Life-Saving Qualities of Graphene

Graphene has been used to turn seawater into clean drinking water, which could turn out to be a life saver.

The graphene sieve was shown to filter common salts from the water, and scientist say the technology could be scaled up – potentially providing hope to the millions of people around the globe who have limited access to clean water.

Graphene – often dubbed a wonder material – was first isolated by scientists in 2004. It is just one atom thick, extremely light and around 200 times stronger than steel. It is highly flexible and an excellent conductor of heat and electricity, making it of huge interest to scientists in real-world applications.

Scientists at the University of Manchester have now shown how graphene-oxide membranes can be used as an efficient filtration system. Publishing their findings in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, the researchers were building on previous work showing how these membranes could be used to filter nanoparticles, organic molecules and salts.

The team had shown how when immersed in water, the graphene-oxide membranes would swell up, causing larger salt ions or molecules to be blocked out. Building on this, they created a sieve that stops the graphene membrane from swelling when exposed to water, meaning the pore size can be controlled. As a result, they could filter out common salts from water (like seawater), making it safe to drink.

"Building on these findings, we demonstrate a simple scalable method to obtain graphene-based membranes with limited swelling, which exhibit 97 percent rejection for NaCl [sodium chloride]," they wrote.

The discovery has huge real-world implications. An estimated 663 million people worldwide do not have access to clean water close to their homes, with many having to travel long distances or queue for hours to get it. Under its current Sustainable Development Goals, the United Nations hopes to make sure everyone on the planet has access to safe water by 2030.

But this will not be easy. Climate change is putting more people's water security at risk – increased droughts, flooding and melting glaciers all lead to greater risk of shortages. And this, in turn, threatens food production, sanitation, energy and industry.

The researchers said their graphene sieve can be scale up for industry, and membranes can be created with "on-demand filtration", meaning ions can be removed according to their sizes.

Corresponding author Rahul Nair said: "Realisation of scalable membranes with uniform pore size down to atomic scale is a significant step forward and will open new possibilities for improving the efficiency of desalination technology.

"This is the first clear-cut experiment in this regime. We also demonstrate that there are realistic possibilities to scale up the described approach and mass-produce graphene-based membranes with required sieve sizes."

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Adaptive-Learning Tech Shows A Lot Of Promise

There is a new adaptive-learning app called IXL that allows students to "learn new skills and refresh forgotten ones in language, math, and science."

Students can connect to IXL through the platform 2hr Learning, which uses adaptive tools to compress core academic lessons into two hours daily.

MacKenzie Price, the founder of 2hr Learning, said she launched the platform in 2014 after her daughters told her they were too bored and disinterested in traditional schooling. "Adaptive learning matches each student's pace, delivering information without discrimination," Price said. "It's an equitable and scalable solution."

Education is evolving with developments in adaptive-learning technology. These tools collect and use data on each student's performance, progress, and learning style to tailor the learning experience to their proficiency and needs.

As the technology develops, educators and IT professionals hope that it will help students and teachers use their time and capabilities more efficiently and promote equity.

Gautam Parasnis, the chief digital officer of the education-software provider Imagine Learning, told Business Insider adaptive technology could create pathways that are more student-centric than traditional methods. "Books don't collect data," he said. But with data, he added, Imagine Learning can "understand learning patterns" and give educators personalized recommendations to help students learn quicker.

Say a student who loves baseball is tackling a new math concept; on the student's tablet in the classroom or at home, the system might generate questions centered on baseball statistics or game scenarios. This approach allows the student to practice mathematical skills while engaging with a personal interest. The individualized lesson can help them catch up or, if they're advanced, give them more challenging problems to solve.

Brian Galvin, the chief academic officer of the learning platform Varsity Tutors, told Business Insider that adaptive technology uses specialized algorithms to help teachers identify the learning gaps and skills that students should address and build on. This is especially beneficial for those who struggle with steep learning curves, such as neurodivergent disorders, like dyslexia, or language barriers, which affect immigrant students.

"Adaptive technology doesn't care what skin color you have, if you're rich or poor, or what your learning style is," Price said. "It is infinitely patient and available all the time to help you."

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Arts And Crafts Improves Mental Health

Past studies using various methods of gathering data are saying that creating art reduces levels of cortisol, the body’s stress hormone.

"Engaging with arts and crafts is accessible and affordable. Options such as knitting and drawing require very few tools and can be engaging and creatively fulfilling activities," said Dr. Helen Keyes, cognitive psychologist and head of the school of psychology and sport science at Anglia Ruskin University, via email.

Her new study, together with fellow researchers, has found that engaging in creative activities can significantly boost well-being by providing meaningful spaces for expression and achievement.

Although prior studies have shown that creating arts and crafting is therapeutic for people with mental health conditions, the general population has been understudied, according to the study, which published recently in Frontiers in Public Health.

This is the reason why the study sampled members of the general population without diagnosed illnesses to see how arts and crafts might contribute to well-being and may reduce loneliness outcomes in everyday life.

The team used data from a major national survey in the UK between 2019-2020 to investigate how creative activities could impact life satisfaction, controlling for variables known to affect wellbeing such as gender, age group, health, employment status and deprivation. The researchers analyzed a sample of 7,182 participants living in England (age 16 and over) from the annual Taking Part survey conducted by the UK’s Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, which explores how the public engages with these activities.

"We kept our analysis to arts and crafting at a broad level, rather than focusing on specific hobbies, as we know that people’s preferences vary and they will find the craft or creative activity that works best for them," Keyes said.

More than 37 percent of survey respondents confirmed they had taken part in at least one craft activity over the last year. They were also askabout their employment status, their health, their sense of life being worth living, how frequently they feel lonely and their levels of sensed happiness, anxiety and life satisfaction.

Participants’ reported happiness, life satisfaction and sense of lives being worthwhile were positively correlated to participating in arts and crafts, but arts and crafts were not associated with decreased anxiety or loneliness which requires further investigation. Additional study is needed to examine the social aspects of creative activities, researchers said. "All forms of art can be beneficial in boosting mental health. Benefits include: increase in self-esteem, reduction in anxiety/stress, improving communication, and fostering creativity," said Dr. Frank Clark, a psychiatrist with Prisma Health, via email. Clark was not involved in the study.

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Caitlyn Clark Is The 2024 WNBA Rookie Of The Year

All doubts were quelled. Most detractors were silent. It is now official. Caitlin Clark was unanimously chosen for the Associated Press’ (AP) as the WNBA 2024 Rookie of the Year.

The Indiana Fever star was also named in AP’s All-WNBA first team, as well as the All-Rookie Team, as the awards were announced last 22 September. The WNBA will announce its official Rookie of the Year and the rest of its awards throughout the postseason which tipped off on Sunday.

Clark, who has transcended the sport in her short career already, said it was a "tremendous honor" to be recognized by sportswriters and broadcasters.

"This recognition wouldn’t be possible without an incredible group of teammates and coaches, and we are looking forward to continuing an exciting regular season in the postseason," she told AP.

Clark went into her rookie season with the weight of expectation on her shoulders, and she certainly didn’t disappoint.

The 22-year-old, who has led her team to its first playoff appearance since 2016, started all 40 regular season games for the Fever and broke new ground in the process.

She became the WNBA single-season assists record holder (337), an accomplishment which included a league-record 19 assists in one game.

Clark also became the first rookie to record a triple-double and holds the record for most three-pointers made by a rookie in league history.

Off the court, the guard has helped attract new fans to the sport, with WNBA attendances soaring as a result.

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Olympic Shooter From South Korean Lands A Movie Role

The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics produced many stars and household names. However, it was the stone-cold stare in one of the competitions that will land an anthlete in a movie role.

She went viral online with her cools attire of a backward baseball capover her slick ponytail and eyes focused through futuristic glasses. This is how the South Korean sharpshooter Kim Ye-ji appeared to the audience as she drew her gun and shot her way to a silver medal. That look and performance won her a new role – as an assassin.

The 32-year-old will take her first acting job alongside the Indian star Anushka Sen in Crush, a spin-off, short-form series of the film Asia, reported Yonhap, Korea’s main news agency.

The film explores stories of individuals tackling racial hatred and discrimination. It features a cast of American and Asian actors and is directed by Lee Jung-sub, who is also the chief executive of the Seoul-based entertainment company Asia Lab.

The company said the Olympic silver medallist was "both nervous and thrilled" to take up the role as a "captivating assassin".

Helped along the way by the X owner Elon Musk, Kim was propelled to worldwide fame for her performance in the 10m air pistol competition.

"Her aura is insane!" exclaimed one admirer amid a rush of comparisons with James Bond and Satoru Gojo, a sorcerer in the popular manga series Jujutsu Kaisen.

Musk could not contain his excitement. "She should be cast in an action movie. No acting required!" he declared.

After her medal win in July, Kim’s popularity was boosted by another viral video of her appearance at the International Shooting Sport Federation’s shooting world cup in Baku, Azerbaijan, in May.

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Six Types Of Food That Can Damage Your Kidney

Our kidneys is a very special component of our body because it helps filter waste and toxins from our blood, regulating blood pressure, and producing hormones. Therefore, it's essential that we take care of them and avoid foods that could potentially damage them.

So, what foods should we avoid to keep our kidneys healthy? Here are some surprising culprits:

1. Processed and canned foods
   We all love the convenience of processed and canned foods, but they are loaded with sodium, which can cause high blood pressure and put a strain on our kidneys. These foods also contain preservatives and other additives that can be harmful to our kidneys in the long run.
2. Red and processed meats
   Meat lovers, beware! Red and processed meats are high in protein and can increase the workload on our kidneys. Additionally, these meats contain high levels of phosphorus, which can be challenging for our kidneys to handle, especially for those with kidney disease.
3. Fatty foods
   Foods high in saturated and trans fats, such as fried foods, fast food, and pastries, can increase the risk of kidney disease. These fats can trigger inflammation and contribute to the buildup of cholesterol in our arteries, leading to reduced blood flow to the kidneys and potential damage.
4. Sugar and sugary drinks
   Excessive sugar consumption can lead to conditions like obesity and diabetes, which are risk factors for kidney disease. Sugary drinks like soda and energy drinks are also high in calories and can contribute to weight gain, putting a strain on our kidneys.
5. Salt
   We all know that too much salt is not good for our health, but did you know that it can also negatively impact our kidneys? Salt can increase blood pressure, which in turn can damage the blood vessels in our kidneys. The recommended daily intake of sodium is no more than 2,300 milligrams, but most of us consume much more than that.
6. Artificial sweeteners
   While they may seem like a healthier alternative to sugar, artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose can do more harm than good, especially for our kidneys. These sweeteners contain chemicals that can cause inflammation and damage to the kidneys over time.

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IUD, Implants More Effective?

One scientific study claim that women who choose birth control pills, the patch or vaginal ring are 20 times more likely to have an unplanned pregnancy compared to those who are using long-term methods such as IUDs and implants.

Among young women under 21 who chose the pill, the patch or vaginal ring, the risk of unintended pregnancy is almost twice as high as that for older women, according to researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

The study, carried out on 7,500 participants between the ages of 14 and 45, appears in the 24 May 2012 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

"This study is the best evidence we have that long-acting reversible methods are far superior to the birth control pill, patch and ring," says senior author and OBGYN Jeffrey Peipert.

Intrauterine devices "and implants are more effective because women can forget about them after clinicians put the devices in place."

Unplanned pregnancies remain a major health problem in the United States. About three million pregnancies per year -- half of all pregnancies -- are unplanned, very high for a developed nation.

"We know that IUDs and implants have very low failure rates of less than one percent," said lead author Brooke Winner. "But although IUDs are very effective and have been proven safe in women and adolescents, they only are chosen by 5.5 percent of women in the United States who use contraception."

IUDs are inserted by a nurse or doctor but few women can easily afford them as the cost can reach around US$ 500.

However "when IUDs and implants are provided at no cost, about 75 percent of women chose these methods for birth control," Winner added.

That means that greater use of longer acting contraceptive methods by teens and young women could prevent substantially more unplanned pregnancies.

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Who Is Damaso?

The name 'Damaso' was suddenly thrust into the limelight when performing artist-tour guide Carlos Celdran disrupted a Mass on 30 September 2010 to protest the Catholic Church's interference in the State's pro-contraceptive policy. Celdran was wearing a dark suit and top hat and held up the placard with the word "Damaso" in the the middle of a homily.

The name "Damaso" is actually a reference to Father Damaso, an abusive friar in Jose Rizal's novel, Noli Me Tangere. He is the kura paroko or parish priest of the fictional town of San Diego, the main setting of Noli Me Tangere. The Spanish priest belongs to the Franciscan order.

In the novel, Damaso is described as an enemy of Don Rafael Ibarra, a mestizo patriarch who is the father of the novel's protagonist Crisostomo Ibarra. Damaso, who accused the elder Ibarra of being a heretic, pushed for his excommunication from the Roman Catholic church. As a result, Don Rafael was imprisoned. Later, Don Rafael died in prison. His body, which was initially buried in the local Catholic cemetery, was exhumed and set to be transferred to the Chinese cemetery upon the orders of Damaso. However, the gravediggers threw Don Rafael's body to the river.

Damaso is the biological father of Maria Clara, Crisostomo's sweetheart. He secretly impregnated Dona Pia Alba, wife of San Diego town chief Santiago de los Santos (a.k.a. Kapitan Tiyago). De los Santos stood as Maria Clara's formal father.

With his animosity with Don Rafael, Damaso became hostile to Crisostomo, as evidenced in the novel. Damaso continued to taunt Ibarra and in a party, the latter lost his cool and physically attacked the former. As a result, Crisostomo was excommunicated by the archbishop but was later pardoned by the captain general.

With the attack, Damaso persuaded Maria Clara not to marry Crisostomo. Damaso offered a Spanish man named Linares as Maria Clara's husband. The lady declined and opted to enter a convent. At the end of the novel, Damaso was transferred to another town, where he later died.

In popular culture, Damaso is perceived to be the face of Catholic conservatism, as manifested by a real-life controversy involving Celdran. However, historian Ambeth Ocampo believes that Padre Damaso is not the real villain in Noli Me Tangere. Ocampo wrote:

"The evil friar is not Damaso but his replacement (as parish priest of San Diego) Father Salvi who lusts over Maria Clara and engineers an accident that would have killed Ibarra during the laying of the cornerstone of his school. Failing in that, he instigates a rebellion and implicates Ibarra. The fat, corrupt corrupt friar is not Rizal's Fray Damaso, but Graciano Lopez Jaena's Fray Botod."

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TV Kids Are Poor Listeners

A study in 2004 revealed that watching too much television makes children poor listeners.

A literacy test conducted on selected Grade 1 pupils in Metro Manila showed poor "phonological awareness" skills, or the ability to associate letters, words and pictures with their sound. Listening is the building block of reading, according to educators.

Dr. Felicitas Pado, a teacher of beginning reading for 19 years, said the problem is observed globally to too much media exposure of children.

"We have media babies. They're used to viewing. So our pupils have poor listening skills. That's a global problem," said Pado, who is with the University of the Philippines (UP).

Educators like Pado are trying to address the literacy problem among Grade 1 pupils. The Department of Education (DepEd) estimates that up to four out of 10 pupils finish Grade 1 without knowing how to read.

The test was part of the basic reading program undertaken by DepEd officials with the fast-food chain McDonald's.

A total of 4,200 Grade 1 pupils in 14 public schools in Metro Manila underwent the reading program last year.

Pado, who administered the pretest in July and the posttest last February to selected pupils, said the pupils greatly improved their reading and writing skills with the program's help. But she asked Grade 1 teachers to help children develop their listening skills.

"Since beginning reading lies heavily on sound-symbol relationship, listening is an important skill for beginning readers," she said. "The result showed that greater emphasis should still be placed on teaching this skill."

She said the pre-test scores showed "very poor listening ability" among the beginners, though this greatly improved later as shown by the post-test scores.

She said the pupils did not have much problem with visual discrimination skills, or the ability to differentiate letters and words.

"The results show that the children's visual discrimination skills are better developed than their phonological awareness skills," she said.

Under its "Bright Minds Read" program, McDonald's, with the help of DepEd, trained 70 Grade 1 teachers how to better teach their pupils the basics of reading.

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Contraceptive App Under Fire

A mobile contraceptive app used by more than 500,000 women is being criticized after reportedly causing 37 unwanted pregnancies.

Stockholm's Södersjukhuset hospital has now reported the Natural Cycles app to the Swedish Medical Products Agency (the government body tasked with the regulation of medical devices) according to news outlet SVT.

The app scans body temperature during the menstrual cycle to notify women when it is safe to have unprotected sex. Days when it's okay are marked as green on its calendar, but if it shows red couples are advised to use an extra form of protection. It's own research suggests Natural Cycles is more effective than the contraceptive pill when used correctly.

The 37 unwanted pregnancy cases stem from a study of over 600 women who sought abortions at Södersjukhuset hospital from September 2017 until the end of the year. "We have a duty to report all side effects, such as pregnancies, to the Medical Products Agency," midwife Carina Montin told Siren news agency. The findings could come as a blow to Natural Cycles' plans to pursue FDA approval.

In a statement, Natural Cycles said: "No contraception is 100 per cent and unwanted pregnancies is an unfortunate risk with any contraception.

"To have 37 unwanted pregnancies out of the 668 mentioned in this study at Södersjukhuset means that 5,5 per cent of women who stated they used Natural Cycles also had an unwanted pregnancy. This is in line with what we communicate as the risk of unwanted pregnancy with typical use, and which is comparable to other types of contraception."

In February 2018 Natural Cycles became the first app to be certified for contraceptive use, following approval by the German regulatory body Tuv Sud, after which its UK users spiked from 5,000 to 125,000. In November, the app, founded by husband and wife duo Dr. Raoul Scherwitzl and Dr. Elina Berglund, snagged US$ 30 mIllion in funding.

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Why Ads Sometimes Don't Show Up At AdSense?

There were reports that claimed about 38.3 million websites around the world were running Google ads in 2021. That is close to about half of all the wobsites online. The report added that AdSense and other ads are a core part of the company’s financial strategy, accounting for nearly US$ 20 billion and 13 percent of the company’s entire revenue.

However, as a blogger who is using Google AdSense, it is sometimes frusttrating when the ads are not showing up. This year, this happens more frequently to it can be extremely frustrating for publishers and their income. Unfortunately, this happens to AdSense publishers frequently in 2024.

What are some of the most common reasons why your ads may not be showing? It could be be because there are just as too many ads running, long activation periods, missing ads.txt files, or enabled ad blockers. We will discuss them more later.

What Is Google AdSense?
Google AdSense is Google’s ad placement engine to display ads on websites. Website owners, publishers, and bloggers place an ad code on their site and Google’s ad serving technology shows ads. AdSense publishers can monetize their site through a revenue-sharing agreement with Google.

As a publisher, you provide a place for ads to show and the traffic to see them. Google sells the ad space to advertisers who make and pay for ads to promote a product. Google also processes the sales and handles the billing.

When publishers use AdSense for display, Google keeps nearly a third of the revenue generated by your website’s traffic. Publishers keep 68 percent of the ad payout. However, the amount you wind up getting paid will vary greatly based on a few factors, like how much advertisers are willing to pay, the clickthrough rate (CTR), and how much traffic you bring to the table.

You can also add AdSense to your site search pages by enabling the Google search engine on your site and adding it. The revenue share for an AdSense publisher for search is 51 percent.

There are two basic ad units with AdSense. Auto ads will populate your site automatically based on where Google believes they will perform best in accordance with your site layout. Oppositely, manual ad units are ads publishers create and place where they want ads to show on their website.

Common Reasons AdSense Ads Won’t Show
There are a few common reasons why website publishers experience trouble getting their Google AdSense ads to show.

It takes a while to set up your ads, place the code, and make sure everything has been configured properly. So, when the lengthy process is finally complete and your ads still aren’t showing up, it’s not a pleasant experience.

Let’s walk through some of the most common reasons for ads not showing up:

1. Not Enough Time Has Passed Yet
   When you set up your website for AdSense, Google must first scan your site and learn about it to show the most relevant ads. This applies equally to new accounts or new sites added to existing accounts.
   Due to this step in the activation process, it could be a few days before display ads begin to show up on your homepage or elsewhere. Typically, mobile ads show up first before displaying as desktop versions. Waiting for the activation process can be inconvenient and time-consuming, but there are a few tactics that may potentially assist in shortening your wait time.
   Ensuring that all the details in your Google AdSense account, such as your payment information, are set up correctly is crucial to initiating the processing of your website. Additionally, the more established your Google AdSense account is and the more traffic you have to your website, the more data that will be available. This can expedite the analysis and populate your AdSense ads more quickly.
   Turning on auto ads can also shorten the time for ads to display. If you use auto ads, Google will analyze your site and determine where to display ads for you.
2. Your Ad Blocker is Enabled
   If you are currently using an ad blocker within your internet browser, this may the reason your AdSense ads are not showing when you test them out on your personal device. Ad blockers prevent the appearance of any ads, including your own, regardless of if your ads are showing up for other people.
   By turning off or disabling your ad blocker and reloading the webpage, you should be able to view any AdSense advertisements you are running. However, it is important to note that some antivirus software may also have adblocker options built-in and could be another source of conflict when unable to see your ads.
3. Your Ads.txt File is Missing
   Ad networks requires an Authorized Digital Seller file (known as the ads.txt) to show ads on your website. AdSense provides a personalized ads.txt file you can download from your account which will include your publisher ID. When it’s time to verify, a company checks for correct formating and that an ads.txt file exists.
   You’ll want to check to make sure the publisher ID is correct. In your AdSense account, click Sites and then Add your publisher ID to these ad.txt files. You can copy and paste to input your publisher ID into the file.
   Ads.txt has an added complication in that it must be formatted in a specific way, and must be uploaded to the root directory of your website. To ensure it’s correct, append your website’s address with /ads.txt in your web browser to verify the AdSense code. For example, if your website URL is www.example.com, type www.example.com/ads.txt into your web browser. If the ads.txt file appears in your web browser, then you’ve uploaded the file correctly.
   If you’re using WordPress for your website, you can install the ads.txt plug and click Setting>Ad.txt on the left panel. Copy and paste your details and save.
4. You Have Too Many Ads Running
   Google recommends users limit the number of ads they have running on any particular web page. This regulation is not without reason, seeing as ad clutter can also cause users to leave your site. You can be penalized by AdSense for running too many ads on your site, which in turn prevents AdSense ads from showing.
   If you are using auto ads and manual AdSense ad placements on your site, the auto ads may not show.

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Group Offers US$ 1 Million For A Gay Pride Parade In Gaza

It was reported recently by both the Associated Press and Fox News Digital that a watchdog group would donate US$ 1 million to "Queers for Palestine" or any U.S. LGBTQ advocacy organization to host a gay pride parade in Gaza or the West Bank.

New Tolerance Campaign (NTC) President Gregory T. Angelo, who is gay and the former president of Log Cabin Republicans, said on 16 September that the campaign is a "wake-up call" to anyone who identifies as part of the "Queers for Palestine" or "Gays for Gaza" movements.

"I don't want people to just shrug off this campaign as some kind of publicity stunt or something that is supposed to be comical. It actually is a legitimate offer," Angelo told Fox News Digital.

"This campaign emerged to call out these purported advocates of LGBT equality and put our money where their mouths are," he continued. "I think that this is a real opportunity for these groups to legitimately step up and host an event that would either highlight the fact that the Palestinian territories are not indeed a good place for LGBTQ individuals to be living, or it could be a breakthrough moment for pluralism and peace in the Middle East."

The New Tolerance Campaign said it secured commitments for the US$ 1 million prize and will begin publicizing the offer with mobile billboards circulating around Columbia University in New York City, the headquarters of the Human Rights Campaign in Washington, D.C. and UCLA in Los Angeles.

"Obviously, the US$ 1 million prize is something that is flashy. It was designed to get attention; it was designed to turn heads. But the greater drive behind this project is one of equality and broad human rights," Angelo said.

"On the left in the United States, all oppression is the same oppression. And I think the left, quite to their disservice, lumps everything from racial discrimination to sexual orientation discrimination to gender discrimination to Islamophobia, all under the same umbrella. That’s certainly not the case," Angelo said.

Angelo said that many anti-Israel protesters across the United States insist LGBTQ people aren’t treated particularly well in the United States when confronted with facts about how they would be treated in Gaza or the West Bank.

"Well, that could not be further from the truth. Here in the United States, we have protection from job discrimination for gay and trans individuals that came through a Supreme Court ruling. We have same-sex marriage is the law of the land in all 50 states, and just more generally, aside from legislation, we have a country that welcomes people of all faiths and family types," Angelo said.

"Contrast that with what you see over in the Palestinian territories where same-sex marriage isn't something that's even a possibility or discussed," he said. "There are no protections in terms of employment for sexual orientation or gender."

New Tolerance Campaign bills itself as a "watchdog organization mobilizing Americans to confront intolerance double-standards by establishment institutions, civil rights groups, universities, and socially-conscious brands," according to its website.

"NTC action campaigns empower ordinary Americans to hold accountable self-proclaimed arbiters of tolerance when they betray their own stated values," the site says.

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Sweet Briar College Bars Non-Biological Female Students

The Virginia school Sweet Briar College will be focusing on protecting the biological female students as it instituted an admissions policy that bars transgender women next school year. This admissions policy at private undergraduate colleges is exempted from Title IX, the 1972 law that bars sex discrimination in education.

The private women's liberal arts school said the policy stems from the legally binding will of its founder, Indiana Fletcher Williams, who died in 1900. Sweet Briar's leadership said the document requires it to "be a place of 'girls and young women.'"

The phrase "must be interpreted as it was understood at the time the Will was written," Sweet Briar's president and board chair wrote in a letter earlier this month to the college community.

The new policy requires an applicant to "confirm that her sex assigned at birth is female, and that she consistently lives and identifies as a woman."

"Sweet Briar College believes that single-sex education is not only our tradition, but also a unique cultural and social resource," President Mary Pope Hutson said in a statement to The Associated Press.

The new guidelines are facing criticism from some students and most faculty. They warn the politically fraught policy could repel potential students — not just transgender women.

Last 26 August, the faculty voted 48 to 4, with one abstention, to call on the board to rescind the policy, John Gregory Brown, an English professor and faculty senate chair, said.

Sweet Briar has about 460 students —- known as Vixens — and was established in 1901 on Williams’ estate, a former plantation in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Hutson acknowledged that a board member has resigned over the policy and that alumnae on both sides "care deeply about the future of our college."

"Many want Sweet Briar to remain a place where women can thrive, and they believe that a broader policy is a slippery slope toward co-education," Hutson said. “They strongly support this policy."

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Widespread Myths About Contraception

A UK survey years ago has revealed that myths about contraception may be widespread.

One in five women said they had heard of kitchen items, including bread, cling film and even chicken skin, being used as alternative barrier methods.

Others had heard food items such as kebabs, Coca-cola or crisps could be used as oral contraceptives.

The survey questioned 1,000 women aged 18 to 50 and was carried out by market research company Opinion Health, sponsored by Bayer Schering Pharma.

Contraceptive myths have been around for thousands of years.

Ancient methods have varied from crocodile dung and honey before sex, to sea sponges and beeswax after.

Perhaps the most intoxicating was alcohol made from stewed beaver's testicles.

However, it seems that a variety of unsafe and unproven methods might still exist in modern Britain.

Dr. Annie Evans, Women's Health Specialist at the Bristol Sexual Health Centre, said: "It is not surprising, given that Britain continues to have the highest unintended pregnancy rate in Europe."

Other myths surround the use of oral contraceptive pills. One in 10 of the women questioned believed that it always takes a number of years to regain fertility after discontinuation of the pill. Others believed that the pill could protect them against HIV.

Professor Steve Field, Chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, commented: "This is alarming but not surprising.

"I've had complications with patients over the years that have concerned me.

"The more we can put appropriate information to the public about the availability of different methods of contraception, about their advantages and disadvantages, the better.

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Bloggers' Code of Ethics

In this day and age, many people are always looking for for ways to expand their online presence and while one of the most popular strategies is launching a blog, not everyone knows what is a blog and how to start one.

When blogs first emerged around 1994, people used them mainly to share their personal lives, including their experiences and interests. Now, blogs have become an essential online marketing strategy for businesses and one of the most profitable career choices for individuals.

The interface of blogs has changed significantly over time. Bloggers can now integrate various widgets and plugins into their platforms, such as a social media feed, a contact form, or an author profile.

However, once you submit any type of content online — a blog, recipe, video, photograph, or even a tweet — you automatically become a publisher and have the ethical responsibilities of a journalist.

Cyberjournalist.net created a Bloggers’ Code of Ethics that states, ". . . responsible bloggers should recognize that they are publishing words publicly, and therefore have certain ethical obligations to their readers, the people they write about, and society in general."

The Code includes the following mandates for bloggers:

1. Never plagiarize.
2. Identify and link to sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources’ reliability.
3. Distinguish between advocacy, commentary, and factual information. Even advocacy writing and commentary should not misrepresent fact or context.
4. Distinguish factual information and commentary from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two.
5. Disclose conflicts of interest, affiliations, activities, and personal agendas.
6. Deny favored treatment to advertisers and special interests and resist their pressure to influence content. When exceptions are made, disclose them fully to readers.

Many bloggers are interested in monetizing their blogs and entering into marketing relationships with food companies and other corporations to review products, write sponsored blog posts, or serve as media spokespeople. Disclosing these marketing relationships, such as payments or free prod- ucts, between a company and a blogger (an "endorser" or "advocate") is no longer simply an issue of ethics—there are legal implications. Revised endorsement guidelines from the Federal Trade Commission require bloggers who accept cash or in-kind payments to disclose these "material connections" with corporate sponsors or advertisers.

Transparency is required for blogs, podcasts, microblogs (eg, Twitter or X), social networks (eg, Facebook, LinkedIn), video sharing websites (eg, YouTube, Vimeo), and photo sharing websites (eg, Pinterest, Instagram). The rationale is that ". . . on a personal blog, a social networking page, or in similar media, the reader may not expect the reviewer to have a relationship with the company whose products are mentioned.

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A Japanese Dancer Became The Queen Of Flamenco

As the world becomes more connected and dynamic, everyone should expect that cultures will tend to mix and produce a new generation of experts, specialists and artists. Despite all the lingering distraction, change remain constant and evolution continues.

The air of change has whiff across Europe as a Japanese dancer became the first foreigner to win at Spain’s most prestigious flamenco festival.

When the Cante de las Minas festival jury chose Junko Hagiwara as best female dancer, applause was mixed with jeers in the town of La Unión in Murcia. According to the 38-year-old from Kawasaki, whose stage name is La Yunko, she did not hear the hecklers because her mind "went blank" after the announcement.

No foreign competitor had previously won the "Desplante" award at the annual festival held every August.

"When I dance, I don’t think I am a foreigner, that I am Japanese. It doesn’t occur to me. I am simply on stage, I listen to the guitar, the singing, and what I feel I express in my dancing," Hagiwara told local newspaper La Opinión de Murcia.

"I consider myself to be a purist of the genre. True flamenco purists don’t think about where I come from."

Hagiwara fell in love with flamenco guitar aged 14 when when hearing it as supporting music for a Spanish rhythmic gymnast she was watching on television.

Her parents did not encourage her to pursue her passion but, once she was an 18-year-old at university in Tokyo, she started to take flamenco lessons.

She eventually moved to Seville where she trained with top flamenco exponents and married an Andalusian.

Hagiwara said she was "overwhelmed by the responsibility" of winning the prize and "infinitely grateful" to fellow performers, who have sent her messages of support.

A flamenco critic Manuel Bohórquez wrote in Sevilla Info, an online newspaper: "I liked her more than her competitors for three reasons: her classicism, that she did not dance for the gallery, in other words, for the public, and, finally, her good training."

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Nick Kyrgios Was Accused Of Being "Misogynistic" Towards His Ex

Nick Kyrgios has always been known as the most vocal critic of newly-crowned Tennis US Open Champion and world number 1 Jannik Sinner.

However, their situation exploded last 8 September when Kyrgios appeared to make a "misogynistic" comment surrounding Sinner’s Russian girlfriend Anna Kalinskaya, a professional tennis player ranked number 15 by WTA.

Kalinskaya and Kyrgios dated before the pair ended their relationship in 2020. In early 2024, she started dating Sinner and has been seen in his box for his recent US Open matches.

During a series of tweet exchanges with Sinner fans, one Twitter user tagged Kyrgios in a photo that showed the 29-year-old with Kalinskaya at an NBA game four years ago.

"Second serve," Kyrgios replied.

While he didn’t elaborate on what he meant, and later deleted the post, Krygios’s comment was interpreted by many social media users as a vulgar comment towards Kalinskaya.

Tennis writer Olly Paton of tennismajors.com tweeted an image of Kyrgios’s post along with the words: "Kyrgios about Kalinskaya (who is Nick’s ex-girlfriend and Sinner’s current partner)," and a 'face-palm' emoji.

Kyrgios replied: "Right… so I’m the one that’s the bad guy for saying something about it? I never brought it up lol. Don’t take offence if people are gonna bring it up. Simple."

Another X user accused Kyrgios of being "abusive", to which he replied: "Abusive? What’s abusive about what I said? I had no intention to say anything about it. People wanna go there deal with the consequences."

Sinner’s US Open victory was shrouded in controversy as he entered the tournament just weeks after a doping violation was made public. It was confirmed last month Sinner had twice tested positive to a banned substance earlier this year, but was allowed to continue playing.

"Ridiculous – whether it was accidental or planned. You get tested twice with a banned substance ... you should be gone for 2 years. Your performance was enhanced," Kyrgios said on X.

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2024 Esports World Cup List Of Winners

As the world looks back at the recent 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, another battle ground has opened. In the past eight weeks, pro gamers battled across 22 titles in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and history was made as the Esports World Cup crowned its first-ever champions.

Here is the list of all the winners of the 2024 Esports World Cup.

1. Esports World Cup: Apex Legends
   Alliance’s consistency in the grand finals was the key factor in its 1st place finish over runner-up Team Falcons.
2. Esports World Cup: Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3
   Atlanta FaZe took the trophy in a 4-2 grand finals win over 100 Thieves.
3. Esports World Cup: Call of Duty Warzone
   Team Falcons’ win in Warzone was the organization’s first trophy lift of EWC and the start of their run to winning the Club Championship.
4. Esports World Cup: Counter-Strike 2
   Natus Vincere took gold in CS2 by way of a 2-1 grand finals victory over G2 Esports.
5. Riyadh Masters x Esports World Cup (DOTA 2)
   Gaimin Gladiators dominated the grand finals against Team Liquid, taking gold in a 3-0 sweep.
6. Esports World Cup: EA FC 24
   Luna Galaxy’s João "jafonsogv" Vasconcelos took the grand finals 6-2 over Tuzzy E-Sports’ Gabriel "Young" Freitas.
7. Esports World Cup: ESL R1
   Team Redline won the RENNSPORT team championship and the team’s driver Kevin Siggy won the individual driver championship as well.
8. Esports World Cup: featuring Fortnite
   XSET took the grand finals over Exceed 4-2 to win EWC: featuring Fortnite.
9. Esports World Cup: Free Fire
   EWC: Free Fire was Team Falcons’ second gold medal finish of EWC 2024 on its way to winning the Club Championship.
10. HoK Invitational Midseason x Esports World Cup
    KPL Dream Team lived up to expectations and then some in their first international event with an undefeated run capped off by a sweep of LGD Gaming MY in the grand finals.
11. Esports World Cup presenting League of Legends
    Team captain Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok led T1 to total victory with a 3-1 grand finals win over Top Esports.
12. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Mid Season Cup 2024 x Esports World Cup
    Selangor Red Giants upset Falcons AP.Bren 4-3 in the grand finals to crown itself Mobile Legends: Bang Bang MSC champion.
13. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Women's Invitational 2024 x Esports World Cup
    Smart Omega Empress swept Team Vitality in the grand finals of ML:BB Women’s Invitational 2024.
14. Esports World Cup: Overwatch 2
    Crazy Raccoon triumphed over Toronto Ultra 4-1 in the grand finals of EWC: Overwatch 2.
15. PUBG MOBILE World Cup x Esports World Cup
    Alpha7 Esports took five Chicken Dinners across 18 rounds to secure 1st in PUBG MOBILE at EWC.
16. Esports World Cup: PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS
    Soniqs took 1st place in 25 percent of the grand finals rounds to cap off its championship run.
17. Esports World Cup: Rainbow Six
    Team BDS only entered two events at EWC and won both of them.
18. Esports World Cup: featuring Rocket League
    Team BDS beat hometown hero Team Falcons 4-2 in the grand finals.
19. Esports World Cup: StarCraft II
    Clem dropped only a few games to a single player on his way to winning SC2 for Team Liquid.
20. Esports World Cup: Street Fighter 6
    Zeng "Xiao Hai" Zhuojun brought glory to KuaiShow Gaming in a 5-2 grand finals win over Masaki Kawano.
21. Esports World Cup presenting Teamfight Tactics
    Wolves Esports took gold in EWC: presenting TFT with a 3-1 victory over T1 in the grand finals.
22. Esports World Cup: TEKKEN 8
    Freecs’ Lim "Ulsan" Soo-hoon swept hometown hero Atif “ATIF” Ijaz in the grand finals to win EWC: TEKKEN 8.

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The Price of Vintage Toys

Childre and adults love toyss, but, between the two, adults bought more toys than any other age group in the first quarter of 2024. Experts say much of this buying has been driven by nostalgia — people wanting to own the toys they loved as children.

That makes now the perfect time to review your own vintage toy collection. And if that collection includes popular toys from the 1990s, they may be worth more than you think.

For example, the following vintage toys are all worth much more today than they retailed for in the ’90s. Just note that condition is everything in the toy resale market. Unopened, undamaged toys are worth significantly more than their opened counterparts.

Furby

Furbies were first released in the fall of 1998 and retailed for around US$ 35. They were hugely popular thanks to their unique appearance and voice lines. An original, unopened Furby from 1998 recently sold for US$ 700 on eBay, and even used Furbies have sold for upward of US$ 130.

Nintendo 64

Nintendo, one of the most beloved video game brands on the planet, released the Nintendo 64 console in fall of 1996. Today, an unopened original console can cost more than US$ 360, and even opened original N64s can be worth over US$ 100 all these years later.

Super Soakers

Super Soakers created some of 1990s kids’ favorite memories. If you still have your original ones, now could be the time to sell. A Super Soaker Monster XL sold for US$ 500 in 2016, while a vintage Super Soaker CPS sold for US$ 300.

G.I. Joe Action Figures

G.I. Joe is an iconic brand that was especially popular in the 1990s. Collectors are often willing to pay hundreds of dollars for vintage G.I. Joe action figures, and there’s interest in a wide array of them.

Interestingly enough, the right G.I. Joe accessories could be worth even more. For example, a used G.I. Joe Mobile Command Center recently sold for US$ 3,000, and an aircraft carrier sold for more than US$ 1,100.

Polly Pocket

You used to be able to buy Polly Pocket toys for hardly anything at the toy store. But an original version would set you back hundreds of dollars today. For instance, a sealed Polly Pocket Jewel Case sold for US$ 600 recently, and a Carry ‘N Play Dream Home sold for US$ 550.

Hot Wheels

There’s also a huge demand for Hot Wheels. Although the popular toy brand dates back to 1968, several 1990s models are worth a pretty penny today — especially Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt cars.

A Hot Wheels replica of the 1967 Camaro recently sold for US$ 509. Full sets of these cars sell for even more, with some priced as high as US$ 1,100.

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Ballon d'Or Finalists Are Here

The finalists for this year's Ballon d'Or were announced on 4 September, and for the first time since 2003, the men's list doesn't include Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.

The list of 30 men's finalists does include stars like Vinicius Junior, Rodri, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane. A player not named Messi or Ronaldo will win soccer's highest individual honor for just the third time in 17 years.

Karim Benzema won in 2022. Luka Modrić won in 2018. Otherwise, Messi and Ronaldo have combined to win every Ballon d'Or since 2008. Ronaldo won five, with his last in 2017.

Messi has won eight, claiming his most recent last year after leading Argentina to the 2022 World Cup championship. Messi has since left Paris Saint-Germain to play for Inter Miami of MLS and been hampered by multiple injuries.

There is a controversy though. Some were questioning why the player with the most G/A in 2023/24 and with the most goals in 2024 is not nominated for the Ballon d'Or? That player is Viktor Gyökeres.

On the women's side, five members of the U.S. Women's National Team are nominated for the award. Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson, Sophia Smith, Alyssa Naeher and Lindsey Horan are among the 30 finalists. They're fresh off a gold-medal performance at the Paris Olympics.

Not among the finalists is USWNT defender Naomi Girma, an omission that prompted outcry on social media.

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After A Hurt Ankle, Woman Discovered She Was Born A Man

There is a 25-year-old woman in eastern China who failed to fall pregnant after 12 months of trying, was shocked to discover she was actually born male and is intersex.

The woman, whose external female genitalia never forced her to question her sex, stumbled upon the discovery after an X-ray of her injured ankle was taken in a hospital in her hometown.

When the X-ray revealed that her bones had not developed past the age of adolescence, the doctor’s further probing uncovered the fact that Pingping, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, had never menstruated. She said she’d turned a blind eye to it out of embarrassment.

"When I was young my mum took me to the doctor. The doctor said I was just developing slower than others sexually, and that I could have my period in a few years," she told the local doctor.

"After I grew up, I found this issue quite embarrassing so I didn't treat it seriously."

Despite the lack of menstruation, Pingping had no reason to suspect she was anything other than a biological woman because she had external female genitalia, the First Affiliated Hospital of College of Medicine, Zhejiang University said in a statement posted on WeChat this week.

During a visit to an endocrinologist at the hospital, Pingping said, "My husband and I have been trying to have a baby for a year although it’s been in vain. Is that also related [to my bone age and absence of a period]?"

Test results indicated that she suffered from high blood pressure and low blood potassium, a typical symptom of a disease called congenital adrenal hyperplasia, which could lead to a sexual development disorder. Doctors said this was possibly as a result of her parents being closely related.

The case highlighted the long-term problem of China’s sexual illiteracy and lack of compulsory sexual education in schools, one expert said.

A genetic test revealed her karyotype was 46,XY, a pattern normally found in males who have genitalia that is not clearly male or female, said Doctor Dong Fengqin, the endocrinologist.

Pingping learned that while she had no uterus or ovaries, she also lacked male genitalia or an Adam’s apple.

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The Caitlyn Clark Effect Is Spreading And Growing

Caitlyn Clark of Indiana Fever is a different player — and a much better female basketball player — now than she was back in May as she jumped to the WNBA almost directly from a long season at Iowa. Some of that is getting adjusted to the pro game. Some of that is figuring out how to play with her teammates — and her teammates figuring out how to play with her.

And some of that, at least these last two games when she played her best professional basketball yet, might be finally getting a chance to exhale.

The Indiana Fever — 12-7 since a 1-8 start — are firmly in position to make the playoffs. They play Saturday in a huge game against potential playoff opponent Minnesota, coached by Cheryl Reeve, who also led the U.S. women in the Olympics.

Indiana is still attracting massive television numbers. Last weekend, 2.3 million tuned into the Fever's game against Seattle. That was 263 percent more than the next highest non-Fever game over the weekend (New York v. Las Vegas) and 454 percent higher than the next biggest.

Now, imagine Clark playing at something close to her crowd-pleasing college level in the stretch run and actual playoff series?

The WNBA has historically struggled for attention once the NFL season begins. Maybe not in this case, though. Logo threes and no-look passes tend to turn heads. The Clark phenomenon isn’t slowing down, it’s growing.

In her 11 WNBA games before reports broke that she would be left off the Olympic roster, Clark averaged 15.6 points and 6.4 assists while shooting 35.7 percent from the floor and 29.7 from 3-point range.

In the 15 games between the announcement and the break, she upped all of that to 18.2 points and 9.5 assists while shooting 43.9 percent overall and 35.7 from behind the arc.

In two games since the WNBA’s return, it’s 26.0 points, 9.5 assists with 48.6 percent shooting. More importantly, the Fever won them both.

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Ukrainian Students Going Back To School In Poland

For many Ukrainian children, the last several years have been a time of severe disruption. First the COVID-19 pandemic brought online learning, and then war uprooted millions.

That disruption was still evident in Ukraine, where it was also the first day of school on 9 September. An overnight Russian drone and missile attack in Kyiv forced the cancellation of classes for some because of damage from the attack.

Many Ukrainians who fled to neighboring Poland never returned to a classroom at all, continuing their Ukrainian classwork remotely.

However, as this new school year began on Monday, a new Polish law makes school attendance mandatory for Ukrainian refugees. In cases where the kids don't attend school, the government will enforce the law by withholding a monthly 800 zloty (US$ 200) bonus that all citizens and refugees receive for each child under 18.

Only those entering the last year of high school are exempt from this new requirement. Poland’s Education Ministry said it was unrealistic for them to master the Polish curriculum in language and culture in time to pass final graduation exams by spring.

Sava Trypolsky, a 5-year old Ukrainian, can expect an easier time than many. Educators say kids his age learn Polish quickly. He has a best friend, Bart, going to his school, and a soccer group. Medals he earned while playing the sport decorate his room in Jablonna, a small community north of Warsaw.

"I’ll have fun," he said beaming.

But his 16-year-old sister Marichka hopes to return to Ukraine for university and knows school can be hard for adolescents even without the pressure of being a refugee. She has one year left and opted to continue her home schooling.

"Some people are just mean, you know, and I’ve heard many stories about just being excluded or bullied," Marichka said. "That happens in every country, it’s not just Poland, it’s just kids who try to grow up in this world."

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that it was important to bring Ukrainian youth into the system to avoid the formation of social "pathologies."

"Since we do not know how many Ukrainian families will want to stay with us for longer, and perhaps forever, we are very keen for these children to be educated like their Polish peers," Tusk said recently.

Some Ukrainians have already returned home and many others plan to. That has led many of them to live in Poland, but to keep kids out of Polish schools and do remote learning with schools back in Ukraine.

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The Problem Of Child Protection Structure in the Philippines

The child protection system in the Philippines at national, regional and provincial level and the systems, mechanisms and institutions established are generally considered to meet international standards for child protection law and policy.

The aim and objective of the Filipino child protection system and the various child protection laws is to provide special protection to children from all forms of abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation and discrimination and other conditions prejudicial to their development; to impose sanctions against those who commit such acts; and ensure programmes for prevention and deterrence of, and crisis intervention in, situations of child abuse, exploitation and discrimination are available and implemented.

The child protection system relies upon two national bodies. One of these is the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), created by the Child and Youth Welfare Code. It is the focal inter-agency body of the Philippines for children’s concerns and is chaired by the DSWD. Its priorities are:

• Integration of children’s development agenda in national and local development plans;
• Putting in place a fully operational and highly effective management information system, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for national plans of action and the implementation of the Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC) and other international conventions as well as resource bank on children;
• Heighten advocacy and social mobilization for an effective and wide scale implementation of the UNCRC within the Philippine social and cultural context
• Legislative and policy review and revisions to harmonize national and local laws with CRC and other international conventions.

Underneath the Council are the Regional Subcommittees for the Welfare of Children, which guide the development and implementation of CWC policy and directives, and below that the Provincial, municipal and city local child protection councils and then the barangay child protection councils.

There are potential problems with this approach. There is a risk that it may lead to child protection by committee rather than by dedicated, skilled social workers within a well-managed child protection service. This is especially so when there is a general lack of social workers on the ground.

Few of the Council membership will have received training on or have experience of working in child protection, yet they may need to reach decisions on referral and protection of a child or the provision of specialist services.

Second, members of the Council for Protection of Children have other jobs and other responsibilities apart from child protection. Many of them will be on the other Councils that the child protection laws require to be established at local government level, including the Municipal Interagency Council Against Trafficking and Violence Against Women and Their Children (under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Law) and the Interagency Council Against Child Pornography (under the Anti-Child Pornography Act).

The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Law, the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children, the Anti-Pornography Law and the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Law between them require about 16-17 regional sub-committees or interagency committees, totalling at least 64 regional bodies composed more or less of the same government agencies. This has led to coordination bottlenecks, duplication of functions and fragmented and reactive interventions, all of which have to be implemented by LGUs, who lack the resources and capacities.

The role of the barangay councils for the protection of children is to raise awareness and respond to child protection issues, usually by reporting them to the social worker in the LGU. By the end of 2010 only 36 per cent of provinces, 56 per cent of cities, 44 per cent of municipalities and 34 per cent of barangays had functioning local councils for the protection of children.

Where barangay councils do exist, they often lack resources for the protection of children, limiting the work they can do. Quite frequently they also lack power to engage effectively with the formal system.

Where there is no local child protection council and little access to LGU social workers, informal systems appear to operate in some locations, which identify, prioritise and address child protection. Although informal systems can resolve some child protection issues, some practices, for example marrying off a girl who has been raped to the perpetrator in order to save face may be positively harmful. Without training and supervision there is also a risk that discriminatory and non-participatory decisions may be made.

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Blogging Is Not Yet Dead In 2024

"Is blogging dead?" In the ever-evolving landscape of content marketing, where sceptics argue that social media dominance and the rise of video content will erase the need for blogs, you wouldn’t be alone in asking this question.

Before answering, let us take a look at the beginning of blogging. It can be traced to the digital era starting as early as the early 90s. Long before "blogging" was even an idea, communities were already taking shape with Usenet and online services providing a platform for people to get connected.

Jorn Barger was the innovator who first coined "weblog" in 1997, and Peter Merholz made waves by taking that term further when he shortened it to 'blog', which became widely used.

Taking things even a step further, Ev Williams created an entire lifestyle centered around blogging with his service, Blogger. He also popularized the terms: "blog" and "Blogger."

So blogs have been around for 30 years. Is it dead?

Short answer: no. A recent survey found that over 60 percent of all internet users read blogs, while another found that 77 percent of internet users read blogs daily. That’s over 4 billion readers. And it’s not just older internet users who are into blogs: Statista found that the percentage of young people in the UK reading blogs has grown significantly since 2010. Considering 60 percent of Gen Z think a brand’s digital first impressions are more important than in-person ones, it’s clear blog posts play a vital role in perception.

One of the reasons why it’s likely they will be around for another three decades: the Lindy Effect.

The Lindy Effect is a concept that states that the future life expectancy of some non-perishable items is directly proportional to their current age.

The term Lindy originated from an article written by Albert Goldman in The New Republic in 1964 titled "Lindy’s Law". The term refers to a delicatessen in New York called Lindy’s, which was a popular gathering spot for comedians. They met there daily to discuss their experiences and analyze the recent developments in show business.

But it was Benoit Mandelbrot and Nassim Taleb who developed the idea into what it is now.

Mandelbrot and Taleb argue that a lifespan can be extended with each passing day since it has already survived past its expected lifespan.

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CDC: Pregnant Women Should Not Drink Alchohol

A Center for Disease (CDC) study revealed that "more than 3 million US women are at risk of exposing their developing baby to alcohol because they are drinking, having sex, and not using birth control to prevent pregnancy."

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is "associated with a range of complications and poor reproductive outcomes and can cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs), which are characterized by lifelong physical, behavioral, and intellectual disabilities," the CDC report said, adding that exposure to alcohol in the womb is one of the leading preventable causes of intellectual disability in children.

It can also "increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, prematurity, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)," the CDC said.

The team analyzed data from the 2011-2013 National Survey of Family Growth and found that three in four women who wanted to get pregnant as soon as possible reported they continued to drink alcohol.

"About half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, and even if planned, most women won't know they are pregnant for the first month or so, when they might still be drinking," said Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director at the CDC.

CDC recommends that women who are pregnant or might be pregnant not drink alcohol at all. FASDs do not occur if a developing baby is not exposed to alcohol before birth.

Women can:

• Talk with their health care provider about their plans for pregnancy, their alcohol use, and ways to prevent pregnancy if they are not planning to get pregnant.
• Stop drinking alcohol if they are trying to get pregnant or could get pregnant.
• Ask their partner, family, and friends to support their choice not to drink during pregnancy or while trying to get pregnant.
• Ask their health care provider or another trusted person about resources for help if they cannot stop drinking on their own.

Doctors, nurses, or other health professionals can help prevent alcohol use during pregnancy in 5 ways:

1. Provide alcohol screening and brief counseling to all women.
2. Recommend birth control to women who are having sex (if appropriate), not planning to get pregnant, and drinking alcohol.
3. Advise women who are trying to get pregnant to stop drinking alcohol.
4. Refer for additional services for women who cannot stop drinking on their own.
5. Follow up yearly or more often, as needed.

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E-Cigarettes Can Cause Cancer

Electronic cigarettes are often marketed as a 'safe' way for people to stop smoking - but there could be hidden risks, a new study suggests.

Researchers at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System found that e-cigarettes damaged cells in ways which could lead to cancer.

The researchers wrote, "Our study strongly suggests that electronic cigarettes are not as safe as their marketing makes them appear to the public."

Current Public Health England advice is that while the products are not entirely safe, they are 95 percent safer than smoking - and can be used as a ‘low-cost, effective intervention’ to help smokers quit.

The researchers extracted the chemicals from e-cigarettes, and used them on human cells in a Petri dish.

Cells treated with the chemicals were more likely to show DNA damage and die.

There haven't been many good lab studies on the effects of these products on actual human cells,’ says Dr. Jessica Wang-Rodriquez of the University of California, San Diego.

"There have been many studies showing that nicotine can damage cells. But we found that other variables can do damage as well. It’s not that the nicotine is completely innocent in the mix, but it looks like the amount of nicotine that the cells are exposed to by e-cigarettes is not sufficient by itself to cause these changes.

"There must be other components in the e-cigarettes that are doing this damage. So we may be identifying other carcinogenic components that are previously undescribed."

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