The UK could make “cyber flashing” a criminal offence.
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The UK has drafted up new laws intended to make tech platforms safer for users.
Lawmakers on Tuesday proposed changes to the draft law such as making sending unsolicited nudes an offense.
They want to make tech firms liable if they don’t protect users against cyber flashing.
Tech platforms should be liable for users sending unsolicited nudes via their services, UK lawmakers said Tuesday.
A joint committee of politicians published their recommended changes to the UK’s upcoming Online Safety Bill, a draft of which was first published in May. The bill is a broad attempt to regulate harmful behaviors online and scrutinize Big Tech companies.
The lawmakers suggested the UK government make “cyber flashing” — sending unsolicited images of genitalia — illegal and categorize it as a sexual offense. They noted that unwanted sexual images mostly impact women and girls online.
Under their proposed legal structure, Big Tech platforms would carry some legal liability for cyber flashing, as they would “have the duty to mitigate and effectively manage the risk of harm to individuals from cyber flashing and remove unsolicited nude images from their platform quickly.”
UK Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said in November that cyber flashing would be included in the scope of the bill, and that tech platforms would face criminal sanctions if they failed to adequately protect users from it.
The bill does not make it clear how quickly lawmakers would expect tech platforms to take action against cases of cyber flashing, or exactly how severe the criminal sanctions for failing to do so would be.
The Online Safety Bill is not yet law, and has to go through the British parliament. The BBC reports it is expected to reach parliament early next year.
Singapore ranked as the best place to freelance in 2021, with a score of 7.35/10.
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Tide carried out a survey of 30 countries to find the best country to be a freelancer.
Singapore ranked first, with the report noting the strong and fairly inexpensive internet there.
The US ranked outside the top 10.
Becoming a freelancer gives you the freedom to choose when and where you work. However, you might not always be able to find steady work.
Depending on what you do and what country you’re in, this can feel like an extended vacation or it can be a time filled with anxiety and uncertainty.
Financial solutions company, Tide, carried out a survey of 30 countries to find the best place to be a freelancer.
The survey used eight measurements to analyze how well-suited a country is to the needs of a freelancer.
Speed and cost of internet, number of coworking spaces, legal rights, gender equality, cost of living, number of searches for freelance work, and happiness were the measurements used.
Coworker was their source for the number of coworking spaces available and they used Google Keyword Planner to find searches for freelance work.
They then used this and data from the World Population Review to work out the number of searches for freelance work and the number of coworking spaces per 100,000 people in each country.
They gave the data collected from each measurement an equal weighting and then combined them into a single score out of 10.
The US ranked 12th out of the 30 countries with a score of 6.12.
It seems that one of the main problems in the US is lack of demand for freelance work. The survey showed there were only 365 Google searches for freelancer work per 100,000 people.
These are the top five countries to freelance in, according to Tide.
1. Singapore
Singapore ranked as the best place to freelance in 2021, with a score of 7.35.
This was largely due to quick, affordable internet and a large number of available coworking spaces.
2. New Zealand
New Zealand came second, scoring 7.20.
Internet costs are high in the country but strong ratings in legal rights, happiness, and gender equality saw it rank highly.
3. Spain
Spain was in third place with a score of 6.53.
Its main strengths were cost of living and gender equality.
4. Australia
Although Australia has the slowest broadband of the top 10 countries, it makes up for it in the Gender Gap Index and Happiness Index.
This ensured it placed fourth with a score of 6.49.
5. Denmark
Denmark has the second-highest cost of living of the top 10 but its happiness rating was top of all the countries in the survey at 7.65.
It also scored well in broadband speed and gender equality.
There are ways to turn your fears into motivation.
PeopleImages/Getty Images
Fear is natural. It often just means you’re stepping out of your comfort zone.
If you let it to get the better of you, though, it can stop you getting ahead — in and out of work.
The founder of a professional development program, Raul Villacis, gave his tips to beat two fears.
Fear is a natural way of telling you that you’re leaving your comfort zone and you should pay more attention to what you’re doing.
It can become a major problem, however, if it starts to dominate your mind — it can lead you to make bad decisions, both in daily life and at work.
You may find that you’re too afraid to ask for a raise or that you’re too scared to start the business you’ve always dreamed of starting.
In situations like this, fear causes you to fail. Fortunately, there are ways to turn your fears into motivation.
Raul Villacis, entrepreneur, investor, and motivational speaker, explained in a video for Entrepreneur the two most dangerous types of fear in the workplace and how to use them as motivation.
Fear of not being good enough
The first fear is the fear of not being good enough. Villacis explained that this fear stems from our ancestors, who had to hunt for their survival.
“The fear that if they were not good hunters, they would die,” he said.
That same fear still exists today, even though we no longer have to go out and hunt for our food.
Overcoming this fear is all about understanding that you’re working towards a better future.
“Yes you’re going to mess up, yes you’re not going to be perfect, but at the same time find the edge, meaning can you create progress every day?” Villacis said.
“Your job is not to be the best today. Your job is to create progress,” he added.
Fear of not being liked
The second fear that can harm your career is the fear of not being liked.
The good news is that this fear can motivate you to be a good person or a good worker.
However, it’s also easy to fall into the trap of constantly seeking appreciation, and this will always leave you feeling that you’re not good enough.
According to Villacis, the trick here is to understand that the most important thing is that you like yourself.
“The most important person that you have to be one with, that you have to love, is yourself,” he said.
The key is to truly realize and accept one thing.
“I am not perfect. But I am a work in progress,” he said.
Leaked images showed Boris Johnson hosting a Christmas quiz in December 2020.
The gathering, held at Downing Street, appeared to violate COVID-19 rules at the time.
The images come as Johnson faces criticism over other reports of rule-breaking parties.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson hosted a Christmas quiz on December 15, 2020, apparently in violation of strict COVID-19 rules in place at the time, newly leaked images show.
The images, obtained by the Mirror, show Johnson at Downing Street seated beside two members of his staff. The outlet reported the quiz was held for Downing Street staff and was initially planned to be virtual, but one source said many participated in person instead.
Sources told the Mirror teams participated from different rooms at Downing Street, gathered around computers, while in one office there were four six-person teams present. Staff were drinking, did not discuss work, and hung around talking for hours after the quiz ended, the sources said.
They also said Johnson made a surprise appearance onscreen to host one round of the quiz for about 10 to 15 minutes, with the two staff members by his side.
At the time of the gathering, London was under Tier 2 COVID-19 restrictions, which banned social gatherings between members of different households. The rules also banned work Christmas parties that were primarily social events.
“Trust in leadership is a matter of life and death,” Ian Blackford, the Scottish National Party’s most senior member of Parliament, said after the reports. “The prime minister is responsible for losing the trust of the people. He can no longer lead on the most pressing issue facing these islands.”
“What I can tell you is that all the guidelines were observed,” he said. “I have satisfied myself that the guidelines were followed at all times.”
Johnson also faced criticism from his own supporters, Insider’s Thomas Colson reported, with one Tory MP saying the scandal will make it harder for the prime minister to lead his party.
Cabinet Secretary Simon Case is now leading an investigation into the multiple parties that have been reported in order to determine if COVID-19 rules were violated.
In his book, Geldrichtig, Müller explains that anyone can be a millionaire if they learn to think like a rich person.
Gary John Norman/Getty Images
Part of becoming a millionaire and achieving financial freedom involves having the right mentality.
Millionaire and best-selling author Phillip J. Müller said the key is conscious consumption.
You have to stop thinking that rich people are like the ones on TV and to start saving.
The only thing holding you back from being a millionaire is your own idea of what it means to be one, according to millionaire and best-selling author Phillip J. Müller.
In his book, Geldrichtig, Müller explains that anyone can be a millionaire if they learn to think like a rich person.
Movies and “get rich quick” stories have led people to believe that the rich do nothing but spend money and that all of their success is due to luck or fame.
The reality, according to Müller, is different.
Becoming a real millionaire means adopting a conscious consumer mentality: thinking about whether you really want what you’re going to buy and, if you need it, whether there’s a cheaper alternative.
Saving, avoiding debt, controlling impulses — these are just some of the steps you need to take to acquire this mindset.
Müller recommended getting into the habit of saving right away and applying it at all times.
“It’s about thinking about whether you want to spend that money today on your fifth pair of sneakers because you suddenly feel like you really need them, when in reality you’ll only use them once,” he said.
It’s a toss-up between short-term gratification and long-term contentment.
At first, you’ll probably have trouble understanding that you can save at all times. For example, Müller is against eating out entirely.
“Many people don’t realize how much money they can save if they choose to bring food and drinks from home to the office,” he said.
Müller explained that a coffee in a bar can cost you a few dollars while making your own at home will only cost you a few cents.
This is the kind of mentality that you need to gradually adopt.
There are many more tricks that you can use to save money in your day-to-day life. For example, it may be a good idea to review things like your Spotify or Netflix subscriptions.
2. Avoid any kind of debt
Take everything you’ve been told about saving and apply absolutely the opposite to debt. Don’t buy anything you can’t afford. It’s a simple rule that will also help you avoid whims.
“You want a smartphone, but you don’t have the money to buy it? Then don’t buy it,” explained Müller.
A lot of debt occurs when people become addicted to the fleeting pleasure that you get from making a purchase.
“Leave a note in your wallet that says — do I really need that? With time, you’ll start asking yourself that question, and then you won’t need the note anymore,” Müller said.
3. If you do have debt, don’t bury your head in the sand
Before looking for a quick fix to pay off debt, it’s important to take stock of the situation.
Otherwise, you may make the mistake of creating new debts to pay off old ones.
Müller said that you should write down all the debts that you have. Then think of an amount that you would be able to pay each month and calculate, based on this figure, how many months it would take you to pay the debt off.
Müller recommended using half of your money to pay debts and saving the other half.
Many would advise paying debt off before starting to save, but Müller disagrees.
“It’s about thinking like a wealthy person,” he said.
“Your wealth, however much it is, grows through saving,” he added.
4. Actively contact creditors
Müller advised being proactive and contacting your creditors before they contact you.
“This will set you apart from most debtors,” explains Müller.
If you can’t pay, it’s better to communicate this openly rather than waiting for them to call you to ask for explanations for non-payments.
He explained that if you disclose your financial situation honestly, the other party will usually make you a counteroffer, such as extending the payment period or waiving your interest.
This advice is even more important if the debt you owe is to someone you know.
“If you owe someone something, that will have negative effects in your life. Money isn’t just a medium of exchange; it’s an energy that flows.”
5. Avoid fake status symbols
When you think of a millionaire, you’re sure to picture them driving an expensive car and flaunting a watch that looks more valuable than your house.
These status symbols have nothing to do with the millionaire mentality.
The path to financial freedom is about consciously consuming, not spending big.
“Do you really need to spend two or three months’ salary to go on vacation somewhere far away, when you could rest so much better somewhere close to home?” Müller said.
6. Exercise self-control and be aware of temptation
Temptation looks different to each individual.
If you can’t control yourself during the sales, just don’t stroll past all the shops!
If online shopping is your vice, you could use apps to temporarily block your access to online stores.
Look for alternatives to the impulsive solutions that temptation offers you. If your cell phone isn’t working, see if you can have it repaired before buying a new one. Or maybe see if someone you know can let you buy or borrow an old one.
The Omicron variant of the coronavirus is spreading fast in the UK.
ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images
The Omicron variant appears to be spreading faster in the UK than in South Africa, experts say.
COVID-19 cases caused by Omicron are on course to hit 64,000 a day by Christmas, one expert estimated.
Omicron’s fast spread could be down to its ability to partially evade the immune response, early data suggests.
The Omicron variant of the coronavirus appears to be spreading faster in the UK than in South Africa, according to two infectious diseases experts.
COVID-19 cases caused by Omicron are doubling every 2.2 days in the UK, compared with every 3 days in South Africa, Trevor Bedford, associate professor in biostatistics, bioinformatics, and epidemiology at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, said on Twitter Wednesday.
Omicron, which emerged in southern Africa in November, spread rapidly in South Africa to become the most common cause of new COVID-19 cases in fewer than two weeks.
Bedford said seasonality may be “more favourable” for Omicron’s spread in the UK compared with South Africa, where the climate is warmer.
Professor John Edmunds, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said in a Webinar hosted by the Royal Society of Medicine Thursday that the spread of Omicron “might even be slightly faster” in the UK than in South Africa. The rate of spread in the UK was “really quite alarming,” he said.
Edmunds estimated that UK Omicron cases would hit 64,000 a day in two weeks’s time if the virus spread at the current rate. This would be in addition to infections caused by the Delta variant.
“Let’s say 1,000 infections today, and in a week’s time, you’ve got 8,000. And in two weeks time, you’ve got 64,000,” Edmunds said. “We may well have really significant numbers of cases of this virus by Christmas.”
Edmunds said it was “extremely likely” there were “much more” cases in the community than reported.
The UK has recorded 817 Omicron cases, according to UK Health Security Agency data published Thursday. The agency said in a statement Wednesday that it expected Omicron to become the most common cause of COVID-19 in the UK within two to three weeks.
The Omicron variant has 32 mutations in the “spike protein” – the part of the virus that attaches to cells and is the target for antibodies produced by infections and vaccines. Scientists can’t yet say conclusively whether the virus is inherently more infectious, how deadly it is, or how well existing vaccines will protect against it.
Experts have predicted that existing COVID-19 vaccines, particularly after an extra booster dose, should protect against severe COVID-19 caused by Omicron.
Early data from South Africa indicated the rapid spread of Omicron was down to its ability to partially evade the immune response from previous infection.
Bedford said initial infections seeded by travelers spread fast but the rate of spread tended to slow as the virus progressed through communities. He said he expected the spread of Omicron in the UK to slow and “become closer to what’s currently observed in South Africa” but cautioned a “significant Omicron wave” was “inevitable.”
Your cover letter can determine whether you’re offered an interview or not.
Many, however, find it difficult to write a compelling one.
Ian Siegel, CEO of ZipRecruiter, told CNBC how to stand out in the first line of your cover letter.
Cover letters can be time-consuming and, often, are one of the more frustrating steps in a job application.
That said, writing a good one can be the difference between being offered an interview or missing out.
In a survey of 200 recruiters by ResumeLab, 83% said that a good cover letter could land a candidate an interview even if their resume wasn’t strong enough on its own.
Ian Siegel, head of the US careers site ZipRecruiter, explained to CNBC what it’s important to include in a cover letter and how you can get recruiters excited about you.
First impressions count
A well-written cover letter should express your enthusiasm for the job and help the company get a better idea of your character. This is what many applicants find difficult.
According to Siegel, there is lots of bad advice out there on cover letters.
“It’s more of a demonstration of communication competency and [an] attempt to provide a short summary of your skills and experience,” he said.
Siegel also explained that a frequent mistake is using the cover letter to list your qualifications. This information is already on your resume.
It makes a better impression to first show interest in the other person, rather than talking about yourself. Talk about the company and why you would love to work there.
Convince them with your enthusiasm
The skill is to infect the recruiters with your enthusiasm in a short period of time. Ask yourself why you want to apply to this company. Perhaps they have a product or an idea that particularly excites you.
“Show enthusiasm, show you’ve done research, and show you want to come in there and make a contribution,” Siegel said.
He said you should start your cover letter with the following line: “I’m so excited to apply to this job because …”
This approach not only gives the company a chance to get to know you better, but it also helps you become clearer about which job particularly excites you and in which application you should therefore invest the most time.
The claws allow the robot to land and perch on a wide range of surfaces.
Getty Images / Javier Fernández Sánchez
Scientists developed a robot that mimics the way a bird perches.
It can be built with a single 3D printer.
It could be used for further research into nature or even to prevent fires.
After years of studying how to build robots that mimic animal-like abilities like flight, a team of Stanford University engineers has successfully built a robot with small artificial claws, according to Science Robotics.
Birds are capable of perching on almost any branch, regardless of size or weather conditions. They’re able to easily adjust their flight and no landing spot seems too difficult for them.
Stanford University engineers, Mark Cutkosky and David Lentink, were responsible for creating the robot. William Roderick, who also worked with them, said the project wasn’t all smooth sailing, however.
“It’s not easy to mimic how birds fly and perch,” Roderick told Stanford news.
“After millions of years of evolution, they make takeoff and landing look so easy, even among all of the complexity and variability of the tree branches you would find in a forest,” he added.
The claws allow the robot to carry objects and also to land and perch on a wide range of surfaces.
It took over 20 attempts to finalize the design
It’s a four-legged drone that, for now, is called the Stereotypical Nature-Inspired Aerial Grabber (SNAG).
The researchers studied the landing behavior of a particularly small species of parrot. This took place in a controlled environment where the parrots would fly between different perches of all different shapes, sizes, and materials.
Five cameras captured their movement in slow motion. The scientists also fitted the perches with sensors that captured the force associated with each takeoff and landing.
The legs of the robot were based on peregrine falcon legs, and instead of bones, it has a 3D-printed structure that took them around 20 attempts to get right.
During the pandemic, Roderick moved all the equipment, including the 3D printer, from Lentink’s lab at Stanford to rural Oregon in the northwestern United States.
The robot could help researchers study the environment
In doing so, he was able to establish that their robot isn’t only able to pick up and carry objects; in a real forest, it was able to land on all types of branches.
The potential applications of this robot are numerous. Roderick, whose parents are both biologists, is most interested in how it can be used to further research nature.
With a heat sensor, for example, the robot was able to provide valuable data for studying the weather in Oregon. It could therefore be used to monitor fires and potentially help to carry out search and rescue missions.
“Part of the underlying motivation of this work was to create tools that we can use to study the natural world,” said Roderick.
“If we could have a robot that could act like a bird, that could unlock completely new ways of studying the environment,” he went on.
The research has been funded in part by the US Air Force so only time will tell what plans lie in store for the robot.
The slide uses an imaging technique known as histoplasmonics.
Getty Images / Dan Kitwood
Researchers created a microscope slide that can detect cancer by simply “viewing” cells.
The NanoMslide can manipulate light on a nanoscale, “lighting up” cells in vivid colors.
It’s not limited to cancer cells, so could also be used to detect other diseases.
Australian researchers have developed a microscope slide, NanoMslide, that can detect cancer cells just by “looking” at them and identifying them in different colors.
The slide does this using an imaging technique known as histoplasmonics.
This technique can be used as an alternative or complement to current staining techniques; to work towards earlier and more accurate diagnoses of diseases like cancer, according to research published in Nature.
When analyzing biological cells under a microscope, artificial color is often added by staining.
These images aren’t usually very colorful. Color helps the human eye to distinguish the shape and arrangement of the tissue, determining whether it’s healthy or not.
Cancer cells tend to interact with light in a different way from healthy cells.
Shawn Green/Cleveland Clinic
Sometimes, however, cell structure alone can’t accurately identify a disease. This can result in misdiagnosis and potentially fatal consequences for a patient.
The team of scientists adopted a revolutionary approach to develop a diagnostic tool that could solve the problem.
Rather than focusing on developing a more powerful microscope, they modified the slide into a powerful sensor for breast cancer detection.
The slide was tested by pathologists specializing in this type of cancer using human tissue.
“We eventually reached the point where we could be confident some of the specific colors visible were indicative of cancerous cells,” two of the study’s authors told The Conversation.
The slide could pave the way for earlier cancer detection tools
Recovery from breast cancer depends largely on the progress of the disease when it’s diagnosed hence the importance of early diagnosis.
However, an accurate diagnosis of the early stages requires identifying a small number of diseased cells throughout the tissue, which can be complex. Advances in nanotechnology have made this less and less of a challenge.
Cancer cells tend to interact with light in a different way from healthy cells.
With this in mind, the scientists coated the surface of an ordinary microscope slide with a special nanofabrication, in order to transform it into a sensor capable of showing colors. This made a big difference.
Dyes currently used to display the shape of cells typically show one or two colors. In contrast, the NanoMslide can manipulate light at the nanoscale, causing cells to “light up” with vivid and contrasting colors. This makes it easier to recognize potentially cancerous cells within tissue on just a single slide.
Dyes currently used to display the shape of cells typically show one or two colors.
Getty Images / Callista Images
By providing a way to instantly distinguish which cells could be cancerous, the tool offers the possibility of great improvement for detecting breast cancer at an early stage.
That’s not the only potential it has.
As the technology doesn’t have a specific function, it could potentially be applied to other types of cancer or possibly even other diseases, the researchers said.
Another potential application the researchers are working on is looking at how the results of liquid biopsies like cheek swabs can be immediately analyzed at the point of care.
The technology could also be hugely beneficial for the growing digital pathology space, “where the vivid colors generated by NanoMslide could help develop next-generation artificial intelligence algorithms to identify signs of disease.”
The company’s first flying car, Jetson One, is already on sale.
Jetson/Youtube
Jetson One is a $92,000 flying car.
It can reach a top speed of 63mph and can run for 20 minutes.
You can purchase the car anywhere in the world.
If you’ve always dreamed of flying to work, that dream may very soon be a reality.
If you have $92,000, that is.
Companies are always looking for new market niches, and flying cars are quickly becoming the next big thing.
There are plans for cars that both fly and work on the road and for flying taxis that will aim to form the basis of future travel.
Jetson is one of these companies.
The company aims “to make the skies available for everyone with our safe personal electric aerial vehicle,” according to its website.
The company’s first flying car, Jetson One, is already on sale.
Jetson One has a maximum speed of 63mph thanks to its eight electric motors which generate 102 horsepower. The car can run continually for 20 minutes.
The car can take off vertically and remain airborne, although the company doesn’t specify the maximum altitude that the vehicle can reach.
The car can be controlled with a three-axis joystick, and there’s a throttle lever to adjust power.
No expense has been spared when it comes to safety. The chassis of the vehicle was inspired by the same technology used in race cars. The company also said that it will be able to fly even if it loses an engine. There is an emergency function that takes control of the aircraft, a LiDAR sensor capable of tracking the terrain to avoid obstacles, and a parachute with a rapid deployment system.
It’s already sold out for 2022 but Jetson has more deliveries scheduled for 2023. If you’re interested, you can reserve one online with a deposit of $22,000.
That isn’t all. It’s shipped as a partially assembled kit and so requires you to complete it at home.
