Beware of Flashlight apps!

G'day to you! Great to see you. Glad you could make it by. Coffee's always on here and our virtual no-calorie megamuffins are bigger than the potholes in cyberspace! I hope your trip through cyberspace today is not fraught with too many potholes but let me tell you about one danger in the cyber sky. Do you have a 'flashlight' app on your smartphone? Thanks to Anthony in Manchester for telling me about this...

On 1 October 2014, cybersecurity company SnoopWall released a "threat assessment report" discussing flashlight apps for Android devices and security threats they may pose. According to SnoopWall (who recommends using their flashlight instead of competitors' apps) the list of
permissions required by most flashlight apps is proof that the apps' makers are harvesting data and sending it abroad to cybercriminals.

It is true that one flashlight app developer settled a complaint with the FTC over data collection policies in 2013. But the current anxiety over flashlight apps appears to have been prompted by the publicity surrounding the release of SnoopWalls' self-promotional report rather than any specific breach of data security: the SnoopWall "threat assessment report" merely stated that some flashlight apps "appear specifically designed to collect and expose your personal information to cybercriminals or other nation states" (including China, India and Russia); it offered no evidence that flashlight apps were actually being used for such purposes.

It is the case that a number of flashlight apps can potentially request or access data on users' cell phones that seemingly has nothing to do with the ordinary functioning of the app. As Wired noted, however, that statement is also true of many other types of apps, and the fact that a given app has access to data doesn't necessarily mean the app is actually using that data:

A mobile phone security operation called Appthority did an analysis of the data that Flashlight can potentially request, and it's pretty scary.

According to Appthority's president, Domingo Guerra, Flashlight is designed to do location tracking, read my calendar, use my camera, gain access to unique numbers that identify my phone, and then share data with a number of ad networks, including Google’s AdMob, iAd, and JumpTap. It may not actually be doing all of these things — Appthority's analysis only shows what the software is capable of, not necessarily what it's actually up to — but the fact that there's such an arsenal of dubious uses should raise eyebrows.

On many phones, several apps want access to information they probably shouldn't, and odds are, that's the case with your phone, too. The lesson here is that when it comes to mobile software, there’s really no such thing as a free app. 

To read SnoopWall's full report on what this 'malware' can do to you, go to: http://www.snoopwall.com/threat-reports-10-01-2014/  

Yikes! Glad I don't have a flashlight app on my smartphone though I must admit that I have used the bright screen on the smartphone itself to navigate around in the dark occasionally. There are some who might say that I am usually in the dark anyway, but...

See ya, eh!

Bob

Photomath...Previewing the Future of Math Education

Hi there! How the heck are you? Thanks for clicking by on this snowy day (well it sure is here!). Help yourself to a mugful of arabica coffee and jiggle a virtual jelly doughnut onto your plate, why don't'cha. Say...did you like math in school? Me? Ah...not my best subject. It was a toss up between recess and lunch with lunch getting the edge because it was longer and there was food! Speaking of math though...

More than 6 million students have downloaded the new iPhone app PhotoMath to solve Algebra I and Algebra II problems by pointing the phone's camera at a printed equation. The answer, and the explanation, quickly appear on a screen, as a teaching tool -- or for the students to show "their" work if PhotoMath is used on exam questions. 

The Croatia-based developer told the Quartz website in October that it is working on upgrades for higher-level math equations (though no relief is in sight for those chronically pesky "word problems"). Meanwhile, the debate has been triggered over whether PhotoMath is a dynamic technological advance in education -- or a cheating-enabler. [Quartz, 10-31-2014; CultofMac.com, 11-7-2014] 

The innovative technology company MicroBlink is behind the creation of this awesome tool in solving bane of many students’ existence.  But the company’s CEO Damir Sabol insists that they have only made this app to promote their vision technology which is quite popular among software development kits. Still solving mathematical equations, even if it doesn’t work that often beyond linear equation is pretty impressive.

The CEO has indicated that they are still working to add to their repertoire of mathematical equation which is quite understandable because it has also been known to misread x variable as a multiplier. If you see the image below the answer should be “x = 5” instead of “-369 = 4”. So a lot of work still needs to be done so that this app could be usable in the more complex portion of solving mathematical equations, i.e., for college students too.

But with the technology advancing so fast and even middle schoolers having their own Smartphones now-a-days, there is a possibility that this app can change the complexion of how kids shape up their mathematical concepts. Many parents and teachers must be against the usage of this app, and don’t get me wrong they are part right to think that way, but this app can be used as a learning tool too. When you scan the equation through camera and it provides the answer in real time, you can just push at the forward button and sift through the problem.

This app has the potential to be used as a learning tool in solving mathematical equations, but the temptation might be high for students who are poor in Math to cruise through their 7^th Grade algebra.

Okay...one vital question. Where the heck was Photomath when we were in school?

See ya, eh!

Bob

Princess, the Hypnodog!

Hey there! Great to see you today. Thanks for clicking by the ol' Virtual Cafe. Just in time, too. Coffee's freshly brewed and there's an array of virtual treats next to the coffeepot that will make both your eyes and mouth water, so dig in! Say...ever been to a hypnotist? Well, sit, stay, and listen to this.

Princess, a four-year-old German Spitz, is supposedly the world’s only hypnodog – a dog that can hypnotize people. She has been showing off her unique skill on stage for the past two years, alongside her owner Krystyna Lennon, a qualified hypnotist.

According to Lennon, Princess is able to make people fall asleep by just staring into their eyes. This might be linked to the primal ability of dogs to hypnotize their prey, but no other dog has ever been able to do it to humans before. “As far as I am aware, she is definitely the only hypnodog in the UK – possibly even the world,” Lennon asserted.

The Leeds-based mother-of-three said that Princess can hypnotize anyone, but some people react more strongly than others. “It is definitely not something that just any dog can do, it is a very specific skill,” she added. “They either have it or they don’t. It’s about their natural ability, it’s all down to the dog. They need to be very well trained and well behaved.”

Holy doggy-do! Can you believe it... instead of The Great Raveen...now we have The Great Fido!  Your eyes are getting heavy...heavier...you are feeling very relaxed...very very relaxed as your eyes grow heavier and heavier.

See ya, eh! I have to go take a nap!

Bob

Rancher Tries to Bring About the Second Coming of Jesus by Shipping Red Cows to Israel

Hallelulah! You cleared the coffeepot by inches as you spiralled down to a landing on the red VIP carpet. So how are you today? All set for tasty mug of coffee and a virtual treat? Why the heck not, eh! Try a red velvet muffin, why don't'cha? Speaking of red...

Reverend Clyde Lott is a revivalist preacher and cattle rancher from Mississippi, who attempted to hasten the end of the world in a rather unusual way – by shipping red cows to Israel. He took up the challenge in accordance with an obscure injunction in the Book of Numbers, which states that without the sacrifice of a red heifer, the Jewish people cannot be purified and enabled to rebuild the Third Temple.

According to the Hebrew Bible, the apocalyptic countdown will play out something like this: Jews would return to Israel after 2,000 years – the Holy Temple would be rebuilt – billions of people would perish during seven years of natural disasters – the antichrist would rise and rule the world – the battle of Armageddon would commence somewhere near Israel – Jesus would return to defeat Satan’s armies and then preside over Judgment Day.

For things to turn out as prophesied, the Holy Temple needs to be rebuilt, of course, and purified with the sacrifice of a blemish-free red heifer. Some people even believe that the construction of the temple cannot be resumed unless a red cow that fits the description is actually born, signalling the beginning of the end. The heifer in question is mentioned specifically in Numbers 19:2: “Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish and upon which never came a yoke.”

This post could go on for heifer and heifer...(sorry...I couldn't resist) 

Interestingly enough, I just read a great book by Steve Berry called The Columbus Affair in which Christopher Columbus, whom many people believe was Jewish, reportedly transported several Jewish treasures to the New World for safekeeping during the time of the Spanish Inquisition. These treasures would be needed to bring credence to the Third Temple when it is built. Great read!

See ya, eh!

Bob

“Why do some people heal and others don’t?”

G'day to you. Set yourself up for a 'caffo' day today...a little learning and a little caffeine. Couldn't hurt, right? Thanks for clicking by today. I appreciate it. It gets lonely without you here in the great void. Speaking of the great void...did you see the pictures from that comet we (the royal we) just landed on! Amazing, eh! No, we're not talking comets today. But I got another email from my pal, Dr. Al that I want to share with you and he started with an intriguing question. Read on...

Dear Bob,

When I was in medical school I asked a question that none of my teachers could answer.

“Why do some people heal and others don’t?”

Two people can have the identical diagnosis, and receive the same treatment and care. One will thrive and the other will not recover.

Throughout my years of practice, I’ve since found that people who heal have a strong immune system. Yet even then, physically healthy people can get sick. Why should that be?

In my practice I find that one of the biggest non-physical causes of disease is stress. My patients who learn to relieve their stress get sick less frequently and they recover faster.

When you’re stressed your body shifts into “fight or flight” mode. Your autonomic nervous system triggers your body to shift priorities. Blood, nutrients, and oxygen are diverted from your internal organs and your immune system. They rush to your large muscles so you can run faster or fight harder to survive.

Stress tells your body to turn off immunity and repair and maintenance and shift all priority to survival.

But something else happens. Stress also shortens your telomeres. In fact, studies prove that people with a lot of stress have shorter telomeres.

You already know telomeres are like ticking biological clocks. They protect your DNA. Each time your cells divide, telomeres get shorter. Eventually, they’re so short your DNA is exposed. It can no longer make correct copies. New cells are older and weaker.

And that opens you up to all kinds of chronic diseases that are linked to aging. Add to that an immune system shut down by stress and you could have a serious problem.

Unfortunately, our modern world is full of pressures that trigger our stress response.

That’s why it’s so important to learn to handle stress. In a minute I’m going to tell you about an easy way to help your body reduce stress before it starts to take over. And it works even if you’re already feeling anxiety and worry.

Herbs that act as “adaptogens” are one very powerful way to help your body adjust to stress. One of the best is panax (Asian) ginseng. An animal study in India found that ginseng is particularly effective against the kind of relentless stress that’s so common in our fast-paced and high pressured world.

Another herbal adaptogen is ginkgo biloba. Studies show it prevents cells from dying due to stress by protecting telomeres from shortening.³

I recommend taking 200 to 500 mg of panax ginseng and 120 mg of ginkgo biloba daily if you are feeling stressed.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

Try some calming tea...when you wake up, you'll feel relaxed and ready to take on the world. 

Or, just stay the way you are and have another coffee!

See ya, eh!

Bob

Deep Fried Mars Bars and Your Health

Och aye!, there ye be! Flitting about in cyberspace and dropping in here for a wee break. Glad you did and great to see you as always. Soon as you fill your mug with choice arabica and select a wee virtual treat for yourself, I'll bring you up to date on the latest Scottish research. Y'know,  when I was teaching in Bangkok a few years back, my superior was a Scot from Aberdeen. One day, we got on to a discussion of "deep fried Mars Bars" as being a regular treat in Glascow. Well, I didn't think much about it but when we moved back to Cornwall, Ontario, Canada, and went to a summer fair here, lo and behold, there was a booth selling...you guessed it..."deep fried Mars Bars". So, when I saw this study, I knew I had to post it for you to see...in case these 'treats' turn up in your neighbourhood...

Scotland’s purported tolerance for fried candy bars inspired this new medical study:

“A randomised crossover trial of the acute effects of a deep-fried Mars bar or porridge on the cerebral vasculature,” William G. Dunn, and Matthew R. Walters, Scottish Medical Journal, epub 2014.

The authors, at the BHF Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre and the University of Glasow, report:

Introduction The deep-fried Mars bar has been cited as ‘all that is wrong with the high-fat, high-sugar Scottish diet’. We investigated the effect of ingestion of a deep-fried Mars bar or porridge on cerebrovascular reactivity. We hypothesised that deep-fried Mars bar ingestion would impair cerebrovascular reactivity, which is associated with increased risk of ischaemic stroke.

Methods Twenty-four fasted volunteers were randomised to receive a deep-fried Mars bar and then porridge (control), or vice-versa. We used transcranial Doppler ultrasound to calculate Breath Holding Index as a surrogate measure of cerebrovascular reactivity. Change in Breath Holding Index post-ingestion was the primary outcome measure.

Here’s detail from the study:

The results led them to devise this conclusion:

Conclusion Ingestion of a bolus of sugar and fat caused no overall difference in cerebrovascular reactivity, but there was a modest decrease in males. Impaired cerebrovascular reactivity is associated with increased stroke risk, and therefore deep-fried Mars bar ingestion may acutely contribute to cerebral hypoperfusion in men.

Source: www.feedspot.com 

In other words, Jock and Mary...these DFMBs are dangerous to your health. Mind, they don't mention the effect of adding either a skinful of Scotch Whiskey or a dozen pints of MacEwans Export Ale but I suspect it wouldn't aid the situation much.

See ya, eh!

Bob

The TomTato – A Plant That Grows Tomatoes above Ground and Potatoes Below

Well hello! Great to see you today. Glad you found time to click by. I see you're already holding out your coffee mug so go ahead and fill 'er up! Coax a virtual treat or two onto your plate while you're over there. Hey...do you like gardening? Yeah... I know it's the fall and winter's coming but remember... spring and summer will follow right behind Ol' Man Winter so to my way of thinking, let's get an early start on thinking about next year by looking at what's new in gardening, eh!

An extraordinary plant that produces both tomatoes and potatoes has been developed in the UK. Just one of these ingenious plants can grow more than 500 sweet cherry tomatoes above the ground, and a decent crop of white potatoes below. Aptly named ‘TomTato’, the plant is actually 100 percent natural, and not genetically modified as one would expect.

TomTato, a.k.a ‘veg plot in a pot’, was developed through high-tech grafting by Thompson and Morgan, a horticultural firm based in the town of Ipswich, in Suffolk, England. Although similar plants have been created in the UK before, this is the first time someone has managed to produce a commercially viable version.

According to Guy Barter of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), taste was a real problem with past varieties, but the TomTato seems to have hit the jackpot.

Saves a lot of time, that does, eh! Soon as someone figures out how to get a chicken to lay eggs and bacon. I've been working on that project for years but my research assistant keeps disappearing. 

Never mind. Just pour a heap of gravy over the whole TomTato bush and we'll get our 'greens' at the same time!

See ya, eh!

Bob

Disabled Survivor?

Hup! Hup! If you never played football, that is a clue from the quarterback that "Ah'm about ta receive the ball, y'all, so heads up 'cause am gonna throw it to one of y'all in 4 1/2 seconds more or less, if'n y'all get y'self in the open, hear?" Hey... how y'all doing today? Ready for action or ready to sit back with a nice mug of coffee and a virtual treat? While we're talking football...

Brad Culpepper played defensive tackle for nine NFL seasons and, not surprisingly, applied for disability when he retired, since his medical folder listed 14 MRIs, head and knee trauma and neurological and vision problems -- which resulted in doctors declaring him "89 percent" disabled and the Fairmont Premier insurance company giving him a $175,000 settlement. 

Fairmont sued recently to get its money back, claiming that Culpepper is, and was, "exquisitely fit," as evidenced by a September 2013 Tampa Bay Times feature on his gym workouts, and in his having earned a martial-arts Black Belt, and in his participation for 14 days in the grueling TV series "Survivor: Blood vs. Water" in 2013. [Tampa Bay Times, 9-17-2014, 9-19-2013]

I'd say they have a case, y'think? Me? I play Survivor Cornwall everyday, dodging the hoard of (other) seniors driving the roads in their 'mobility' scooters, younger folks on their electric bikes and the extraordinary number of over-sized pickup trucks in the city. It's a challenge. But then...we have the icy roads and blizzards to look forward to over the next few months, too...

See ya, eh!

Bob

This Wild Herb Can Stave Off Hunger and Thirst for Weeks

Well, hi there. Didn't see you drop in (literally). Must have been lost in thought...but I'm delighted you're here. Let me pour you a deliciously refreshing mug of coffee. How about a virtual muffin, doughnut or Scottish scone to go with it? Speaking of Scottish...

A centuries-old slimming remedy is all set to make a comeback after evidence of its use was discovered in old manuscripts during an archaeological dig. The heath pea is a long-forgotten fern-like wild Scottish plant with purple flowers that can apparently suppress hunger and thirst for weeks. Entrepreneurs are now interested in re-introducing the wonder-herb to the world as a dietary supplement that could produce drastic weight loss results.

According to botanical records, the heath pea, also known as bitter vetch, was a vital ingredient of the Highland diet up until the 18th century, when food was scarce. The pea-sized tubers of the plant were stripped off the roots, dried and ingested. Just a couple of tubers were sufficient to provide a boost of energy, and prevent thirst and hunger for days, even weeks. Entire communities are said to have lived off these tubers when crops were poor.

17th century literature also indicates that the plant helped people perform strenuous activities like working in fields. Monks used it to treat patients as early as the 14th century, and it is rumored to have made an appearance in the court of King Charles (he apparently gave it to his lovers who had a propensity for plumpness). The roots were also believed to be eaten by Julius Caesar’s soldiers in preparation for the battle of Dyrrhachium in 48 BC.

Just what the world needs, eh...another diet plan! Oh well. The best plan of all is "Burn more calories than you consume!" Guaranteed results.

See ya, eh!

Bob

Denmark Gives Student $430,000 for Research on Legendary Underground Trolls

Hi ya! Great to see you today! Wassup? Doing anything exciting...that you want to tell me about? No? Me neither. Oh well. Thank goodness you're here to brighten up my virtual cafe, eh! Fill your mug with some arabica juice and grab a virtual muffin, doughnut or Danish. Speaking of Danish, listen to this...

Denmark’s economy might not be in tip-top shape right now, but that hasn’t deterred that northern country’s government from awarding 2.5 million Danish kroner ($430,000) in grant money to a study that investigates the existence of underground trolls (mythical creatures, not internet haters).

The money will be received by Lars Christian Kofoed Rømer, a PhD student and part-time anthropology lecturer at the University of Copenhagen, who has spent two years studying ghost activity. With the new funds, he now plans to research ‘actual relationships’ between humans and trolls on the Danish island of Bornholm.

Bornholm is well-known for its flourishing tourism industry, which is mostly centered around the belief that the island is inhabited by trolls who live underground and come out at night. They even have a ‘national troll’ named Krølle Brølle, who is ‘small and cute’ and lives with his troll family on Langebjerg, and comes out at night to have ‘many exciting adventures’.

I choose to keep an open mind about trolls, pixies, dwarves, giants, elves and faeries because...you never know...especially with science coming closer to believing in other dimensions. Maybe these other-world creatures do live in the same space and time as we do but remain mostly unseen because of their ability to cross back and forth between their wourld and ours. Who knows...

See ya, eh!

Bob

Add Carabao takes Carabao Group PLC Public

Sawadee, krup! Hey...how's it going? Good to see you. Got time for a coffee and a virtual treat? Why not, eh! When we were living in Thailand, we got to know the music of many of the Thai performers. None is more well-known than Add Carabao...one of my personal favourite singers/groups. Some time ago, Add brought out an energy drink called Carabao Dang and it quickly became a favourite amid quite a few competitors.

Rock icon Add Carabao, famed for songs about social injustice and political issues, stands to become a baht billionaire when his energy drinks company enters the stock market.
Carabao Group Plc will sell 250 million shares in its initial public offering on Wednesday and Thursday. The shares will begin trading under the symbol CBG on Nov 21.

The share price has yet to be finalized but the company's financial adviser has set it in a range between 26 and 28 baht against a par value of one baht each.
In this price range, investors led by Add, whose given name is Yuenyong Opakul, would receive between 3.68 billion and 3.96 billion baht from the share sale.
Carabao Group is a holding company whose core business is the production and distribution of Carabao Dang-brand energy drinks.
With a 26% share in the 36-billion-baht local market in 2013, Carabao Dang was the second largest energy-drink brand after M-150 of Osotspa Group, with 45%.
K-Securities said it expected strong interest given the company's solid fundamentals and the brand's popularity at home and in Asean.

Add Carabao is the lead singer of the 33-year-old songs-for-life band Carabao. The word carabao is Tagalog meaning "buffalo", a symbol of fighting, hard work, and patience. In Thailand, however, it has...

Carabao's most popular album, Made In Thailand, was released in 1984 and sold more than 4 million copies.

Add, a 60-year-old Suphan Buri native, was honoured with a national artist title in 2013. 


Got to figure out how I can buy a few shares...

See ya, eh!

Bob

Futuristic Bionic Boots Literally Put a Spring in Your Step

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's you... leaping over buildings with your new bionic boots on your way to my virtual cafe for your mug of coffee and a VT. Glad you could leap over today! Whoa, these are neat...

‘Bionic Boots’ are high-tech footwear that can help you reach running speeds comparable to professional athletes like Usain Bolt. 

The ultra light boots feature innovative springs inspired by the Achilles tendon of ostriches or kangaroos, lending the wearer more force while running and literally putting a spring in their stride.

The boots are the brainchild of inventor Keahi Seymour, who has always been fascinated by the effortless speed and agility of ostriches, the fastest running birds on the planet, with a top speed of 45 mph. He has been working on the gadget for several years, producing dozens of prototypes in the process.

“The Bionic Boots are the transportation of the future,” he explained. “They are meant to make a human run faster, inspired by fast land animals. The boots are comprised of a carbon fiber composite exoskeleton, and also aircraft grade aluminum. So the lightest materials were applied to provide the most efficient form of transportation.”

Seymour recently demonstrated the capabilities of his latest version of Bionic Boots at the Maker Faire in New York. They can help just about anyone reach speeds of up to 25 mph (40 kph), which is the same speed as a slow moving car. In comparison, Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest man, has clocked a top speed of 27.44 mph.

I can see it now, can't you...Bionic Basketball...Bionic football...Bionic volleyball. 

Do they come with snowtreads for us folks in a less than tropical climate zone?

See ya, eh!

Bob