems later in life.
Several tools are available that enable doctors and patients to calculate vascular age. These suggest there can be a substantial difference between how old you are and how old your blood vessels are. For instance, the vascular age of a 35-year-old man who smokes and has diabetes, high blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol could be as high as 76 years old—more than double his chronological age, according to a recent study. The arteries of a 30-year-old woman with similar risk factors could be equivalent to those of an average woman who is more than 80 years old.
Such a calculation "gives a sense that your risk-factor burden is making you age faster than you think you are," says Donald Lloyd-Jones, a preventive cardiologist at Northwestern University, Chicago, who co-authored the recent study, which appeared in the journal Circulation last August. "The more you can make it concrete, the better you can impart information about risk."
The good news, doctors say, is that by taking steps to reduce risk factors and the damage they inflict on arteries, it is possible to turn back the clock on vascular age.
ReadMore>>
Several tools are available that enable doctors and patients to calculate vascular age. These suggest there can be a substantial difference between how old you are and how old your blood vessels are. For instance, the vascular age of a 35-year-old man who smokes and has diabetes, high blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol could be as high as 76 years old—more than double his chronological age, according to a recent study. The arteries of a 30-year-old woman with similar risk factors could be equivalent to those of an average woman who is more than 80 years old.
Such a calculation "gives a sense that your risk-factor burden is making you age faster than you think you are," says Donald Lloyd-Jones, a preventive cardiologist at Northwestern University, Chicago, who co-authored the recent study, which appeared in the journal Circulation last August. "The more you can make it concrete, the better you can impart information about risk."
The good news, doctors say, is that by taking steps to reduce risk factors and the damage they inflict on arteries, it is possible to turn back the clock on vascular age.
ReadMore>>
Thursday, May 27, 2010
PCWorld:The 10 Best Hacks of 2010 (So Far)
Smartphone Hacking: Android and Beyond
Of all the mind-bending news items that have come out in the last few months, this one was up there on the ridiculous-o-meter: getting an iPhone to run the Android operating system. It's like a Hackintosh in reverse!
If you're looking to jailbreak your iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch but didn't want to use your USB cable, you're in luck. An untethered jailbreak for the iPhone called "Spirit" makes the entire jailbreaking process a lot slicker than having to use your computer to reboot your device running the iPhone 3.1.3 OS.
Overclocking, once the domain of folks trying to eek a few extra MHz out of their CPUs, has spread to the phone hacking community, and you can now overclock your iPhone or iPod Touch.
ReadMore>>
Man Infects Himself with (Computer) Virus
We are one step closer to the future: a British scientist has become the first human being to contract a computer virus.
Yep, you heard that right. Dr. Mark Gasson, a cybernetics expert at the University of Reading, deliberately infected himself (by way of an RFID chip implanted in his wrist) with a benign computer virus. This was part of an experiment designed to show how implantable bionic devices are susceptible to computer viruses.
The device in Gasson's arm is an RFID (radio-frequency identification) chip that emits a signal and allows him to access certain parts of the University of Reading laboratory, as well as operate his cell phone. In other words, the chip functions as an internal swipe-card.
Gasson and his colleagues then created a virus for the chip. They put it on the chip and Gasson went into the lab--and when the lab's computers read the code, the virus implanted itself into the database and began to replicate. Now if any of his other colleagues swipe their traditional swipe-cards to get into the lab, the virus can replicate itself on their swipe-cards.
This experiment shows that viruses can be transferred wirelessly from implant devices to the computers they communicate with.
Read more>>
Yep, you heard that right. Dr. Mark Gasson, a cybernetics expert at the University of Reading, deliberately infected himself (by way of an RFID chip implanted in his wrist) with a benign computer virus. This was part of an experiment designed to show how implantable bionic devices are susceptible to computer viruses.
The device in Gasson's arm is an RFID (radio-frequency identification) chip that emits a signal and allows him to access certain parts of the University of Reading laboratory, as well as operate his cell phone. In other words, the chip functions as an internal swipe-card.
Gasson and his colleagues then created a virus for the chip. They put it on the chip and Gasson went into the lab--and when the lab's computers read the code, the virus implanted itself into the database and began to replicate. Now if any of his other colleagues swipe their traditional swipe-cards to get into the lab, the virus can replicate itself on their swipe-cards.
This experiment shows that viruses can be transferred wirelessly from implant devices to the computers they communicate with.
Read more>>
Friday, May 21, 2010
BuG's Blog: Baarashu Ramla – The one and only Miss Maldives
“Mohammed Amin, the very first president of the Maldives brought one female and one male from each island to Male for studies. The famous scholar, Mohamed Jameel went to Baarah to select the candidates. Ramla, who at that time was just 14 years old (now in her late 60’s) got selected and was brought to Male’. She was lodged at a boarding school, nextdoor to a tennis court (where Velaanaage Office complex is located). According to an article posted by Adam Haleem in Haveeru News, Mohamed Ameen demolished the Velaanaage property to build a tennis court (where the residents of the boarding school could use as a recreational ground). During that time two lots were drawn among the female students each day, and the winners get to stay in Athireege (Amin Didi’s Residence) for the day.
During the contest, the participants were asked to pose for photographs wearing anything they wanted. Some wore, Dhigu hedhun, Boavalhu Lee Libas and Sari. A lot of people including Mohammed Ameen also asked Ramla to participate in the tournament and praised for her beauty. Ramla wore a Sari for her photo session. She mentioned that Amin Didi and Jalaaluddeen were included in the panel of judges who assessed the photographs during the contest. The winner (Ramla) was awarded a cash prize amounting to MRf 1,000. They apparently asked for the award money and invested it in the Dhivehi Gaumee Kunfuni (Maldives National Company) from which she received revenue from shares until the company was dissolved. She received the MRf 1,000 once the company got dissolved.
Unfortunately she did not have the photograph of hers that gave her the Miss Maldives title. We did manage to see other photographs of hers where she posed with Saris on.
Original Article>>
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Facebook and Farmville provider Zynga: friends for 5 more years
Facebook without "FarmVille" and "Mafia Wars"? Some Facebook members wouldn't miss them. (And some of us make a point of hiding them!) For other Facebook fans, though, the Palo Alto upstart's social-networking site wouldn't be the same without them.Facebook and Zynga today announced a five-year deal that will keep the San Francisco upstart's social games on Facebook, while expanding the use of Facebook Credits within Zynga's games.
"Facebook was a pioneer in opening their platform in 2007 and in just three years tens of millions of Facebook users play our games everyday, from 'FarmVille' and 'Cafe World' to 'Treasure Isle' and 'Mafia Wars,' " Zyngus founder and CEO Mark Pincus said in a statement today. "We are excited about Facebook's long-term commitment to social gaming and Zynga."According to reports in blogs such as TechCrunch and VentureBeat, the deal came after negotiations between the companies over the use of Facebook Credits that were so tense Zynga was considering leaving Facebook.
Zynga said it's testing Facebook's virtual currency in selected games, and plans to roll it out in other titles in coming months. Other terms of the deal weren't disclosed.
Social games may be virtual, but there's real money to be made for companies such as Facebook and Zynga. According to a Bloomberg News report, ThinkEquity estimates social games will generate $2 billion in sales by 2012.
Read More>>
Apps emerge to reset Facebook privacy settings
New third-party applications are trying to make it easier to reset Facebook privacy settings, following recent changes from the company that make a sizable chunk of profile content public by default when it was once under lock and key.A firewall and spam filter company called Untangle launched a tool on Monday called SaveFace, which takes the form of a browser bookmark utility and sets as many Facebook profile elements as it can--contact information, friend lists and connections, wall posts--to "friends only."
"We wanted to help our customers get back to [the] Facebook of 2005," Untangle CEO Bob Walters said in a statement, in which he referred to Facebook's current privacy controls as "insane" and difficult to handle.
Read More>>
Ex-Tamil Tiger fighters held in limbo
More than 10,000 are still in custody. Of these, 1,350 are classified as "criminals" and the government says they will be "dealt with according to the law".
Manjula Devi Wife of detained rebel fighterHe says he was not tortured. But the place lacks basic facilities. He has not been given any kind of training
"It is not right to hold thousands of individuals as suspects. The government needs to charge those involved with specific offences, produce them in court or release them," says Dr Yolanda Foster of Amnesty International.
"There is also a lack of information about the state of the suspects. This raises serious questions about the possibilities of ill treatment. We are calling on the government to release the detainees unless they are charged with internationally recognised offences," she adds.
Saudi forces rescue German girls held hostage in Yemen
Two young German girls who were held hostage for almost a year in the mountains of Yemen are due home tomorrow, following a dramatic rescue by Saudi special forces.
Lydia Hentschel, three, and Anna, five, were delivered into the care of authorities in neighbouring Saudi Arabia today, after an 11-month ordeal in the rugged terrain of north Yemen. They were allegedly held by Shia Houthi rebels with possible links to al-Qaida.
The fate of the girls' parents, Johannes and Sabine, both 36, who worked as Christian missionaries, and their baby brother, Simon, remains unknown.
"The childrenwill now be received into the bosom of the family. They need peace and quiet, not flashbulbs, in order to be able to work through what has happened," said the girls' uncle, Reinhard Pötschke, who was told of the rescue by the German foreign ministry on Monday. "For them and us the feelings of joy and mourning are mixed."
Pötschke, a vicar, said the family was prepared for the worst. "We have to expect that Simon is probably not alive anymore," he said. German officials refused to confirm numerous reports that the parents and their two-year-old son were dead.
Read More>>
Lydia Hentschel, three, and Anna, five, were delivered into the care of authorities in neighbouring Saudi Arabia today, after an 11-month ordeal in the rugged terrain of north Yemen. They were allegedly held by Shia Houthi rebels with possible links to al-Qaida.
The fate of the girls' parents, Johannes and Sabine, both 36, who worked as Christian missionaries, and their baby brother, Simon, remains unknown.
"The childrenwill now be received into the bosom of the family. They need peace and quiet, not flashbulbs, in order to be able to work through what has happened," said the girls' uncle, Reinhard Pötschke, who was told of the rescue by the German foreign ministry on Monday. "For them and us the feelings of joy and mourning are mixed."
Pötschke, a vicar, said the family was prepared for the worst. "We have to expect that Simon is probably not alive anymore," he said. German officials refused to confirm numerous reports that the parents and their two-year-old son were dead.
Read More>>
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Study suggests processed meat a real health risk
(Reuters) - Eating bacon, sausage, hot dogs and other processed meats can raise the risk of heart disease and diabetes, U.S. researchers said on Monday in a study that identifies the real bad boys of the meat counter.
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Eating unprocessed beef, pork or lamb appeared not to raise risks of heart attacks and diabetes, they said, suggesting that salt and chemical preservatives may be the real cause of these two health problems associated with eating meat.
The study, an analysis of other research called a meta-analysis, did not look at high blood pressure or cancer, which are also linked with high meat consumption.
"To lower risk of heart attacks and diabetes, people should consider which types of meats they are eating," said Renata Micha of the Harvard School of Public Health, whose study appears in the journal Circulation.
"Processed meats such as bacon, salami, sausages, hot dogs and processed deli meats may be the most important to avoid," Micha said in a statement.
Based on her findings, she said people who eat one serving per week or less of processed meats have less of a risk.
The American Meat Institute objected to the findings, saying it was only one study and that it stands in contrast to other studies and the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
"At best, this hypothesis merits further study. It is certainly no reason for dietary changes," James Hodges, president of the American Meat Institute, said in a statement.
Most dietary guidelines recommend eating less meat. Individual studies looking at relationships between eating meat and cardiovascular diseases and diabetes have had mixed results.
Read More>>
Last month was warmest April on record
American National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced today that last month was the warmest April on record, giving recently-disgraced global warming experts a new ledge to stand on.
The report found that the combined land and water surface temperature across the entire planet was an average 58.1 degrees. That's the highest temperature ever recorded for April, dating back to when climate data began to be recorded in 1880.
That also caused the entire year-to-date period to be the warmest January - April temperature on record as well.
The average temperature of the entire 20th century for April was 56.7 degrees, or 1.4 degrees below what last month was.
Read More>>
The report found that the combined land and water surface temperature across the entire planet was an average 58.1 degrees. That's the highest temperature ever recorded for April, dating back to when climate data began to be recorded in 1880.
That also caused the entire year-to-date period to be the warmest January - April temperature on record as well.
The average temperature of the entire 20th century for April was 56.7 degrees, or 1.4 degrees below what last month was.
Read More>>
Heart group backs video games in obesity campaign
NEW YORK — Talk about strange bedfellows. The American Heart Association and Nintendo Co. are teaming up to promote the popular Wii video game console, as the health advocacy group concedes that its campaign for traditional exercise isn't working.
The surprising partnership, announced Monday, comes amid growing concern about obesity among kids who spend much of their time watching television and playing video games.
Nintendo will be able to brand its Wii products with the AHA's iconic heart logo to let consumers know that the organization considers the items a healthy choice. Nintendo will donate $1.5 million to the AHA as part of the partnership.
"We can keep beating the drum on traditional exercise and make small changes to the obesity epidemic, or we can try something that is really provocative and new," Clyde Yancy, the AHA's president, said in an interview.
Numerous studies show a correlation between obesity and the amount of time children spend with television and video games. Jeffrey Levi, executive director of Trust for America's Health, said the best solution is simply to cut the cord and encourage youths to spend less time in front of screens.
But the AHA said it is endorsing the Wii because it will encourage sedentary Americans to take the first step toward fitness. With 70 percent of Americans doing no regular physical activity at all, the AHA wants to find a way to reach out to people turned off by gyms and traditional sports.
Read More>>
The surprising partnership, announced Monday, comes amid growing concern about obesity among kids who spend much of their time watching television and playing video games.
Nintendo will be able to brand its Wii products with the AHA's iconic heart logo to let consumers know that the organization considers the items a healthy choice. Nintendo will donate $1.5 million to the AHA as part of the partnership.
"We can keep beating the drum on traditional exercise and make small changes to the obesity epidemic, or we can try something that is really provocative and new," Clyde Yancy, the AHA's president, said in an interview.
Numerous studies show a correlation between obesity and the amount of time children spend with television and video games. Jeffrey Levi, executive director of Trust for America's Health, said the best solution is simply to cut the cord and encourage youths to spend less time in front of screens.
But the AHA said it is endorsing the Wii because it will encourage sedentary Americans to take the first step toward fitness. With 70 percent of Americans doing no regular physical activity at all, the AHA wants to find a way to reach out to people turned off by gyms and traditional sports.
Read More>>
Monday, May 17, 2010
Tokyo couple married by robot in rooftop wedding
Japan has hosted the world's first wedding to be conducted by a robot.
The couple decided to use the robot as they are both connected with Japan's thriving robotics industry.
Since robots had brought them together in the first place, they said, having one officiate at their wedding was a natural choice.
During the ceremony, I-Fairy - which has flashing eyes and plastic pigtails - instructed the groom to lift the bride's veil for the kiss.
The wedding took part in a rooftop restaurant in the Japanese capital.
Original Article & Video>>
Police tell teens to remove Facebook photos
POLICE have urged all teenagers to remove their profile pictures from Facebook and the names of the schools they attend.
The heartbroken family of slain teenager Nona Belomesoff, 18, who was allegedly murdered by a stranger she met on Facebook, joined the plea.
"You just never know who is on the other side of the internet, you could be talking to anyone," Nona's brother Gary Belomesoff, 20, said yesterday.
He said the family was "severely traumatised" by the loss of his animal-loving sister, who agreed to meet her alleged killer - who had offered to help her into a career rescuing animals - at Leumeah railway station.
Read More>>
The heartbroken family of slain teenager Nona Belomesoff, 18, who was allegedly murdered by a stranger she met on Facebook, joined the plea.
"You just never know who is on the other side of the internet, you could be talking to anyone," Nona's brother Gary Belomesoff, 20, said yesterday.
He said the family was "severely traumatised" by the loss of his animal-loving sister, who agreed to meet her alleged killer - who had offered to help her into a career rescuing animals - at Leumeah railway station.
Read More>>
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Facebook Faces Privacy Concerns, Despite Tightened Security
Prisoners to Island Nations...Not only Maldives
MIAMI -- First some freed Guantanamo captives went to Bermuda in the Atlantic. Later, others went to Palau in the Pacific.
Now it appears that the Obama administration is poised to send captives cleared for release from the remote prison camps in southeast Cuba to another island nation - the Maldives, in the Indian Ocean.
Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed used his Friday weekly radio address to defend his nation's decision to take in two as-yet unidentified detainees. He also discouraged opposition parties in the mostly Sunni Muslim nation from politicizing any future transfer.
Construction of a Mosque and Muslim community center near Ground Zero
The prospective developer of a $100 million, 13-story mosque 600 feet from Ground Zero presents himself as a Muslim moderate (1). Yet Kuwait-born Faisal Abdul Rauf also boasts of his issue from an "Egyptian family steeped in religious scholarship" (2). Indeed, Feisal Rauf's Muslim Brotherhood provenance, radical by definition, is as authentic as it gets.
A Huge Success in The Human Rights Council
MALE, May 15, 2010 (HNS) – In a historic move, Maldives has secured a seat in the United Nations Human Rights Council Thursday with the highest number of votes.
Speaking to Haveeru from Dubai, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Ahmed Shaheed said on Saturday that the Maldives received 185 votes out of
188 in the election held at UN Headquarters in New York.
Red, Red...Every Where Red
The world has started becoming red with clothes...The warnings are coming up for a real blood in some countries with the fear of civil wars...
The beginning of protests in Thailand and Maldives is an ongoing fear of a civil war.
Situation in Thailand>>
Situation in Maldives>>
The beginning of protests in Thailand and Maldives is an ongoing fear of a civil war.
Situation in Thailand>>
Situation in Maldives>>
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