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Wednesday, February 4, 2009
A new historic physics record has been set by scientists for exceedingly small writing, opening a new door to computing‘s future. Stanford University physicists have claimed to have written the letters “SU” at sub-atomic size.
Graduate students Christopher Moon, Laila Mattos, Brian Foster and Gabriel Zeltzer, under the direction of assistant professor of physics Hari Manoharan, have produced the world’s smallest lettering, which is approximately 1.5 nanometres tall, using a molecular projector, called Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) to push individual carbon monoxide molecules on a copper or silver sheet surface, based on interference of electron energy states.
A nanometre (Greek: ?????, nanos, dwarf; ?????, metr?, count) is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one billionth of a metre (i.e., 10-9 m or one millionth of a millimetre), and also equals ten Ångström, an internationally recognized non-SI unit of length. It is often associated with the field of nanotechnology.
“We miniaturised their size so drastically that we ended up with the smallest writing in history,” said Manoharan. “S” and “U,” the two letters in honor of their employer have been reduced so tiny in nanoimprint that if used to print out 32 volumes of an Encyclopedia, 2,000 times, the contents would easily fit on a pinhead.
In the world of downsizing, nanoscribes Manoharan and Moon have proven that information, if reduced in size smaller than an atom, can be stored in more compact form than previously thought. In computing jargon, small sizing results to greater speed and better computer data storage.
“Writing really small has a long history. We wondered: What are the limits? How far can you go? Because materials are made of atoms, it was always believed that if you continue scaling down, you’d end up at that fundamental limit. You’d hit a wall,” said Manoharan.
In writing the letters, the Stanford team utilized an electron‘s unique feature of “pinball table for electrons” — its ability to bounce between different quantum states. In the vibration-proof basement lab of Stanford’s Varian Physics Building, the physicists used a Scanning tunneling microscope in encoding the “S” and “U” within the patterns formed by the electron’s activity, called wave function, arranging carbon monoxide molecules in a very specific pattern on a copper or silver sheet surface.
“Imagine [the copper as] a very shallow pool of water into which we put some rocks [the carbon monoxide molecules]. The water waves scatter and interfere off the rocks, making well defined standing wave patterns,” Manoharan noted. If the “rocks” are placed just right, then the shapes of the waves will form any letters in the alphabet, the researchers said. They used the quantum properties of electrons, rather than photons, as their source of illumination.
According to the study, the atoms were ordered in a circular fashion, with a hole in the middle. A flow of electrons was thereafter fired at the copper support, which resulted into a ripple effect in between the existing atoms. These were pushed aside, and a holographic projection of the letters “SU” became visible in the space between them. “What we did is show that the atom is not the limit — that you can go below that,” Manoharan said.
“It’s difficult to properly express the size of their stacked S and U, but the equivalent would be 0.3 nanometres. This is sufficiently small that you could copy out the Encyclopaedia Britannica on the head of a pin not just once, but thousands of times over,” Manoharan and his nanohologram collaborator Christopher Moon explained.
The team has also shown the salient features of the holographic principle, a property of quantum gravity theories which resolves the black hole information paradox within string theory. They stacked “S” and the “U” – two layers, or pages, of information — within the hologram.
The team stressed their discovery was concentrating electrons in space, in essence, a wire, hoping such a structure could be used to wire together a super-fast quantum computer in the future. In essence, “these electron patterns can act as holograms, that pack information into subatomic spaces, which could one day lead to unlimited information storage,” the study states.
The “Conclusion” of the Stanford article goes as follows:
| According to theory, a quantum state can encode any amount of information (at zero temperature), requiring only sufficiently high bandwidth and time in which to read it out. In practice, only recently has progress been made towards encoding several bits into the shapes of bosonic single-photon wave functions, which has applications in quantum key distribution. We have experimentally demonstrated that 35 bits can be permanently encoded into a time-independent fermionic state, and that two such states can be simultaneously prepared in the same area of space. We have simulated hundreds of stacked pairs of random 7 times 5-pixel arrays as well as various ideas for pathological bit patterns, and in every case the information was theoretically encodable. In all experimental attempts, extending down to the subatomic regime, the encoding was successful and the data were retrieved at 100% fidelity. We believe the limitations on bit size are approxlambda/4, but surprisingly the information density can be significantly boosted by using higher-energy electrons and stacking multiple pages holographically. Determining the full theoretical and practical limits of this technique—the trade-offs between information content (the number of pages and bits per page), contrast (the number of measurements required per bit to overcome noise), and the number of atoms in the hologram—will involve further work.—Quantum holographic encoding in a two-dimensional electron gas, Christopher R. Moon, Laila S. Mattos, Brian K. Foster, Gabriel Zeltzer & Hari C. Manoharan |
The team is not the first to design or print small letters, as attempts have been made since as early as 1960. In December 1959, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman, who delivered his now-legendary lecture entitled “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom,” promised new opportunities for those who “thought small.”
Feynman was an American physicist known for the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics, the theory of quantum electrodynamics and the physics of the superfluidity of supercooled liquid helium, as well as work in particle physics (he proposed the parton model).
Feynman offered two challenges at the annual meeting of the American Physical Society, held that year in Caltech, offering a $1000 prize to the first person to solve each of them. Both challenges involved nanotechnology, and the first prize was won by William McLellan, who solved the first. The first problem required someone to build a working electric motor that would fit inside a cube 1/64 inches on each side. McLellan achieved this feat by November 1960 with his 250-microgram 2000-rpm motor consisting of 13 separate parts.
In 1985, the prize for the second challenge was claimed by Stanford Tom Newman, who, working with electrical engineering professor Fabian Pease, used electron lithography. He wrote or engraved the first page of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, at the required scale, on the head of a pin, with a beam of electrons. The main problem he had before he could claim the prize was finding the text after he had written it; the head of the pin was a huge empty space compared with the text inscribed on it. Such small print could only be read with an electron microscope.
In 1989, however, Stanford lost its record, when Donald Eigler and Erhard Schweizer, scientists at IBM’s Almaden Research Center in San Jose were the first to position or manipulate 35 individual atoms of xenon one at a time to form the letters I, B and M using a STM. The atoms were pushed on the surface of the nickel to create letters 5nm tall.
In 1991, Japanese researchers managed to chisel 1.5 nm-tall characters onto a molybdenum disulphide crystal, using the same STM method. Hitachi, at that time, set the record for the smallest microscopic calligraphy ever designed. The Stanford effort failed to surpass the feat, but it, however, introduced a novel technique. Having equaled Hitachi’s record, the Stanford team went a step further. They used a holographic variation on the IBM technique, for instead of fixing the letters onto a support, the new method created them holographically.
In the scientific breakthrough, the Stanford team has now claimed they have written the smallest letters ever – assembled from subatomic-sized bits as small as 0.3 nanometers, or roughly one third of a billionth of a meter. The new super-mini letters created are 40 times smaller than the original effort and more than four times smaller than the IBM initials, states the paper Quantum holographic encoding in a two-dimensional electron gas, published online in the journal Nature Nanotechnology. The new sub-atomic size letters are around a third of the size of the atomic ones created by Eigler and Schweizer at IBM.
A subatomic particle is an elementary or composite particle smaller than an atom. Particle physics and nuclear physics are concerned with the study of these particles, their interactions, and non-atomic matter. Subatomic particles include the atomic constituents electrons, protons, and neutrons. Protons and neutrons are composite particles, consisting of quarks.
“Everyone can look around and see the growing amount of information we deal with on a daily basis. All that knowledge is out there. For society to move forward, we need a better way to process it, and store it more densely,” Manoharan said. “Although these projections are stable — they’ll last as long as none of the carbon dioxide molecules move — this technique is unlikely to revolutionize storage, as it’s currently a bit too challenging to determine and create the appropriate pattern of molecules to create a desired hologram,” the authors cautioned. Nevertheless, they suggest that “the practical limits of both the technique and the data density it enables merit further research.”
In 2000, it was Hari Manoharan, Christopher Lutz and Donald Eigler who first experimentally observed quantum mirage at the IBM Almaden Research Center in San Jose, California. In physics, a quantum mirage is a peculiar result in quantum chaos. Their study in a paper published in Nature, states they demonstrated that the Kondo resonance signature of a magnetic adatom located at one focus of an elliptically shaped quantum corral could be projected to, and made large at the other focus of the corral.
Friday, May 25, 2018
On Wednesday, the US National Football League (NFL) announced adopting a new policy of fining the clubs if their athletes knelt during the national anthem. Per the policy, athletes who do not wish to stand for the anthem are now permitted to stay in the locker room. Under the new policy, the commissioner can “impose appropriate discipline on league personnel who do not stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem.”
According to commissioner Roger Goodell, in their meeting in Atlanta NFL owners reached a unanimous decision. In the statement, Goodell said, “It was unfortunate that on-field protests created a false perception among many that thousands of NFL players were unpatriotic […] This is not and was never the case.” Per the earlier policy, athletes had to be present on the sidelines of the field during the anthem.
Since 2016, when former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started kneeling during the pre-match national anthem in a protest against racial discrimination, police brutality and shooting of African-Americans by policemen, multiple athletes have joined the protests taking a knee when the US national anthem — The Star-Spangled Banner — was played. Kaepernick then said, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour”.
The NFL Players Association said the NFL did not consult them before announcing the policy. The day before the NFL’s statement, the clubs agreed to donate 90 million US dollars (USD) to initiatives for social justice.
Eric Reid, a former teammate of Kaepernick who also took a knee during the national anthem, said, “I needed to use a platform to speak out for other people who didn’t have a voice. So I joined Colin in protesting the issues in this country, which include police brutality, systemic oppression of black and brown people”. He added, “This is not about disrespecting the military or the anthem. This is a way for me to bring awareness around these issues in our country.”
The new policy now allows the clubs to devise their own provisions for fining or suspending the players. New York Jets’ chairperson Christopher Johnson said, “There will be no club fines or suspensions or any sort of repercussions. If the team gets fined, that’s just something I’ll have to bear.”
Owner of San Francisco 49ers Jed York abstained from voting for the NFL policy in Atlanta.
Former US president Barack Obama, in September 2016, said Kaepernick was “exercising his constitutional right”. Current US president Donald Trump, in September 2017, called the athletes who knelt during the national anthem unpatriotic and “disgraceful”. Trump also said, “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out, he’s fired.'”
Regarding the new policy, Malcolm Jenkins, a defensive back for the Philadelphia Eagles, said, “What NFL owners did today was thwart the players’ constitutional rights to express themselves and use our platform to draw attention to social injustices like racial inequality in our country. Everyone loses when voices get stifled.” His teammate Chris Long, who donated USD one million to charity last season, wrote on Twitter, “This is fear of a diminished bottom line. It’s also a fear of a president turning his base against a corporation. This is not patriotism. Don’t get it confused.”
Retired quarterback Sage Rosenfels tweeted saying, “I hope the NFL decides to completely stop all concession stand sales during the anthem as well. We wouldn’t want people buying a $10 beer and an $8 hot dog during our sacred anthem. All TV camera crews must stop filming and direct attention at the flag too. Just seems fair.” He later added, “Forced patriotism is the opposite of freedom.”
About the new policy, Trump told Fox News, “You have to stand, proudly, for the national anthem or you shouldn’t be playing. You shouldn’t be there. Maybe you shouldn’t be in the country”.
The NFL Player’s Association said the union will “review the new ‘policy’ and challenge any aspect of it that is inconsistent with the collective bargaining agreement.”
Monday, October 15, 2007
2007 Intel Developer Forum Taipei, held at Taipei International Convention Center, started at October 15-16. With the great technology trends of wireless networking, this time, Intel Global led Navin Shenoy, Anand Chandrasekher, Shmuel Eden, and Gadi Singer talked about the WiMax, productive quantity of 45nm technology, and the development of mobile technology.
Forecasting the WiMax Forum by Taipei Computer Association (TCA) next week, Intel Taiwan invited Mei-yueh Ho (Chairman of Council for Economic Planning and Development) to introduce M-Taiwan and the future of WiMax in Taiwan.
“Not only WiMax, laptop manufacturers will respect on functions such as compatible with High-Definition Videos, power saving, hardware mobilization. In the future, UMPC should be conjuncted with GPS, PDA, and laptop computer and it should mainly have lots of useful functions such as entertainment, mobility, performance, and wireless communication. This is the future object what manufacturers should do.” Navin Shenoy mentioned.
“The mobile platform of UMPC will not ‘Windows only’, with the participation of Asianux by Red Flag of China, HAANSOFT of Korea, and Miracle Linux of Japan, the UMPC competition will be in a great change. So not only Asianux platform, but Ubuntu will be available in the future.” Gadi Singer remarked after the showcase of non-Windows UMPC.
After the Opening Keynote, the VIPs summarized topics on 45nm fabs, UMPC, and mobility. Intel predicted that the development of microchip will take effect on the trend of UMPC, it needs the integration on software and hardware contributors and WiMax technology. With the sequences above, the mobility of UMPC will be speed up.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
In an opinion piece published by CNN on Tuesday, Georgetown University law student and women’s rights advocate Sandra Fluke insisted she will not allow slurs from critics to silence her and other women from continuing to speak out on issues regarding women’s health and contraception.
Fluke has faced slurs and personal attacks after speaking before the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee in the United States House of Representatives about women’s health and contraception. She was called a “slut” and a “prostitute” by talk radio show host Rush Limbaugh. In response to these attacks, Fluke has received public support from women, members of the media, and politicians including the President of the United States.
| Attacking me and women who use contraception by calling us prostitutes and worse cannot silence us. | ||
In her piece for CNN, Fluke took the opportunity to thank her supporters, writing, “By now, many have heard the stories I wanted to share thanks to the congressional leaders and members of the media who have supported me and millions of women in speaking out.” She characterized the “opponents of reproductive health access” who issued personal attacks against her as being motivated by an attempt to change the topic of conversation away from a dialogue about women’s health, and “to silence women’s voices regarding their own health care.”
Fluke wrote that the efforts by some to drown out women from speaking out about women’s health were unsuccessful. She came to this conclusion due to the multitude of positive comments and encouragement sent to her by both female and male individuals urging that contraception medication be considered a medical necessity.
Asserting that she would not remain silent on this issue of women’s health, Fluke wrote, “Attacking me and women who use contraception by calling us prostitutes and worse cannot silence us.”
She noted that a significant majority of women have utilized contraception medication, and commented that there exists a social disconnect between politicians attempting to make it more difficult for women to access this type of health care, and the views of society-at-large about the matter: “Restricting access to such a basic health care service, which 99% of sexually experienced American women have used and 62% of American women are using right now, is out of touch with public sentiment.”
Fluke concluded her piece by emphasizing that those in power should not govern based on ideology: “I am proud to stand with the millions of women and men who recognize that our government should legislate according to the reality of our lives — not for ideology.”
After being banned by Congressman Darrell Issa from speaking before a Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing on February 16 which consisted mainly of male panelists, Fluke appeared before a meeting of the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee convened by Minority leader of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi on February 23.
Fluke spoke to the committee about the need for contraception to be covered by health care plans offered by employers, as a matter integral to women’s health. She cited multiple cases where women take contraception medication as part of their health care for treatment of medical conditions unrelated to birth control, including two women who suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome, a woman who is afflicted with endometriosis and another who takes contraception in order to prevent seizures.
| Time and time again, women have been silenced in this discussion, a discussion about our own very personal health care decisions. | ||
Speaking before the United States Senate on February 17 along with fellow members Patty Murray, Kirsten Gillibrand, Barbara Boxer, and Charles Schumer, Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire expressed her support for Fluke. Like Fluke, Senator Shaheen pointed out the need not to silence the voices of women in the public government debate about women’s health care: “Time and time again, women have been silenced in this discussion, a discussion about our own very personal health care decisions.” Senator Shaheen concluded her remarks with an explanation as to why she believes women should have significant representation in discussions about their health care: “Women deserve a voice in this debate because, after all, in the end this is about our health and it is about a health care decision that is between women, their families, their doctors, and their own faith.”
President Barack Obama called Fluke on March 2 to express his support for her courage to speak out on issues of women’s health. In his first press conference of 2012 on March 6, he discussed his reasons for deciding to call Fluke.
The President cited his personal thoughts about his own two daughters: “And the reason I called Ms. Fluke is because I thought about Malia and Sasha [Obama’s daughters], and one of the things I want them to do as they get older is to engage in issues they care about, even ones I may not agree with them on. I want them to be able to speak their mind in a civil and thoughtful way. And I don’t want them attacked or called horrible names because they’re being good citizens.”
President Obama went on to state that Fluke served as a positive role model for citizen participation in democracy and society: “And I wanted Sandra to know that I thought her parents should be proud of her, and that we want to send a message to all our young people that being part of a democracy involves argument and disagreements and debate, and we want you to be engaged, and there’s a way to do it that doesn’t involve you being demeaned and insulted, particularly when you’re a private citizen.”
Thursday, June 11, 2009
The remains of three children were discovered in a bucket at a home at 1302 Sandford Street in London, Ontario in Canada on Saturday, June 6, 2009. The bodies were in an advanced state of decomposition, so much so that it was originally thought to be a single corpse until further investigation revealed that it was actually the remains of three children.
“He came outside and told everybody he discovered this bucket,” a neighbour of the resident who discovered the remains, told CBC News. “He said his girlfriend had this bucket for two years with gardening stuff in it, and he opened it on Saturday, and it was [filled with] bloody clothes and a blanket, and he called the police.”
“Due to the decomposition it was difficult to see that there was more than one there. The bodies have been decomposing, it could be over a number of years,” said London Police Detective-Superintendent Ken Heslop, “We won’t know anything until, I’m hoping, Thursday or Friday, depending on how long the examinations take.”
Jennifer Sinn, 32, a former resident of the building has been charged with concealing a child’s body and offering an indignity to a dead human body. Neighbours have described her as a recluse staying to herself with parents delivering meals to her. Neighbours have also come forward saying that a young child about one year old has not been seen for awhile and that there had also been two older children. Police are seeking any further information in the case.
There is no report of charges against the man who called the police to report the bodies, who is believed to be the ex-boyfriend of Sinn, who is charged with the crime. Reportedly, she had moved out of the building two weeks prior to the discovery of the bodies.
The London police are following up with local police at various locations where the young lady had resided before.
The provincial forensic pathology unit in Toronto, Ontario will undertake the full autopsies.
Constable Amy Phillipo said, “The investigation into the cause and manner of death of the three infants is continuing.”
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has found evidence of hydrated silica or opal, a form of mineral, over large areas in the Martian surface, including in the large martian canyon called Valles Marineris. The discovery was made by the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer (CRISM) instrument on the orbiter. The findings are published by Ralph Milliken of Jet Propulsion Laboratory and other scientists in the November issue of the journal Geology.
Opaline minerals were first found recently on Mars by Spirit rover in the Gusev crater. The present find points to more widespread occurrence of the minerals in comparatively younger strata of Mars. The find indicates that liquid water might have been present on the surface of Mars for a longer time than previously thought. The previous view was that liquid water disappeared from the Martian surface three billion years ago. Now it is estimated that water could have been present as late as two billion years ago.
The presence of opal not only indicates water, but also that it was there long enough to alter some of the rocks. CRISM, which detected the mineral measures visible and infrared reflection spectra in 544 channels and has 20 times better resolution than previously deployed instruments.
| This is an exciting discovery because it extends the time range for liquid water on Mars, and the places where it might have supported life. | ||
Hydrated minerals such as opal that indicate presence of water is yet another evidence of presence of liquid water on Mars. Opal found on Earth’s surface usually contain 3 – 10% water, but can be as high as 20%. Other water-bearing minerals found earlier are phyllosilicates and hydrated sulfates. Presence of liquid water is also suggested by suspected water-sculpted land forms on Mars, such as gullies and river channels. Currently water is present only as ice at both polar caps of Mars.
A number of outcrops of opaline minerals are found as thin layers over large distances, rimming the Valles Marineris canyon. It is expected that Martian explorations for past or present life will have to focus on similar younger terrains with hydrated minerals.
“This is an exciting discovery because it extends the time range for liquid water on Mars, and the places where it might have supported life,” said Scott Murchie, from Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Maryland, one of the co-authors.
Prince William of Wales, the second in line to the British throne, and Kate Middleton will today be married at Westminster Abbey in London. Thousands of people are expected to line the streets of the city as the couple travel through the capital to the Abbey, and then back to Buckingham Palace, and millions are thought to be planning to watch the event on television around the world. Wikinews will be following the royal wedding as it happens on this live blog; you will be able to contact us with your thoughts throughout the day on the comments page, on our Twitter page, or on Facebook.
Good morning and welcome to live updates of the royal wedding of Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton. Wikinews will be following the events throughout the day and you can contact us with your opinions as the wedding progresses either on our website, or on Twitter or Facebook. The wedding service will begin later this morning, and William and Kate's family will be in attendance at the Abbey. After the service the royal couple will travel to Buckingham Palace for the wedding reception, and the bride, groom, and both their families including Elizabeth II, will appear on the balcony.
One of the biggest questions around the Abbey right now is what dress Kate will be wearing. It'll only be revealed when she leaves her hotel near Buckingham Palace later this morning—9:51 UTC to be precise—but there have already been some interesting developments. British newspaper The Telegraph has reports that a woman, disguised by a large headpiece, jumped out of her car and into the hotel yesterday evening—their are suspicions she might be the designer. She was apparently wearing several clothes favoured by Sarah Burton, the late Alexander McQueen's creative director. During the ceremony, Kate will pledge to "love, comfort, honour and keep" her husband, but not to "obey" him.
We're just getting some breaking news from Buckingham Palace. After the wedding, William will be given the titles Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus; Kate will become the Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Strathearn and Baroness Carrickfergus.
Crowds are continuing to gather in London as the guests begin to arrive at the Abbey, and television images are now coming from inside the building in Westminister for the first time since it was transformed for the wedding. A red carpet now runs from the entrance to the alter and it is lined with field maple trees—it is understood Kate wanted to link the service with nature.
The armed forces prepare for the royal wedding in London. Image: John Pannell.
The armed forces prepare for the royal wedding in London. Image: John Pannell.
1,900 guests will be in the Abbey for the ceremony today, including Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha Cameron, along with other senior British politicians including William Hague, Nick Clegg, and George Osborne. The opposition leader Ed Miliband has also been invited. Senior defence officials, representatives from 50 countries—including Denmark, Greece, Malaysia, Spain, Abu Dhabi, Australia and New Zealand—have also been invited. Celebrities including David Beckham and Victoria Beckham, Rowan Atkinson, Ian Thorpe and Gareth Thomas, will also be in attendance.
William, accompanied by Prince Harry, has arrived at Westminster Abbey flanked by police guards. They were driven from Clarence House to the Abbey in Westminster to cheers from the crowds lining the route, many of whom were waving the Union Flag. William, dressed in the red uniform of Colonel in the Irish Guards arrived at the venue for the ceremony to the tolling of the bells in celebration. The Middleton family—not including the bride—are now on their way to the Abbey in a car escorted by a police motorcycle guard. Carole Middleton, the bride's mother, is reported to be wearing a sky blue dress designed by Catherine Walker. Members of the royal family are now travelling from Buckingham Palace in minivans, which are now heading up the Pall Mall towards the Abbey.
Elizabeth II, dressed in yellow, is now being driven to the Abbey to cheers from the crowds lining the streets. Kate Middleton is expected to leave her hotel in London in a few minutes. In some news just coming through the wires, Wikinews understands a suspicious vehicle has been found near the hotel where Kate is preparing for the wedding. Hundreds of members of the public were evacuated from the area and the road was closed. One police officer said: "We think the car might contain a bomb". We'll have more on this as we get it.
Kate Middleton has arrived at Westminster Abbey in a dress which we are now able to confirm was designed by Sarah Burton. She is now walking down the aisle, hand-in-hand with her father, followed closely by the bridesmaids and pageboys. William and Harry are stood at the front.
William and Kate are now saying their wedding vows. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, asked if anyone knew of any lawful reason why they should not be married, and there was silence. Kate lifted her wedding veil as she reached the altar; according to one report William told her: "You look beautiful."
The Archbishop pronounces them man and wife.
The choir is now singing a piece composed especially for this wedding by John Rutter. Kate's brother, James Middleton, has just given a reading in a clear, strong voice. "Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly," he read. During the reading William and Kate continued to smile at one and other.
The ceremony is continuing, and the congregation are now singing "Jerusalem". After an address from the Bishop of London, the choir sung a piece by Paul Mealor, who has said the piece was inspired by "the sixth century Christian hymn that was normally sung at the service for the washing of the feet on Maundy Thursday." They then read the Lord's prayer.
Having signed the legal documents which confirm their marriage, the couple walk up the aisle, hand-in-hand, and outside to the open-topped carriage which will take them to Buckingham Palace.
Escorted by members of the household cavalry, the newlyweds travel through the streets of London on the 1902 State Landau. The crowds cheer a and wave the Union Flag as the couple pass down Whitehall. Despite fears, the rain appears to have held off and the day remains sunny.
William and Kate have arrived at Buckingham Palace where they will have official photographs taken before they emerge onto the balcony in approximately one hour.
A journalist who was inside the Abbey as the wedding took place has described the service as "very joyous". He said,
Thousands of people are now heading down the Pall Mall for Buckingham Palace, where Kate and William will emerge onto the balcony in about five minutes.
William and Kate step onto the famous balcony for the first time as a married couple to a crowd of thousands—and make the famous kiss. They are followed by Elizabeth II, and other members of the royal family and the Middleton family, onto the balcony. Down below, the onlookers wave Union Flags and cheer the newlyweds.
A Lancaster bomber, flanked by a Hawker Hurricane and a Supermarine Spitfire, have flown over Buckingham Palace in a tribute to the Battle of Britain. They were quickly followed by two Eurofighter Typhoon fighters and two Panavia Tornado.
Kate's dress was one of the most anticipated parts of the wedding, and everyone watching was kept in the dark until the last minute. As she stepped from the car and into the Abbey, it was announced that the designer was Sarah Burton, who worked as the creative director for the late Alexander McQueen. In a statement this afternoon, she said,
Elizabeth II is now hosting a lunch reception at Buckingham Palace, where 10,000 canapes will be served alongside the wedding cake—which has been kept just as secret as the dress. It has now emerged it is made up of 17 individual fruit cakes, which form eight tiers. Decorated with white icing and cream, it boasts more than 900 individually iced flowers. Guests have also begun to describe the wedding. "Like everybody in England I wish them all the very best," said George Tupou V, the king of Tonga, who was in the Abbey during the ceremony. "I think this wedding marks a page in England's ancient and distinguished history. It's a glorious day for England, I think."
We now have a bit more on that bomb threat near the hotel where Kate was staying. Police initially cordoned off an area near the hotel after finding a suspicious vehicle, and a hundreds of people—from members of the public to journalists and photographers—were evacuated. "Clear the area immediately for your own safety," police officers shouted at the crowd. Two minutes after the area was cordoned off the dog squad arrived. One police source confirmed there were fears the vehicle, a blue Volkswagen estate, was a car bomb. Ten minutes later, officers removed the blockades, and allowed people back into the area. There's been no word yet from the Metropolitan Police as to what happened, and whether the car posed any threat to the public. We'll bring you any official statement as soon as we get it.
William and Kate have left Buckingham Palace in an old Aston Martin, with the numberplate JU5T WED. William—is unexpectedly driving himself and his new wife—with no security staff in the vehicle. As the car left the gates for Clarence House, just down the road, a Royal Air Force Sea King helicopter—similar to the aircraft William flies as his job as a search and rescue pilot—flew overhead. The Metropolitan Police are now estimating as many as one million people were in London today to see the wedding procession.
There's been some intense debate on the comments page over why the wedding should be such a major event. One reader said they would "never understand the world's obsession with these affairs" when armed forces servicemen and servicewomen were "dying around the globe, and we are all swooning over some tart's dress." One commenter said British taxpayers should not be forced to pay for the "lavish" event:
David Cameron, the Prime Minister, has given his thoughts on the ceremony, which he attended with his wife Samantha. Singing the hymn "Jerusalem", he said, it felt like "the roof was going to lift off—there's no greater country and better place to be than right here, right now". He added, "Although it was a grand occasion, that was a family wedding moment. It was incredibly intimate and moving."
A man was detained earlier under the terrorism act today and then later released without charge after being spotted by police taking what one report described as "suspicious photographs" on Whitehall. It is understood he was taking photographs of police officers and transport locations, and was subsequently arrested. Two horses of the cavalry also went awry today after their riders fell off. Although one of the horses returned to its trailer at the cavalry base, the other ran wild before being stopped by a police officer. Meanwhile, we've managed to get a photograph of William and Kate standing on the balcony at Buckingham Palace, flanked by the royal family on the right and Kate's family on the left.
Approximately 300 close family and friends of the newlywed royal couple will be arriving at Buckingham Palace later this evening for a private party. For the members of the public partying and celebrating across the country, they can keep on going for three days because Monday is the May day bank holiday. Meanwhile, a verger has been caught cartwheeling down the aisle at Westminster Abbey after the guests had left; a spokesperson for the Abbey told reporters he would not be getting into any trouble, and said he "was very pleased the service had gone according to plan, and was expressing his exuberance".
Saturday, January 14, 2017
At 1:30 a.m. on Thursday morning the United States Senate voted to include the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, as part of a budget blueprint. This procedural measure allows most of Obamacare to be repealed by a simple majority rather than the usual requirement of 60 out of the senate’s 100 votes and effectively prevents the use of filibuster.
“We’re working with legislative leaders at this very moment to begin to craft legislation that will repeal the most corrosive elements of Obamacare — the individual mandate, the taxes, the penalties — but at the same time, moving separate legislation that will allow us to introduce the kind of reforms in American health care that’ll lower the cost of health insurance without growing the size of government,” said Vice President-elect Mike Pence.
Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington had a different view, going so far as to call this “stealing health care from Americans.”
The filibuster is a last-ditch tactic in which parties opposed to a certain motion refuse to relinquish the floor until their opponents give in or compromise.
Although the 51-48 vote was mostly along party lines, some Republicans have expressed uncertainty about repealing Obamacare before a replacement system is worked out. Although president-elect Donald Trump has called for a “repeal and replace” plan, saying that a new health care system would be enacted “almost simultaneously,” many in government and the press have expressed doubts about whether this would actually happen.
Senator Susan Collins of Maine said she would like to at least see a well-constructed plan before voting and Senator Johnny Isakson of Georgia said repealing Obamacare without replacing it was “unacceptable.” These concerns were shared by members of the House of Representatives. “We need to be voting for a replacement plan at the same time that we vote for repeal,” added Representative Mark Meadows of North Carolina. Representative Tom MacArthur of New Jersey agreed, saying, “We’re loading a gun here. I want to know where it’s pointed before we start the process.”
Anna Merlan of Jezebel and Anthony Taylor of the Associated Press dismiss Trump’s timeline as “impossible” given the complicated nature of U.S. congressional workings. Senator Collins agreed, saying “I don’t see any possibility of our being able to come up with a comprehensive reform bill that would replace Obamacare by the end of this month. I just don’t see that as being feasible.”
The Affordable Care Act, which is often cited as a key accomplishment of the Obama administration, has had a mixed reputation, and many conservatives believe a market-based health care system would be more flexible and efficient and less costly, and many believe that the Affordable Care Act only passed because of Obama’s later discredited pledge that no one who liked their current health plan would have to switch. Matt O’Brien of The Washington Post claims a large tax cut that would result for the wealthiest 1% of citizens if Obamacare funds were not converted to other purposes, estimated at about $32,820 annually per person by the Tax Policy Center, is also a significant motive.
Republican Senators set a date of January 27 to repeal Obamacare, according to NBC News. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California says legislation repealing Obamacare and replacing it could ready by late February. According to Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders, as many as 30 million people could lose their health insurance if the ACA is repealed.
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Read Information Below,Your Watch Could Wear Longer
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When we finally choose one watch and prance out of the room to show people,we often meet some problems,such as in summer,we feel uncomfortable and itchy,or watch time error,what should we do to deal with these trouble.Don\’t upset,following will help you in some certain. 1. The case or strap just as close-fitting clothing, is direct contact with the body skin, if we do not clean dust on clothes, it is easy to get clothes cuffs dirty, also easy to cause skin itchy, skin allergy, so we must keep clean. When you take off watch, use soft cloth lightly to wipe watch body, strap and buckles etc, which can prolong wearing time. Silicone strap use note: as the silica gel is a very soft material, when watch bands pass metal buckles, please do not force band head part,we\’d better push gently, this can prolong service life. a 2. What shall I do if we appear inch or allergic reaction? Please loosen band to increase air flow because physical and health vary from different person , the condition of itchy skin and skin allergic is also different, the situation can be divided into the following two types: one is allergic to metal, watch itself namely strap has rust, dirt and sweat could cause skin allergic phenomenon if skin appears unusual phenomenon, please stop wearing and send to hospital as soon as possible. a 3.how to collect and maintance watch? When watch is worn on the wrist, to keep a certain accuracy. All need to be adjusted to meet range of 5 -35 ,hence, under the different temperature, the accuracy accordingly will be affected, as long as back to the normal temperature, the accuracy will then be normal. Avoid watch be placed near strong magnetic wave (TV, acoustics, magnetic gas necklace etc). Temperature below -10 or higher than-60 will reduce watch performance, and even stop working phenomenon. Avoid to place close to all kinds of solvent [including ethanol and gasoline], mercury, cosmetics spray, lotion, glue or paint. Avoid soaking in hot springs, or drawer of insect-resistant agent and other special circumstances. 4. Can you please tell me about waterproof performance? Waterproof watch uauslly on watch back is marked with WATER RESIST, non waterproof does not have it. Seiko waterproof watch can be divided into three categories, routines, common life reinforcing waterproof and diving waterproof. The non waterproof watch when we wear non waterproof watch, please avoid direct contact with the water, if water drops on watch, please as soon as possible wipe off the water. if leave aside, on the hornbook, besmirch or rust could produce. On the condition of mass sweat or using water. Daily life waterproof (WATER RESIST 3 BAR) it can prevent sweat, rain or drops when washing face. Although it can prevent spout water drop,not applicable to the bath, swimming, diving, etc. Daily life with reinforcing waterproof (WATER RESIST 5 BAR. 10 BAR. 20 BAR.) it can be used in these movement (swimming, surfing, etc.) or snorkeling. Diving used waterproof (WATER RESIST 100 m. 200 m) it can be used in snorkeling or scuba diving. According to the different diving depth,watch more can be divided into air diving used waterproof, saturated waterproof, professional diving (600 m-1000 m) used waterproof function. Attention of watch waterproof please avoid car washing spout , strong force tap water,shower heads and so on high pressure direct impact. Watch attached water condition, please do not operate rado replica watches
head if attached water on watch. Excessive soap or hair cream may accelerate the gasket degradation, please pay special attention. For hot spring contains some ingredients could lead to discoloration and corrosion and metal gasket deteriorating , don\’t take with bath. Watch waterproof rubber ring will lose waterproof function after two years, we recommended to replace apron.
5. A periodic maintenance and check-up is recommended? In order to be able to use for a long time, we encourage users about 2-3 years to do a adjust check-up (at one\’s own expenses). Periodic inspection can prevent injuries caused out of our eyes, let you use more secure. Check the oil state, sweat, or moisture infiltration, you can send distribution shops to repair in according with the inspection status. Urethane material will have the special material elastic variation, hardening phenomenon, please replace strap to the dealer or SEIKO. 6. How to maintain leather strap? Leather strap compared with metal bracelet, the damage caused by the sweat and water is bigger, please as soon as possible with strong water imbibition soft cloth to wipe the fake Chopard Watches
. Take off watch, please place in ventilated places. In summer season, we can loosen strap, improve permeability. About one finger loose degrees for ideal. Due to long-term exposure to sunlight,strap discolors easily, please try to avoid long-term packing in the car. Rubber soft plastic
replica omega watches
in use with 2 ~ 3 years later, material may be hardening or fade. Especially in long-term wet state.Or long-term exposure to direct sunlight, the degradation will happen faster, and even appear fracturing or cracking phenomenon, so we should try to avoid the environment referred .
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Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Ernest Krajniak from Chilton, Wisconsin in the United States has been charged with arson after a lit cigarette ignited gasoline soaked clothes, setting his apartment ablaze.
On Friday April 3, Krajniak, 47, cleaned his entire apartment with about five gallons of gasoline, wiping everything down with the soaked clothes. After he was finished, he piled the soaked clothes in the center of his bedroom, lit a cigarette and then threw what was left of the still lit cigarette, into the pile.
Krajniak never called the fire department and never pulled the alarm. Instead he yelled ‘fire’ a few times then walked to the police station where an ambulance took him to a local hospital for the treatment of minor burns. The fire department later arrived to put out the blaze and his apartment was extensively smoke damaged. 11 other apartments were also damaged, leaving the occupants without a place to stay for at least a week.
“I should have never used that,” said Krajniak during a court appearance on Monday. He admitted to knowing that gasoline was highly flammable. He was arrested and his bond has been set a US$2,500. Krajniak’s next court appearance is scheduled for Monday, April 13. According to WISinfo.com, Krajniak has no prior criminal record.
The careless smoking of cigarettes has been blamed for thousands of fires across the U.S. In January 2008, an unnamed elderly woman in Buffalo, New York was receiving oxygen for medical problems in her home and lit a cigarette and began to smoke it. The oxygen coming from her mask then facilitated the ignition of her clothing, setting her on fire.
In the U.S. in 2002, only 4% of all residential fires were reportedly caused by smoking materials. These fires, however, were responsible for 19% of residential fire fatalities and 9% of injuries. The fatality rate due to smoking is nearly four times higher than the overall residential fire rate; injuries are more than twice as likely. Forty percent of all smoking fires start in the bedroom or living room/family room; in 35% of these fires, bedding or upholstered furniture are the items first ignited.