TEXTOS PARA O 1º COLEGIAL – CAD.04

NAPPLES PIZZA PROTECTED BY EU

            Pizza makers in Naples are celebrating after gaining official European Union recognition. It’s the end of a battle that began 25 years ago and is aimed at protecting Neapolitan pizzas from imitations.

            For 25 years pizza makers in Naples have been trying to get their product protected, and now it is, being granted a TSG, or Traditional Speciality Guaranteed label by EU. The head of the pizza makers’ association said the trademark was a great honour. The EU’s agriculture commissioner said Neapolitan pizza was now part of Europe’s food heritage.

            It means that all pizzerias aspiring to supply the real thing are, in future, supposed to be vetted by a special commission that will check standards. They include using only San Marzano tomatoes and fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese.

The Italian farmers’ association says that half of Italy’s 25.000 pizzerias currently use wrong ingredients, like East European cheese or Ukrainian flour.

            Italy now tops the EU chart for products that are protected. It has 180, more than Spain or France. Protected status enables producers to not only boast about their exclusivity but also charge a premium. And now pizza makers from Naples will get their slice of the action. 

                                                          

                                                                       (Duncan kennedy – BBC News, Italy)

GOOGLE TESTING SELF-DRIVING CAR

            Google is testing a car it believes is the future of motoring. The Internet giant has been testing the car that drives itself for several months. It has driven along thousands of miles of public roads in California. The car is guided by sensors, lasers and video cameras. A Google spokesperson explained to concerned motorists that the car has never been driven “unmanned,” and had test drivers, just in case things went wrong. The tech company says its vehicles are still “very much at the experimental stage”. Google’s interest in artificial intelligence is a sign that it wants to branch out beyond the web. It is an extension of its Street View project, in which millions of streets have been photographed and put online.

            Google’s blog said the company’s entry into the world of automotive technology is part of its plans to make the world a better place. “Larry [Page] and Sergey [Brin] founded Google because they wanted to help solve really big problems using technology,” it wrote. The blog continued: “One of the big problems we’re working on today is car safety and efficiency. Our goal is to help prevent traffic accidents, free up people’s time and reduce carbon emissions by fundamentally changing car use.” Google “CEO” “(Chief Executive Officer = OFICIAL CHEFE EXECUTIVO = PRESIDENTE)” Eric Schmidt said last month that it was unfortunate that cars were invented before computers: “Your car should drive itself; it’s amazing to me that we let humans drive cars,” he told reporters.

                                                                                  (breakingnewsenglish)

HOMELESS MAN IN CREDIT CARD HONESTY

            A homeless man in New York has repaid the trust paid in him by a woman who gave him her credit card. Jay Valentine, 32, was standing on a Manhattan street asking for small change when Merrie Harris, 45, lent him

her Platinum AmEx card. Onlookers were shocked to see the woman hand it over and walk off. Valentine said he bought deodorant, body wash, a pack of cigarettes and bottled water, all costing about $25. A short time later, he went back to the restaurant where Ms Harris was eating to return the card to her. For his efforts, he was awarded the title of Most Honest Homeless Man in the City. Valentine also received an offer from a New York-based airline to apply to be a flight attendant and $5,000 from an anonymous Texan.

            Ms Harris, an advertising executive, was also applauded for her act of generosity and trust. She told reporters she never doubted Mr Valentine would do anything dishonest with her card, saying: "What he did was no surprise to me.” She asked: “Are we only supposed to trust people we know?” Valentine said he never thought about abusing Harris’ trust in him: "I wasn't tempted at all. She trusted me, and I didn't want to violate that trust," he said. He added: "It sets a good example that people in need – like me - can and should be trusted." What is now in question is the security procedures of the store Valentine shopped in. Staff obviously did not check his signature or look at the photo id on the AmEx card.

                                                                                  (breakingnewsenglish

CANINE SUICIDE PUZZLE

             Can dogs commit suicide? That is the puzzling question being asked by dog lovers and animal behaviourists today in a small town in Scotland. At least five dogs are known to have leaped 13 metres to their deaths from a bridge in the town of Dumbarton. The bridge is now known as Rover’s Leap and is next to a  supposedly  haunted mansion  built in  1863, which was used as the location for a BBC TV series called Tales from the Madhouse. The latest suicidal canine completely distressed its owner by suddenly making a beeline for the bridge and jumping to its death. Animal psychologists are baffled at this abnormal behaviour and are keen to understand what is triggering it. Dogs are not like lemmings, which jump to their deaths in thousands, but are fully able to understand heights, just as humans are. Dogs would also have no reason to take their own lives  –  something unheard  of in the canine world, especially happy pet dogs from good families. All dog owners in the area have been advised to keep their dogs on a leash when they approach the bridge in future, until this mystery has been cleared up.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                               (braklinglishnewsenglish)

                                                            Sunbeds

            In the UK, a country known for its bad weather and lack of sunshine, therre appears to be na ever increasing number of very tanned young people. So just how are they achieving their golden tans? Some are opting for the sun-free otion and are getting their tan from a bottle. However, it appears that others are turning to tanning salons, of which there are thousands in the UK.

            So why do the British prefer to be bronzed? Often, they are trying to emulate their favorite celebrities, footballers, or footballers´ wives. Research from the British Sunbed Association suggets that many people believe a tan makes them feel and look healthier.

            This is a belief that is most definitely not shared by Cancer Research UK. They firmly state that being tanned is not a sign of health. In fact, they are strongly against young people using sunbeds. On their website, they state that people who use sunbeds before the age of 35 have a higher six of melonoma.

            The dangers of tanning did not appear to concern ten-year-old Kelly Thompson who hit headlines in April after receiving severe burns from spending 16 minutes on a sunbed. Kelly´s mother was horrified that her daughter had been allowed to use the sunbeds and that the tanning salon was unmanned. She noted that: “There was no one to give advice on using these potentially dangerous machines.”

            Whether THE British government has been taking heed of such recent tanning tragedies is not clear. What is clear however is that self-regulation in the sunbed industry looks unlikely to continue. Just after Kelly´s story was reported in the news, the government issued a statement advising that people under 18 should not use sunbeds and that all salons should be supervised by trained staff.

                                                                                  (News about Britain – BBC)  

THE RIGHT OF RETURN

            Recently, Nebraska introduced a low that allows parents to abandon their unwanted children in designated hospitals - no questions asked. The law was designed to help young women who had got pregnant by mistake to be able to give up their babies without fear of prosecution. However, the law was so vaguely defined that it effectively allows any parent to abandon any child up to the age of 18 at one of the hospitals. Numerous teenagers have already been dumped. For instance, one single father handed over nine of his ten children - aged between 20 months and 17 years old. Now people from out of state are taking advantage of the law. In October 2008 a 14-year-old girl from lowa was dumped in an Omaha hospital by her grandparents. That girl was eventually returned home but a week later a woman from Michigan drove for 12 hours in order to get rid of her 13-year-old son.

                                                                                  (THINKIN ENGLISH)

Technology

LIKE A CHILD WITH SENSE

BY KAY ITOI

Are you lonely? Do you have trouble getting up on time?

If you live in Japan, help is on the way. Starting this week, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will begin taking orders for Wakamaru, the world’s first communicative home-use robot. Those willing to pay $14,300 will get a one-meter-tall bright yellow companion who will follow them around, keep them on schedule, chatter idly and even worry if they get stuck in traffic.

Life with Wakamaru will be a lot like having a precocious child who likes to house-sit and never throws tantrums. In the morning, the robot will come to your bed to wake you at a preprogrammed hour. While you dress, he’ll recite the day’s headlines and advise if you should take an umbrella. He moves about smoothly on a wheeled pedestal, and will even see you off at the door. (cont.)

Technology

LIKE A CHILD WITH SENSE (CONT.)

Wakamaru’s enormous round eyes and childlike gestures are what first attract people, says Junji Suzuki, a Mitsubishi Heavy manager. The robot can recognize up to 10,000 words – and respond with phrases from “I love you” to “The typhoon season is here!” When he can’t make

sense of what you say, he beeps and inclines his head. The way he looks up at you ‘just melts you,” says Suzuki.

The robot goes wherever you go, following sound and movement. When you are relaxing on the sofa, he’ll come near and start talking nonsense – just like a real kid. But he’s less self-absorbed than most children; Wakamaru panics if you don’t get home by the promised time, and will send a message to your mobile. If you fail to respond, he’ll start contacting your family and friends. Wakamaru can also remember 10 faces and emits a warning when an unfamiliar figure enters.

Mitsubishi Heavy will ship just 100 units by the year-end, and depending on the response – which GOOD LIFE predicts will be enthusiastic – it will decide how much to expand production in the future.

Wakamaru will soon have some robotic friends – or rivals. Several Japanese high-tech giants, including Sony and Fujitsu, formed a consortium last year to develop domestic robots. Now, if only they could make one that does the laundry.

(Newsweek)

TEXTOS PARA O TRABALHO DO 3º COL – PEDERNEIRAS /SP

3º BIMESTRE - 2015

PROF. JAMIL

     BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE

Industries must radically cut the amount of materials they use, to combat resource shortages and climate change for a planet of nine billion people, according to a report for the Royal Society.

This discussion paper says the antidote to fears about resources is what’s known as material efficiency; that’s making the things we want, but with less material.

The researchers say we could use half as much cement in buildings, for instance, if we ________ and ______ them with more time and care. We don’t do it now because labour's dear and materials are cheap. We could drastically reduce steel in cars, if governments deterred the trend towards bigger, more powerful vehicles.

The researchers say material efficiency is vital for tackling climate change, too. For the UK, for instance, to generate enough clean energy so materials are produced in current quantities, would need the equivalent of a four-fold increase in nuclear power or a 40-fold increase in wind power. That’s barely feasible, they say, so resource efficiency is the only way ahead.

The researchers say the trick will be to make sure that good design allows people to continue getting the things they want but simply made from less. For the transition to happen fully they urge governments to shift taxation away from people and on to resources. This would be controversial but the researchers predict it will create jobs for people to manufacture goods in a more intelligent way.

(B.B.C.)

          NO. 1 DRINK IN THE U. S.

NEW YORK — It wasn’t too long ago that America had a love affair with soda. Now, an old flame has the country’s heart.

As New York City’s ban on the sale of large cups of soda and other sugary drinks at some businesses started on Tuesday, one thing is clear: soda’s run as the nation’s beverage of choice has fizzled.

In its place? A favorite for much of history: Plain old H2O.

For more than two decades, soda was the No. 1 drink in the U.S. with consumption peaking in 1998 at 54 gallons a year, according to Beverage Digest. Americans drank just 42 gallons a year of water at the time.

But over the years, as soda increasingly came under fire for fueling the nation’s rising obesity rates, water quietly rose to knock it off the top spot.

Americans now drink an average of 44 gallons of soda a year, a 17 percent drop from the peak in 1998. Over the same time, the average amount of water people drink has increased 38 percent to about 58 gallons a year. Bottled water has led that growth, with consumption nearly doubling to 21 gallons a year.

Stephen Ngo, a civil defense attorney, quit drinking soda a year ago when he started running triathlons, and wanted a healthier way to quench his thirst.

Ngo, 34, has a Brita filter for tap water and also keeps his pantry stocked with cases of bottled water.

“It might just be the placebo effect or marketing, but it tastes crisper,” said Ngo, who lives in Miami.

The trend reflects Americans’ ever-changing tastes; it wasn’t too far back in history that tap water was the top drink.

 (News-Sun)

    TECHNOLOGY

A Brazilian inventor has come up with a new gadget that converts your breath into electricity. This means breathing has become a source of renewable energy – at least while you are alive. Joco Paulo Lammoglia, from Rio de Janeiro, won the Red Dot design award for his AIRE device. His invention uses the wind flow created by breathing and changes it into energy that can power mobile phones and iPods. Tiny turbines in the AIRE charger create the electrical power from your breath. The device is worn like a mask and can be used while exercising or even when sleeping. Mr Lammoglia hopes his new creation will help protect the environment.

Lammoglia explained how useful he hopes the AIRE will become. He said: “I hope to bring the concept into production and reduce the carbon footprint. It can be used indoors or outdoors, while you’re sleeping, walking, running or even reading a book.” He also said his invention encouraged people to exercise as well as saving energy and the environment. He explained why he thought the AIRE was so useful, saying: “Though many of our modern gadgets offer benefits, they tend to use a high amount of electrical energy. Harnessing energy from human activities and transforming it into electricity is possible and is a great solution.” The product is not yet on sale but is sure to be a big seller when it does hit the shelves.

(breakingnewsenglish)

         CHIMPANZEE TANTRUMS

Scientists in the U.S. have found that chimpanzees become upset when they make the wrong decisions. Researchers from Duke University designed decision-making games for chimpanzees and bonobos, where the animals could win edible treats. Those that lost appeared to lose their temper. The Duke University team designed two games – one to test patience and the other assessing risk-taking.

The second was a sort of gambling game where the forty chimps and bonobos the team studied were offered a choice between a safe option – six peanuts hidden under a bowl – or a risky option. The second bowl concealed either a slice of cucumber or a much tastier piece of banana, and that prize wasn’t revealed until the ape had made its choice.

 When one chimp, named Timi, gambled and got the cucumber, he threw what looked and sounded very much like a tantrum. Although some were more stoic than Timi, many of the animals involved showed an emotional response to a bad decision – anxiously scratching themselves or calling out.

The study, the scientists say, suggests that emotions like frustration and regret – so fundamental to our own decisions – are not uniquely human, but are an important and ancient part of ape society.”

(BBC)

ENGLISH WORK

TEXTOS PARA TRABALHO - 3º COLEGIAL NOTURNO

3º BIMESTRE – 2015

PROF. JAMIL

TECHNOLOGY

            A Brazilian inventor has come up with a new gadget that converts your breath into electricity. This means breathing has become a source of renewable energy – at least while you are alive. Joco Paulo Lammoglia, from Rio de Janeiro, won the Red Dot design award for his AIRE device. His invention uses the wind flow created by breathing and changes it into

energy that can power mobile phones and iPods. Tiny turbines in the AIRE charger create the electrical power from your breath. The device is worn like a mask and can be used while exercising or even when sleeping. Mr Lammoglia hopes his new creation will help protect the environment.

            Lammoglia explained how useful he hopes the AIRE will become. He said: “I hope to bring the concept into production and reduce the carbon footprint. It can be used indoors or outdoors, while you’re sleeping, walking, running or even reading a book.” He also said his invention encouraged people to exercise as well as saving energy and the environment. He explained why he thought the AIRE was so useful, saying: “Though many of our modern gadgets offer benefits, they tend to use a high amount of electrical energy. Harnessing energy from human activities and transforming it into electricity is possible and is a great solution.” The product is not yet on sale but is sure to be a big seller when it does hit the shelves.

                                                                       (breakingnewsenglish

ECO CATASTROPHE PREDICTED IF WORLD DOESN’T ACT

            Smog will kill millions, primordial forest will be lost for ever and there will be a dramatic decline in biodiversity – these are some of the bleak possibilities outlined in a high level eco report.

            The Environmental Outlook to 2050 report was unveiled by the respected Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

            It looked at some potential consequences of current economic activity if nothing was done to change consumption, production patterns and population growth that are storing up problems.

            A troubling picture emerges with the report predicting that economic activity will increase fourfold, and energy consumption almost double, with most of that through increased consumption of fossil fuels. The report states this is why prime forest will be destroyed and more people will be killed by pollution.

            As the problems get worse from economic production so countries that rely on tourism will start to lose out as fewer people will want to travel from the comfort of their homes.

            It also paints a depressing view of animal species being made extinct and certain of the most vulnerable plant life being wiped out, which in turn will have a knock on impact on climate change and the planet’s ability to deal with pollution.

            Most alarming of all is the view that water shortages will get worse with parts of the world suffering prolonged periods of drought and what water there is being at far greater risk of being polluted.

            The report says that developed countries are going to have to take the lead in making changes if this doomsday scenario is to be avoided. Among a range of options are calls to back development of clean technologies, and heavy taxes on those who exploit ecosystems.

            It also proposes a radical agenda of improving education for women in the developing world and more contraception and information about birth control. The report also notes that the developed world has to take the first steps if booming countries like China, India and Brazil are to be persuaded to join in.

                                                                       (Isabelle Monte)

SHOULD WE REWARD SUCCESS?

            Society is wrong to reward and try to emulate the most successful people in business – or indeed any sector. Instead we should be lauding those who are talented, but not as successful. Those are the findings of new research from academics at two British universities, who say that ‘success’ is often predicated on luck, a factor which is out of people’s control.

            The message that society’s top performers are not the most skilled and shouldn’t be emulated, appears to be counter-intuitive. Yet this report says that those who appear to have achieved the most in their particular field of expertise are often the beneficiaries of luck, an external, random force.

            The authors of this study point to the example of Bill Gates, the cofounder of the computing giant Microsoft, and one of the world’s richest men. They say that although he is undoubtedly talented, he achieved his initial success because his affluent family were able to send him to a school where programming was on the curriculum – at a time when most Americans didn’t have access to computers. Family connections also helped, according to Professor Chengwei Liu from Warwick University Business School.

            That kind of luck is often at work in the lives of the most successful, argues Mr Liu, which means their achievements aren’t completely attributable to their own skill. Instead, he advocates looking at those whom he calls ‘the second best’. They aren’t relying on lucky chances, so their performances offer na opportunity to measure real success. The study also argues that there are dangers if colleagues try to emulate the achievements of those who’ve been overly fortunate.

            This could explain the global banking crisis, says Professor Liu, who also believes that studying the lives of people such as Bill Gates for tips on reaching the top is fruitless. Of course, some academics argue that individuals can in fact create their own lucky circumstances through using personal contacts and pursuing all available opportunities. This research though says that because those with the highest salaries haven’t

completely earned them through skill, they should be taxed more heavily – which would be very bad luck.

                                                                                  (BBC)

ENGLISH WORK

TEXTO PARA TRADUÇÃO - 1º COLEGIAL NOTURNO

3º BIMESTRE – 2015

PROF. JAMIL

HAMBURGERS

Why is it called a “hamburger” when there is no ham in it?       

Why is it “Where’s the beef” when it should be where’s the ham?

The answer is really quite simple: because Hamburg, Germany, made the first hamburgers.

However, the history of the hamburger is actually more complicated. Who actually invented the first hamburger remains a mystery.

Some say it was a group of nomadic people called the Tartars who tenderized their beef by placing it under a horse’s saddle – flattening it into a patty. Others believe it was the German immigrants who traveled to the United States during the 19th century bringing with them their favorite meal called Hamburg Style Beef – a raw chopped, piece of beef. Some argue Americans placed the first cooked beef patty on a roll at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1921.

Although beef is the most popular meat used in hamburgers, other meats such as pork and turkey have been used.

Ever since Bob’s Big Boy introduced the first double patty burger, new varieties of burgers have been created. Today people enjoy veggie burgers and turkey burgers, with many different toppings including lettuce, mushrooms, cheese, onions, tomatoes, ketchup, mustard, and pickles.

Hamburgers remain one of the most favorite foods among Americans today.

Ranking #1 among all restaurants with 26,000 stores in 119 countries, McDonald’s serves billions of hamburgers worldwide.

Holy Hamburger!

On average, Americans eat 3 hamburgers a week.

McDonald’s has sold 12 hamburgers for every person in the world.

60% of all sandwiches eaten are hamburgers.

                                                                                                                      (Cool Quiz)

ENGLISH WORK

TEXTO PARA TRADUÇÃO - 2º COLEGIAL NOTURNO

3º BIMESTRE – 2015

PROF. JAMIL

PANTANAL: A BRAZILIAN ECOLOGICAL SANCTUARY

            The world’s largest flood plain measures 230,000 sq. km. An area slightly smaller than Great Britain or seven times bigger than Holland. About 140 sq. km. of the Pantanal, a name derived from the world “pântano” which means swamp in Portuguese, are located on Brazilian territory.

            The rest of the morass land extends into Bolivia and Paraguay. Deep in central-west Brazil, the Pantanal is the world’s largest wetland. Tourists all over the planet travel to the Pantanal for a sightseeing safari. No one ever leaves the jungle disappointed. That region is a virtually unspoiled paradise for 650 species of exotic birds, 230 types of fish and variety of mammals and reptiles.

            There are more than 15,000 animal species to be observed. Partially covered by water for half a year, the region teems with relatively docile South American alligators, 20 foot sucuris (a snake related to the anaconda), capivaras (the world’s largest rodent, who weights around 30 kg), pumas, wild boars and rural deers, besides more than 600 species of exotic birds.

            The Pantanal has one of the richest and most interesting ecosystems. The region’s delicate ecology is protected by its remote position in the heart of South America. But, like the Amazon rainforest, its preservation is endangered. Ranchers, funds and government agencies fight to save the untouched fauna and flora of that unique natural paradise.

                                                                                  (www.estado.com.br)

    TOP 10 DON’TS WHEN STAYING IN A HOTEL

            Join Anthony Melchiorri, host of Hotel Impossible, as he gives you his list of the top 10 things not to do when checking in to a hotel. From treating the staff correctly to keeping your cool, you'll be sure to have an even more enjoyable escape by using his extensive checklist.

1. Don't yell at the staff. Ever.

2. Don’t tell anyone your room number. (A desk agent should point to your room number, and not announce it to the world.)

3. Don't get bent out of shape when the night desk agent asks to see your “new friend’s” identification.

Additionally, do not let a hotel employee into your room if they do not have an I.D.

4. Don't blame hotel staff for stealing your stuff. My personal experience is that the guests eventually find 99% of the items that guests report stolen from their rooms. However, it is your right to ask the manager to call the police to file a police report.

5. Don’t order from room service if you notice the pages are dirty and torn. Don’t order if the menu reads “Winter Menu” when it's spring.

6. Don’t use the bathroom washcloths to take off your makeup or shine your shoes.

7. Don't throw anything in the room garbage if you don't want the hotel staff to know about it, including insulin needles (or any needle) without properly disposing of it.

8. Don’t abuse the privilege of late checkout. If you really need one past 1:00 p.m., ask for the manager.

9. Don’t leave your luggage unattended in a hotel lobby – even for a second.

10. Don't be embarrassed! Call the hotel after you’ve checked out, and they will send your forgotten laundry.

BRAZIL CAN OVERTAKE FRANCE AND BECOME

                                   WORLD’S 5TH LARGEST ECONOMY

            The Brazilian economy became the 6th largest in the world last year, surpassing the U.K., and is likely to reach 5th next year, overtaking France.

            The forecast by the U.K.’s EIU (Economist Intelligence Unit) consultants show that Brazil is rising quickly in the rank of largest economies.

            “Such development would seem unlikely five years ago, but they reflect how the wealthiest economies were affected by the crisis and how the Brazilian economy has been expanding, boosted by the export of commodities,” says EIU senior economist Robert Wood.

            “The changes also reflect a stronger Brazilian real.” Although the Brazilian expansion in 2011 was considered weak, 2.7%, it was higher than the U.K.’s, 0.8%.

            Such expansion made Brazil’s GDP, measured in dollars, surpass the U.K.’s by a small margin.

            The same is likely to occur regarding the French economy. The EIU forecasts that Brazil will grow 3.3%, while France’s economy will be stagnant. Exchange rates will help Brazil surpass France.

            EIU forecasts that the Brazilian real will be stable compared to the dollar, while the euro will devalue. With the changes, the Brazilian economy will only have a lower GDP than the U.S., China, Japan and Germany.

            The economic data forecast involves significant risks. But analysts say that Brazil’s rise in the rank of largest economies is very likely to happen.

The forecast of Indian economist Arvind Subramanian, however, shows that, despite its growing economy, Brazil’s participation in the world’s GDP will be stagnant until 2030, close to 3.3%.

            That is because Brazil will grow more than the developed countries, but less than other emergent ones. The figures are from a recent book by Subramanian, “Eclipse: Living in the Shadow of China’s Economic Dominance”.

            Subramanian says that indicator is important because it is used, for example, to measure the countries’ voting power at the IMF.

            Economist Otaviano Canuto, vice-president of the World Bank for Poverty Reduction, agrees that the importance of countries’ economies to the global GDP can help to increase their influence.

            Canuto says, however, that the most important aspect of Brazil’s advance in the rank of largest economies is the evolution of the per capita income: “What is crucial is Brazil becoming a high income country.” The Brazilian per capita income was about one third of the U.K.’s and less than 30% of the U.S.’s in 2011.

                                                                                                          (Folha.com)

        SENDER OF TEXT MESSAGE MAY SHARE BLAME IN CAR CRASH

MORRISTOWN, N.J. – A woman who repeatedly texted her boyfriend as he drove from work could be held liable in a civil suit if a judge Friday refuses to dismiss her as a defendant.

            David and Linda Kubert of Dover, N.J., initially sued Kyle Best of Wharton, N.J., after he changed direction abruptly and hit them on Sept. 21, 2009, as they rode their motorcycle. Each lost a leg in the wreck, and Best pleaded guilty earlier this year to using a cellphone while driving, careless driving and failure to maintain a lane in Montville (N.J.) Municipal Court.

            But the Kuberts’ lawyer, Stephen “Skippy” Weinstein, amended his lawsuit to include Shannon Colonna, then 19, as someone who aided in Best’s negligence even though she wasn’t in the vehicle.

            Cell phone records revealed during the suit’s process show the pair exchanged more than two dozen texts during the day but stayed off the phone for about five hours while Best worked, Weinstein said.

            In a deposition, Colonna said she didn’t know whether Best was driving when she texted him after work.

            “The sender of the text has the right to assume the recipient will read it at a safe time,” Joseph McGlone, Colonna’s lawyer, said earlier this month in Morris County Superior Court. He knows of no court ruling anywhere in the country that says the sender of a text is liable if the receiver causes injury while reading the message.

            “It’s not fair. It’s not reasonable. Shannon Colonna has no way to control when Kyle Best is going to read that message,” McGlone said.

            As punishment for his traffic offense, Best was ordered to speak to 14 high schools about the perils of texting and driving and to pay about $775 in fines.

            Right before the crash, Best said he glanced down at his phone to see who had sent him a message.

            A time sequence of the exchanged texts that was read in court showed he was the last to text before the crash. Best texted Colonna seconds before 5:48 p.m. She responded 31 seconds later. Best texted her back, and seconds later he called 911 to report the collision.

            “She may not have been physically present, but she was electronically present,” Weinstein said.

            Superior Court Judge David Rand said he expects to decide Friday on whether to keep Colonna in the suit.

                                                                                  (USA Today – Adapted)

PARALYSED MAN TAKES HOPEFUL FIRST STEPS

            A medical breakthrough has given hope to millions of people who are unable to walk. Doctors pioneered a special procedure that electrically stimulated the spine of ex-athlete Rob Summers. Mr Summers, 25, was paralysed below the chest in a hit-and-run car accident in 2006. Professor Susan Harkema, of the Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, gave the revolutionary treatment to “dead” nerves in Mr Summers’ spinal cords. He was able to move his legs and toes and take a few steps with the help of a walking frame. Dr Harkema said: “This is a breakthrough. It opens a huge opportunity to improve the daily functioning of individuals but we have a long road ahead.” She said this is “going to have a major impact” on people with disabilities.

            The treatment is called epidural stimulation. It has taken over three decades of research to get to this stage. The process works when electrical signals go round the brain to tell the spinal cord what to do. The signals allow the limbs to function independently of the brain. Mr Summers said the treatment has been life-changing. “This procedure has completely changed my life. For someone who for four years was unable to even move a toe, to have the freedom and ability to stand on my own is the most amazing feeling,” he said. He added: “My sense of well-being has changed. My physique and muscle tone have improved greatly. Most people don’t even believe I’m paralysed.” Five other patients are also taking part in the trial.

                                                                                  (breakingnewsenglish)

FACEBOOK ORGAN DONORS

            Facebook users in the United States and Britain will now be able to show on their page whether they wish to donate their organs. The hope is that it will encourage more people to register as organ donors.

            Nearly 7,000 people in the United States die each year while waiting for an organ transplant and around 10,000 people in Britain are on the waiting list for an organ. With the huge numbers of Facebook members in both countries, the social networking site hopes its foray into social

engineering will make a big impact.

            An American liver transplant director at a major hospital, Dr Andrew Cameron, called it a historic day and speculated it may well eliminate the problem of people dying while waiting for a transplant.

            As well as registering as donors, people are posting their personal stories of why they are donating. Debbie

Greenwood from Manchester, 336 friends: “My 5-year-old grandson had a combined liver and kidney transplant 18 months ago, his life is now 100% better and we are eternally grateful to the donor family, ___________ we have met.”

            Facebook says the initiative is about ___________ it easier on families, as they are more likely to know their loved one’s donor status in advance. It’s also about encouraging people who may have ___________ about it, but not got around to it or who might be inspired to donate if they find out that their friends are doing it. The British site already has nearly 70,000 Facebook likes and climbing.

                                                                                                          (Leana Hosea)

          RIO FAVELAS CRIME CLAMPDOWN

            Brazilian security forces occupied one of the biggest slums in Rio on Sunday. The operation was part of a major clampdown on organized crime ahead of the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.

            Authorities in Rio launched a fresh attack on organised crime by taking over the Mangueira slum close to the city's famous Maracana Stadium.

            Around 800 police and Special Forces occupied the slum without firing any shots. The vast majority of residents co-operated fully with the authorities; they want their community pacified and free of drug dealers.

            The police had pre-announced the raid, a strategy that gives criminals the chance to leave the area rather than being confronted in densely populated areas. Rio's authorities are making an effort to win the trust of those living in the slums who after decades of abuse have got used to seeing the police as their enemy.

            The Mangueira is the 18th slum in Rio to be reclaimed by the authorities. But there is still a lot to be done. With hundreds of slums known as "favelas" still in the hands of organised criminals, drug dealers have vast areas in which to hide and thrive.

                                                                       (BBC News – June, 2011)

WHO SAYS ONE BILLION PEOPLE DISABLED

            A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) says the proportion of disabled people in the world is rising. It estimates around 15 per cent of the global population has some form of disability – that’s one billion people. This figure has increased from 10 per cent in the 1970s. The World Report on Disability says about one in five of the 15 per cent, nearly 200 million, suffer from a severe disability. WHO directorgeneral Dr Margaret Chan warned: “In the years ahead, disability will be an even greater concern due to ageing populations and the higher risk of disability in older people as well as the global increase in chronic health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and mental health disorders.”

            One of the most worrying conclusions of the report is that the disabled are more likely to face discrimination in the future. The WHO says the disabled will have greater problems finding work and accessing healthcare. The report authors say disabled people are three times more likely to be denied healthcare than other people in developed countries. The WHO’s Tom Shakespeare said: “The clear message from the report is that there is no country that has got it right.” Dr Chan said: “Almost every one of us will be permanently or temporarily disabled at some point in life. We must do more to break the barriers which segregate people with disabilities, in many cases forcing them to the margins of society.”

                                                                            (breakingnewsenglish)

 JAPAN’S RADIATION PHONE

There is still widespread public concern in Japan following the nuclear meltdown at Fukushima in 2011. Now one of the country’s mobile networks is planning to launch a phone with a built-in radiation monitor, BBC correspondent Roland Buerk reports. Japanese mobile phones are known for their advanced features – they can be used to swipe through barriers at train stations, watch television, or even measure body fat and tell the users if they have bad breath. Now Softbank, a major mobile network, has launched a handset with a built-in Geiger counter. It has a button that users can press to see how much radiation they are being exposed to. Sales are likely to be driven by widespread fear over the meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear power station in 2011. Many Japanese say they don’t trust reassurances from the Government and the plant’s operator, TEPCO. Sales of conventional Geiger counters have soared and in some places people have clubbed together to buy expensive equipment to check for radiation in food. Softbank is yet to announce a price for the radiation-monitoring phone, which will be released in the summer, saying only that it will be affordable.

 (BBC – Adapted

HIV HOME TESTING

A panel of scientists in the United States has recommended that a home testing kit for the HIV virus be approved for sale. The experts unanimously backed the ground-breaking product, known as OraQuick, after concluding that it would help identify carriers who are currently unaware that they are HIV positive. If the panel’s recommendation is adopted by the Food and Drug Administration, OraQuick will become the first instant HIV test available over the counter in America. Using a mouth swab to detect the presence of antibodies, it delivers a result in just twenty minutes. In home trials, the product proved 93 per cent accurate, compared with 99 per cent accuracy when similar tests are conducted by medical professionals. Supporters say the kit would advance the fight against HIV Aids by encouraging more people to test for the virus in the privacy of their own homes. Currently, almost a quarter of a million Americans are believed to be HIV positive without realising it - that’s roughly a fifth of all infections. Researchers estimate that, each year, the new test would identify an additional 45,000 carriers of the virus and avert four thousand new transmissions. But the panel also advised that the packaging should carry warnings about the variable accuracy of home-testing, and a toll-free phone number offering counselling to those testing positive. There are already other home tests on the US market. But they require a blood test which must be sent to a laboratory for analysis. Last week, another FDA panel recommended for the first time a drug to protect healthy people from _____________ HIV.

 (BBC – adapted)