Prepare to Witness a Rare Solar Eclipse on Sunday.

There will be an eclipse of the sun on Sunday (November 3). This particular type of eclipse is a rare one and is known as a hybrid solar eclipse. It will start out as a “ring of fire” eclipse along the path of totality and then turn into a total eclipse.

Most of Africa and the Middle East, as well as parts of the United States and Europe will see a partial solar eclipse. People in Nigeria will witness the eclipse at around 02:40 pm (local time) but if you are in Ghana, you will see it earlier at about 01:25pm (local time) in the afternoon. Meanwhile, countries like Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia and Somalia lie along the path of totality and people there will see as the moon totally covers the sun and slowly drifts pass it.

Please, DO NOT look directly at the sun during an eclipse with a telescope or your unaided eye. Severe eye damage can result and scientists use special filters to safely view the sun. You can wear a welder’s shield over your eyes or use a pinhole camera. There are other ways, described in Space.com, you can view an eclipse. Some people I know normally look at its reflection from a bowl of water.

Source: Space.com.

#Annular Eclipse #Hybrid Solar Eclipse #Ring of fire Eclipse .

Chinese Scientists Create Li-Fi Faster Than Wi-Fi.

A group of Shanghai-based scientists have successfully developed a faster means of transmitting internet signals using light bulbs.

The technology is called Li-Fi. Yes “Light Fidelity”. It is a wireless communication that uses light as a carrier instead of the traditional radio frequencies that you are used to. It has the advantage of being able to be used in electromagnetic sensitive areas such as inside an aircraft or nuclear power plant without causing any interference and is more secure compared to Wi-Fi. It is also cheaper as it doesn’t require any specialised communication device other than a light bulb and a microchip.

The team, in an experiment, connected four computers to the internet using a single 1Watt light bulb. The leader of the research team, Professor Chi Nan, noted that an LED bulb inserted with special microchips was able to generate data rates at 150Mbps; a data speed that is higher than what is currently obtainable in China.

Note that Li-Fi technology proceeds from visible light communication (VLC) that was developed by Alexander Graham Bell in 1880. And since then, VLC has undergone a lot of technological innovations and apart from in Li-Fi, it is also being used in Fibre-optics Communication, Free Space Optics and RONJA.

#Wi-Fi, #Li-Fi #VLC.

Source: TechBeat, Wikipedia.

LG Unveils “Self-Healing”, Curved-Screen Smartphone.

           

LG has officially unveiled their latest contender to Samsung's Galaxy Round. LG’s curved-screen smartphone, called G Flex, is curved along the horizontal axis. It uses the same flexible OLED screen technology as Galaxy Round to allow for a dramatic curve on the horizontal axis and has and a 6-inch 720p display. Its weight is 177 grams and the thickness is between 7.9 to 8.7 millimeters.

                          

G Flex is powered by a 2.26GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 800 processor and uses 2GB of RAM. It is also equipped with a 13-megapixel camera and carries a 3,500mAh battery.

The phone has a feature called “swing lock screen” that moves the wallpaper when you tilt it and creates different unlocking effects as you touch different areas of the screen. In addition, LG claims that the G Flex’s back cover has a “self-healing” ability as it designed with a special protective film that gets rid of scratches within minutes.

Source: SlashGear.

BRITAIN TO BE HIT BY WORST ST. JUDE STORM TODAY.

The worst storm since the Great Storm of 1987 is forecast to hit the United Kingdom today, bringing heavy rain, hurricane-force winds and the expectation of flooding and transport disruption. The storm is named after St. Jude, the patron saint of desperate cases, whose feast day is today.

The storm is expected to bring 130km an hour winds and heavy rain to Britain early this morning. The strongest winds could affect areas north of London and the Midlands, the Met Office said.

At least 60 flights were cancelled at Heathrow airport and rail networks cancelled trains citing the high risk of trees and other debris expected to fall on train lines.

Source: ALJAZEERA.

Pope Suspends German ‘Luxury Bishop’.

Bishop Franz-Peter (Left) and Pope Francis (Right).

Pope Francis has suspended indefinitely a German prelate, Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, for spending $43 million of Church funds on his residence. The Vatican, in a statement on Wednesday, said that "The Holy See deems it appropriate to authorise a period of leave from the diocese for Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst". It did not specify how long the bishop would have to stay away but added that this would depend on an analysis of the finances of his Limburg diocese and the responsibilities for its high costs.

Bishop Franz-Peter in a vintage BMW.

The Bishop has been dubbed "the luxury bishop" by the German media after an audit of his spending, ordered after a Vatican monitor visited Limburg last month, revealed the residence cost at least six times more than planned.

German media, citing official documents, said the residence had been fitted with:

• A free-standing bath that cost 15,000 euros.
• A conference table that cost 25,000 euros.
• A private chapel for 2.9 million euros.

The Central Committee of German Catholics, a body that brings together all the Catholic lay associations in the country, said it was satisfied with the decision to suspend the bishop. The group’s president, Alois Glueck said that "Pope Francis' decision offers a chance at a new beginning in the diocese of Limburg where the situation has become heavy in recent weeks both for believers there and for the Church in Germany as a whole".

The scandal has also put pressure on German bishops for more financial transparency in the entire Church in their country, forcing them to scrap centuries of secrecy over the reporting of the value of their private endowments.

Source: ALJAZEERA.

Apple Launches Lighter and Smarter iPad Air.

The latest apple tablet is thinner, lighter and even smarter than the previous one. The new iPad Air weighs just one pound (i.e. 28 percent lighter) and is 20% thinner than its predecessor. The screen is 9.7 inches and with Retina Display gives a 2048 ӿ 1536 resolution (3.1 million pixels) display.

iPad Air runs on iOS 7 and is powered by a new A7 chip (plus an M7 coprocessor) that makes it eight times faster than iPad 4.

            

With two antennas and MIMO technology, iPad Air delivers about twice the Wi-Fi performance of its predecessor. And the Wi-Fi + Cellular model supports much more LTE bands.

This new tablet comes with some free apps like iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, Pages, Numbers and Keynote. However, it doesn’t have any TouchID fingerprint sensor.

Apple also introduced the first iPad mini with Retina Display, laterally called iPad mini Retina. Its 7.9 inch screen provides a 2048 ӿ 1536 resolution display and is also powered by the new A7 chip.

Source: Apple, PhoneArena.

BEHOLD! The First Nokia Tablet --- LUMIA 2520.

Nokia has joined the league of tablet makers by introducing Nokia Lumia 2520. Nokia lunched its first tablet during the Nokia world event in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, 22^nd October.

The 10.1 inch screen Lumia 2520, just like other Lumia devices, runs on Windows operating system --- Windows 8.1 RT, and supports 4G LTE. (Windows 8.1 RT is limited variation of Windows 8).

The tablet has a smooth polycarbonate unibody chassis. Its screen provides a full HD 1,920 ӿ 1,080 pixel display. The screen is built with a ClearBlack Display filter, which reduces glare and allows you to comfortably watch videos and read from it in sunlight. It carries a 6.7-megapixel rear camera featuring Zeiss optics plus a 2-megapixel HD front-facing camera.

The Lumia 2520 uses an 8,000mAh battery that, when fully charged, will last for 10 hours with normal use. And you won’t be using a micro-USB charger for it as the device is provided with a proprietary charger that will quickly power up your battery to 50% charge in 30 minutes.

Nokia Lumia 2520 is powered by a Snapdragon 800 processor (2.2GHz Quad Core).  The apps featured in this tablet include: a free full suite of Microsoft Office as well as other preinstalled Microsoft apps; and a few Nokia apps like Nokia Camera that is a merger of Smart Cam and Pro Cam and Video Director that lets you edit and join video clips. To go along with the tablet is a keyboard cover with a full touch pad. And Nokia promises that the keyboard will provide an extra 5 hours to the battery life.

Source: CNET, engadget.

IS THIS A SNAKE OR A LEGLESS LIZARD?

Do you know that some of the “snakes” you have seen may not really be snakes? They may be lizards that have lost their limbs through years of evolution. They look a lot like snakes --- they slither and have long, slender, cylindrical bodies; forked tongues and scaly exteriors. But these lizards evolved from four-legged lizards, the ones you already know, while snakes evolved from four-legged snakes that you most likely haven’t seen.

Photo By Marek

It is when you look at a legless lizard very closely, that you will notice the physical characteristics that make it different from a snake. Unlike a snake, a legless lizard has moveable eyelids; external ear openings and an inflexible jaw. It also has chisel-like teeth instead of fangs.  Whereas a snake can move with its sides and belly scales, a legless lizard moves with only its sides.

In terms of behaviour, a legless lizard has a defensive mechanism that is similar to that of a legged lizard. It sheds off its tail, which wiggles and breaks into smaller pieces, to distract any predator that is after it and then runs away.

Although this lizard is long, the tail makes up about two-third of its length while the remaining one-third is the actual body (a snake’s tail is two-third of its length).

“Legless Lizard” is the common name for the family Pygopodidae but is also often used to refer to other groups of limbless lizards such as anguids.

Source:

• Layton, Julia.  "What\u0027s the difference between a snake and a legless lizard?"  01 July 2008.  HowStuffWorks.com. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/zoology/reptiles-amphibians/legless-lizard-vs-snake.htm> 22 October 2013.
•    Wikipedia

UMUAHIA MAIN MARKET TO BE DEMOLISHED TODAY.

Sunday, the 20^th day of October 2013, was the last day the main market of Umuahia served the residents of the city as well as its visitors.

The traders of Umuahia Main Market were advised to move into the new Ultra-modern Market Ubani, which is about 5 kilometers from the old one.

 

Although traders have packed into this new market, some of them prefer going the opposite direction --- 8 kilometers away from Umuahia, to the market in Onuimo.

Uber Paragon: The Effect of Spiritual Consolation and Desolation...

Uber Paragon: The Effect of Spiritual Consolation and Desolation...: Spiritual Consolation and Desolation. Beloved! When God give you spiritual consolation, accept it gratefully. Remember always that it is...

TOP 5 WAYS TO GET SMARTER.

It is a common saying that “examination is not a true test of intelligence” but some people still believe that intelligence can be measured by IQ-test scores and grade point averages. Others see it as common sense and the ability to outwit the other person. Regardless of how you judge intelligence, it always centers on the human brain.

You can improve your intelligence or, in other words, become smarter by increasing your brain power. And there are five special but simple ways to do this.

     1. Take Care of your body.

Physical exercise helps to improve the health of both the body and the brain because it increases the blood flow through your body (including the brain) thereby increasing the oxygen and glucose levels in your brain. Also, the coordination it takes to perform exercises gives the brain a workout especially if you are trying something new.

Eating the right food is important. Foods like fish oil, eggs, vegetable and herbal tea nourish the body as well as the brain.

     2. Exercise your Brain.

The brain, like many other parts of the body, requires regular exercise in order to maintain strength and vitality. There are various brain exercises you can to perform to strengthen your brain. They include games like cross puzzles, scrabble, soduko and other word– and number–based brain teasers; and academic exercises like reading and solving mathematical problems. If you prefer methods that don’t necessarily require academic skills, you can try brushing your teeth with the opposite hand or walking a different way to work.

     3. Have some sleep.

During sleep, your brain does a little night-time filing and the information from the previous day is catalogued and put in the proper mental folders. This enables you to recall this information easily in future.

     4. Meditate.

No matter what your style may be, meditation generally involves quiet and focused breathing in which the practitioner is able to achieve a state of mental calm. Basically, this state of mental calm is believed to be an enlightened state of consciousness. A study has shown that regular meditation can increase the size of parts of the cerebral cortex and it is believed that memory, attention span and focus are enhanced through meditation.

     5. Ingest Bacteria.

This is ridiculous, isn't it? But some scientists believe that a common, harmless soil bacterium can increase human brain power. However, you don’t have to eat dirt to ingest these bacteria. There are certain things you can do in which you’ll be exposed to the bacteria, for instance: gardening and merely walking past a garbage dump.

Source: Bryant, Charles W Bryant.  "Top 5 Ways to Get Smarter" 21 December 2010.  HowStuffWorks.com. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/5-ways-get-smarter.htm> 19 October 2013.

ASUU, FG 2009 AGREEMENT --- A COPY OF THE AGREEMENT.

Before I got admission into higher institution, I had been hearing of ASUU strike but never actually experienced it until I entered into the university. During my first year in school (in 2009) I had my first taste of ASUU industrial action --- a warning strike and then a full-blown strike that lasted for about three months. When it was called off and we resumed school; I had to trace my room because I couldn't remember my room number. I also noticed that some of my colleagues had forgotten their matriculation numbers.

Since then, it has been “one year, one ASUU strike” in our academic calendar. And now that I’m in my final year, ASUU unfailingly embarked on the annual fist fight with the FG. We heard that they had an agreement in 2009 before that year’s strike was called off. Nevertheless, the reason for this year’s ASUU strike was also the reason for that 2009 strike and had been the same reason for the series of ASUU strikes since that year. ASUU accuses the Federal Government of not implementing the agreement they had in 2009.

Just recently, I saw a post by +Nigerian News Portal  Portal that allegedly contains that same ASUU, FG 2009 Agreement.

Click here to view/download a copy of the ASUU/ FG 2009 Agreement.

#ASUU Strike #ASUU FG Agreement.

Instant Translation Glasses To Be Used In Tokyo Olympics.

Japan’s NTT Docomo has presented its own version of “Google glass” goggles. This pair of intelligent glasses can translate texts instantaneously. The device will help tourists to Japan read Japanese texts during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

NTT Docomo displayed this technology at the CEATEC 2013 event held in Tokyo. Meanwhile, the device is still in the prototype stage. It currently has a translation time of about five seconds, but NTT Docomo hopes to improve the speed by using a 5G network technology it also plans to provide during the Tokyo Olympics.

The glasses also have two more unique features: facial recognition software that provides, onscreen, the personal details of people in user’s line of vision; plus an ability to interact with a flat surface as if it was a touchscreen by means of a specially designed ring that records and relays user’s hand movement.

Source: The Register, TechBeat

#NTT Docomo #Face Recognition #Instant Translation #Tokyo Olympics

ADOBE HACKED, Millions of Accounts Compromised.

Photo by Mackenzie criswell

Adobe recently announced that it has been the target of a major cyber-attack in which personal information about millions of Adobe users and the source code for several adobe products were hacked.

Brad Arkin, Chief Security Officer for Adobe, posted this announcement on Thursday. He disclosed that investigations by Adobe security team reveal that the attackers accessed from Adobe systems customer IDs and encrypted passwords of 2.9 million Adobe customers, as well as customer names, encrypted credit or debit card numbers, expiration dates and other details about customer orders. The chief security officer, however, assured that the hackers did not access decrypted credit or debit card numbers.

At the moment, as a precautionary measure, Adobe is “resetting relevant customer passwords to help prevent unauthorized access to Adobe ID accounts”. Adobe will also notify the affected customers with instructions on how to protect their personal information against potential misuse.

#Adobe #Cyber-attack.