2013
Year of the Snake
Islamic calendar 1433-34

World population 7,000 million
Academy Awards - "Oscars" - no longer given out
Retirement age lifted by five years
World Wide Web celebrates 20th anniversary; nostalgic Internaut reunion
Armed attempts to enter Europe from Africa

Cultivation and care of Wrapit packaging plants (Brassica oleracea canadiensis)
World Allergy Organization demands Dustaway ionisator/vacuum system in all public buildings
Many countries oppose UN-enforced male contraceptor - riots in Central Africa
Finland closes schools
Beyond Passion experience-expanding hypnostimuli trigger epileptic seizures
Ultrasound umbrella is year's Xmas hit, but that trendy steam-cloud doesn't come cheap!

From "Care of commercial utility genetec plants" 2013

Cultivation and care of Wrapit packaging plants (Brassica oleracea canadiensis)

Kiev Geophysics and Biomechanics Institute (KGB) Manual 3381/2013

Background

Wrapit (Brassica oleracea canadiensis) is a plant of the family Cruciferae (after its cross-shaped flowers), to which belong the cabbages, turnip, and cress. It was developed in Canada using genetic manipulation from wild brassica strains that normally grow on the British and French coasts facing the English Channel. The aim of the plant is to help solve the persistently worsening problem of packaging waste disposal.

A total of eight different variants of Wrapit plants have been developed thus far, for use as preform materials in packaging. After use, the plant can either be composted or fed to domestic animals.

The grower faces only two significant dangers

Wrapit is not a particularly demanding plant in terms of its location, but conditions must remain stable if the packaging is to become of uniform quality and size. If the preforms do not meet industry standards, then the losses may rise too high in terms of the productivity potential of the plant.

In other words: to ensure profitable cultivation, the plant should be grown under glass or in otherwise controlled ambient temperature, light and humidity conditions (Tested values are presented in Appendix 4 below). The allowed packaging sizes are specified in the EU Directives, Vol 2013. Ch. 23, Sections 10-44, see Appendix 5).

Even today there are isolated reports of naturally-existing cabbage-moth (Mamestra brassicae) populations, in spite of the time and resources spent on eradicating this pest. If cabbage moths or their larvae are found to be present in the packaging cabbage crop, it is recommended that growers use one of the biochemical bacteria developed for their removal (e.g. Biobrass or Killerbug). Speed is of the utmost importance, as if inspectors observe holes in more than 0.5% of the Wrapits in a batch, the entire batch will be rejected and incinerated. It is understandable that industry is unwilling to use leaky packaging. Wrapit strains have so far been developed as preforms for boxes (six sizes, B1 - B6) and for shrinkwrapping (two sizes, W1 & W2). Work is reportedly under way on the development of a tubular variant.

In particular it is recommended that W-type Wrapits be kept off the ground by means of nets, as they are as flexible as light cloth, and are highly susceptible to mould damage if they come in contact with damp earth. B-type Wrapits require careful handling as seedlings, as the box seams are very fragile at this stage. The intention is that in time a form of packaging plant will be developed that also contains beneficial nutrients and tastes good. This could then be used with instant foods and smartmeals in such a way that the packaging is eaten alongside the dish itself. A further research direction is towards raising the natural oil content of cabbage plants, in such a way that the packaged food could be cooked in the packaging's own oil without the smell of cooked cabbage that many people find unacceptable and which the elderly still associate with George Orwell's novel 1984. Scientists believe in the potential success of this last-mentioned product because of the recent trend towards a return to old-fashioned frying in the making of gourmet meals.

In future, plant developers will also be paying increasing attention to coloured variants of Wrapit, as many consumers have complained that the leaf-green packaging is dull and even somewhat nauseating.

Appendix 1: Hologram images of Wrapit variants, cabbage-moth, cabbage-moth larva. Appendix 2: 3-D examples of suitable hothouse models. Appendix 3: Various model calculations of cost-structure, potential productivity/profit per hectare, and tax optimization for growers of Wrapit plants. Appendix 4: Ambient microclimate values: humidity, mean temperature, light, and soil pH. Appendix 5: EU Directives, Vol. 2013. Ch. 23, Sections 10-44.

Further details from our online counselling staff at: sat.web kd-435-kgb-eu.

WAO Press Release, for publication after 00.00 UT, 9.1.2013

World Allergy Organization demands Dustaway ionisator/vacuum system in all public buildings

The World Allergy Organization is recommending to the WHO that the Dustaway ionisator and vacuum system be made compulsory in all public buildings.

The WAO is naturally seriously concerned at the increasing numbers of allergy and asthma sufferers worldwide. Whilst the most serious problem lies in the growth of new chemical compounds, various dusts and airborne particles are nevertheless a major factor in causing discomfort, particularly to asthma, bronchitis and sinusitis sufferers. The WAO has calculated that around EUR 200,000 million goes to the treatment of asthma-related complaints each year. This does not include the enormous costs of lost working-hours.

The University of Liverpool and the Consumer Association have together developed a device which radically reduces the level of airborne dust in indoor climates. The device has been patented, and is known as Dustaway.

The basic operating principle is simple: the ionisator instrumentally boosts the negative ion content of the ambient air, causing the negatively charged dust particles to fall to the floor. Heating elements in the floor contain two charges moving from wall to wall across the space. The first - negative - charge lifts the dust slightly clear of the floor, while the following positive charge carries it to the wall where it is removed by vacuum suction. According to field tests the device can remove with a single sweep as much as 80% of the dust particles in a small space, and more than 60% even in large areas such as concert- or sports halls.

The WAO points out that the problem of fumes, dust and other irritants has meant that a large number of asthma sufferers can no longer attend large concerts, sports competitions, or mass events such as trade fairs except virtually by means of the datanets. Many asthmatic children are also at risk from dust present in indoor sports and recreational areas such as gymnasiums. The Organization has calculated that for instance in the EU countries the costs of treating asthma patients could be radically reduced if public spaces were to be fitted with Dustaway systems.

Many asthma sufferers, and in particular the parents of children with the complaint, not to mention those who are tired of the endless round of vacuuming and dusting in the home, will also be pleased to learn that their lives may be made easier in years to come. In spite of fierce opposition from the manufacturers of conventional vacuum cleaners, development is well under way for a household version of the device.

Further details are available from Marian Innovitsh, Chief Information Officer of the WAO, on sat.web.UN-11-947-WAO.inno

Question to Marian Innovitsh on sat.web

Exactly how can the World Allergy Organization guarantee that the electrical charges present in the air and under the floor are not themselves equally hazardous to people's health?

Engine Stop Newsletter sat.web.SI-90-640-RA

Answer to the above

Ionisators and ionisation therapy have been used in air cleaning and filtering since the 1980s and have not been found to cause any ill-effects. In fact the opposite is true: the real dangers lurk in the dust particles floating in the air we breathe. Equally, the underfloor charges are so weak that they have not been shown to cause any adverse effects. On the other hand, some problems have been encountered, in that even these weak charges can affect low-current cabling, for instance for communications or loudspeaker systems. Warnings of this are nevertheless given to all those purchasing and installing the equipment.

Marian Innovitsh sat.web.UN-11-947-WAO.inno

Compumedia 30.7.2013

Many countries oppose UN-enforced male contraceptor - riots in Central Africa

In several countries pressure from angry males is preventing enforcement of the United Nations' programme to reduce population growth.

The opposition has even sparked rioting in some states. Governments in Kenya, Upper Volta (formerly Burkina Faso), Mali, Burundi, and Bangladesh have all been obliged to give in to public pressure. In these countries the UN Resolution has not been carried through and male contraceptor legislation has been stalled or cancelled altogether.

The cause of the conflict is a microscopic nanocomputer, approximately 0.4mm in length, the B-Timer. The computer is a secondary element backing up the main thrust of the UN contraception programme, the male AntiSperm Contraceptor, with which a man can individually control the "safe" period for sexual intercourse. In certain countries, however, population growth is so rapid that the UN and the World Bank have demanded that all males be fitted with a compulsory B-Timer. When the B-Timer and the AntiSperm are hooked up together, the wearer himself cannot determine the length of the contraceptive period, but this is governed for example by the local health authorities.

In those countries where the nanocomputer has prompted the greatest resistance, male fertility has traditionally been regarded as the litmus-test of manhood. Hence in these areas the device has been dubbed the "ManEater", a play on the proprietary name for the well-known potency autopack ManMaker.

The World Bank is refusing to grant loans to those countries who do not fall into line behind the UN's programme. The UN ruling on the issue demands for instance that medical authorities in the countries concerned must calibrate the B-Timers in such a way that men can only father children every third year. The programme is staggered so that one-third of the male population will be eligible for fatherhood next year, one-third in 2015, and the remainder in 2016.

Officials also expected trouble from India, but the Indian government has succeeded in bringing almost the entire male population behind the project. The secret of the government's success was apparently in the award of cash bonuses to men taking the B-Timer, and the promise of free admission to virtual bordellos during their infertile years.

AntiSperm is a cheap contraceptive device. The 2cm-long thin capsule contains in concentrated form the equivalent of six years' production of natural contraceptive hormones. If the capsule is not connected to a B-Timer, the wearer himself can regulate the dosage with a remote control device. Since the device is being turned out in huge numbers and with the finiancial support of the UN, the unit cost has fallen in one year from over EUR 100 to just EUR 12.

The UN became seriously concerned with population overheating in the wake of the introduction of ManMaker in late 2009. ManMaker became immensely popular and spread rapidly all over the world. As a result, the birth rate in certain countries rose even further to alarming levels and increased the imbalance in the world's population. Today population figures are increasing once more in the OECD countries with the rise in average life expectancy, while in the developing world the problem is still one of high birth rates.

The UN itself has not been immune to disputes over the B-Timer. For example at a recent session of the General Assembly the Burundi Prime Minister Jacques Toyi roundly condemned the male contraceptor as madness and a direct consequence of the female and "feminazi" majority that has risen to power in many countries and within the UN administration itself.

SatWeb Educational Supplement 11.11.2013

Finland closes schools

In the most far-reaching action taken in the educational field since the country founded its elementary school system, the Finnish Parliament or Eduskunta has voted to wind up the nation's schools and replace them with learning centers. The transfer will take place gradually over the next three years.

The learning centers will, it is hoped, improve educational standards and above all bring learning into line with the current social climate.

The thinking behind learning centers has been developed gradually over the last twenty years or so. Among others, Prof. Matti Bergström observed towards the end of the last century that the school system and learning based on teaching was an ineffective method given the structure of the human brain. Traditional schooling methods have nevertheless enjoyed widespread support - not least among the teaching profession. It was not until results began to emerge from experiments in New Zealand that the idea of learning centers took real wing in Finland.

Emphasis on acquiring knowledge

The learning centers are geared to the "learning for life" principle. Learning strategists regard as the key issues the acquisition of data and their sorting and shuffling into some semblance of order. The essential thing is that from childhood onwards people should learn themselves to shape out their world by gathering information about it personally. For this reason the Finnish State is prepared to pay for all the necessary datacomms links for information retrieval, for browsing data sources, and for the files derived from such activities. The values of social skills and of recognizing different ways of thinking are also stressed in the activities of the learning centers.

Work in the centers takes place within flexible groups that change their make-up according to the interests of the individual student and not on the basis of age, or even sex, as happened in the past. An important part of the learning process is training in problem-solving skills and in open-minded thinking, and in developing a willingness to cross disciplinary bridges and blend different areas of knowledge to form something greater than the sum of its parts. Learning methods encourage the use of all the senses. Study is completely interactive, and for instance language learning can take place in a total immersion format or using suggestopedic techniques. Planners underline that the learning process must also be entertaining, because this has been found to increase the speed of learning by up to a third.

Because students can themselves freely form groups and study the subjects they wish to learn more about, an individual group can comprise students from ages six up to people in their 70s. Special groups are also open to the over-60s, and these attempt to take maximum advantage of their life experience and harness it to the given learning situation.

A new role for teachers, or retirement

Within the learning center system, teachers become guides. The Government White Paper put before Parliament and on which MPs voted last week places great stress on the ability, skills and character of the guides. Parliament has also resolved that guides' salaries will be raised to a level roughly double that of the secondary school teacher. This will ensure that the profession retains its respect within the society and that the field will attract sufficient numbers of talented people. Those teachers who are unwilling or unable to retrain as guides, will be eligible for early retirement at 80% of their current salaries.

The White Paper argued forcefully that the information, skills, and social competence achieved through learning are the primary agents through which Finland can succeed in international competition. The costs of the forthcoming change will be great, but the Ministry of Education believes the investments will rapidly pay for themselves. In the first three years of the changeover there will be non-recurring costs of around EUR 9,000 million, and thereafter it is expected that annual learning-related expenditure will be rather more than double the present levels.

A group of elementary and secondary school teachers supporting the existing education system and protesting the planned changes arranged a demonstration yesterday on the steps of the Parliament House in Helsinki. The organizers had hoped that some 20,000 would show up, but the demonstration was a low-key affair with only around 300 to 400 teachers taking part.

SatWeb 12.12.2013

Beyond Passion experience-expanding hypnostimuli trigger epileptic seizures

More than 900 people have been taken to hospital in Acapulco, Mexico after mysterious epileptic attacks. According to police reports, all the sufferers were users of Virtual Playmate's latest hyperexperience, the "Beyond Passion" sexual alterworld.

Acapulco is one of the world's 41 designated amusement free-zones. Practically no national or international limits are placed in these locales on virtual arcades, chemical stimulants, or other forms of entertainment and amusement. Residents and visitors alike in free-zone cities are able to undergo any and all experiences they wish to try, by any means at their disposal. And there is usually no lack of means. The only restrictions in force concern the inviolability of real persons and real property. Acapulco attracts upwards of 140 million visitors each year, and the pursuit of entertainment at all costs is not always without its dangers. For example the death toll last year in the bordellos of the city's famed Virtual Erotic Center was 76, as people "pushed the silken virtual envelope" beyond their natural physical limits.

In recent months, Acapulco has attempted to retain its position in the top five "no holds barred" cities through the spread of what are referred to as "hyperexperience raves", a blend of virtual worlds and experience-expanding hypnostimuli. In such raves, state-of-the-art virtual worlds - involving the full sensory palette - are experienced in a trance-like state where the subject has been exposed to psychophysical hypnostimulants of one kind or another.

Chemical hypnostimulants are often smart-drug derivatives, providing an increased plane of concentration and intensifying the experience. Physical hypnostimuli, on the other hand, can for instance take the form of regular flashes of bright light at specific wavelengths, various scents, acupuncture, and pulses of sound or white noise at certain frequencies. By combining all these factors, the virtual experience goes far beyond even the most heightened normal sensitivity, for instance in the case of a sexual encounter.

Tens of thousands have already become addicted to the life in the fast lane that the hyperexperiences offer, and doctors have repeatedly urged a ban on their use. Nevertheless, the economic importance of the free-zone cities is today so huge - and so vital for numerous otherwise struggling countries - that there are no plans to introduce restrictions. Furthermore, several councillors in such cities have argued that the services and experiences provided are in fact therapeutic. The matter was succinctly summed up by Adolfo Hiller, Marketing Director of the Acapulco Dunes entertainment complex, who said: "Surely you must accept it is better for a man to kill his wife or his mistress virtually, and not in reality?"

Yong Tan, Deputy Secretary-General of the WHO, has observed that the recent epilepsy seizures reported in Mexico pose a sufficiently serious threat to health that psychophysical hypnostimuli should not under any circumstances be allowed onto the open market, as many manufacturers have demanded, but that they should be permitted only in the semi-controlled environments of the free-zone virtual arcades.

MicroWeb 29.12.2013

Ultrasound umbrella is year's Xmas hit, but that trendy steam-cloud doesn't come cheap!

The ultrasound canopy was originally designed to add special effects to entertainment programmes and outdoor shows, but the manufacturers SetTechnics Ab of Stockholm built a few dozen miniature parasols operating on the same principle, and were bowled over by the popularity of the item.

These days anyone who follows their cyberfashion carefully cannot be seen out and about without one of the ultrasound umbrellas over his or her head. The attraction lies in the fact that in the rain an impressive cloud of steam forms over and around the umbrella's owner. The down side is that the device is expensive to use, and to be quite honest, the shape itself is not particularly trendy.

Like all clever innovations, the basic operating principle is simple enough. The user wears a kind of cap, in which a small generator produces a revolving ultrasound waveform above the head as soon as it starts raining. The ultrasound in turn heats up the falling raindrops into a cloud of steam, so that the drops do not actually reach the wearer. In the original application, of course, the idea was to create showstopping steam-frames and backdrops for plays, variety shows, and rock concerts.

The umbrella's generator consumes so much energy that it requires an external power source. For this reason the present model will only operate in areas fitted with micropulse networks. Given the heavy drain on energy, the umbrella requires a user licence for invoicing purposes, on the basis of which the micropulse operator automatically charges up the cost of the energy used from the registered owner's account.

The Swedish company is currently working on a lighter and more attractive model of the umbrella. SetTechnics have also been experimenting with new wavelengths to produce a diametrically opposed effect, namely the formation of clouds from ice crystals to produce rain in areas hit by drought or to fight forest fires. At the same time, the organizers of open-air events and plant growers in cold climates have shown interest in prototypes of a large-scale rainshield that would operate in the same fashion as the individual umbrellas.

Use of the umbrella requires not just fashion sense and hard cash, it also demands a measure of care from the owner. There have already been several reports of minor scalds caused to passers-by when the wearer has bent down too low close to other people. The old saw about it being bad luck to open an umbrella inside the house also holds true, as most countries have introduced regulations banning all indoor use without a special permit from the authorities.

Hannula I. & Linturi R. 1998: 100 Phenomena.
Yritysmikrot Oy, Helsinki 1998. Copyright notices ISBN 952-9508-18-2