Diverse and Interesting Topics

[Sandra]

A BRAZILIAN woman has confessed to trying to kill her husband by putting poison in her vagina and urging him to have oral sex with her.

The bizarre murder plot, dubbed "cunning-cunnilingus" took place in the city of Sao de Jose Rio Preto.
 
The intended victim, a 43-year-old man who has not been named, says his wife tried to lure him into bed and encouraged him to perform oral sex on her.
His suspicions were aroused when he noticed an unusual odour emanating from her private parts and, fearing she was unwell, took her to hospital, Brazil'.

Medical tests revealed she had doused her vagina with enough of the unspecified toxin to kill both her husband and herself.

Confronted with the test results the woman reportedly confessed to her crime.
It is believed she hatched the bizarre plot after asking her husband for a divorce, a request he now seems rather more likely to acquiesce to. The woman has received medical treatment and sources claim her husband plans to sue her for attempted murder.

"Poisoning someone through your vagina is not that good of an idea" because "your vagina is fairly absorbent and shoving a bunch of poison in it will probably hurt you as much as it hurts the person you're trying to kill."

[Sandra]

'Gendered language' alternatives

Joe Public - Average citizen

No man's land - Unclaimed territory

King and Queen - Queen and King

Virile - Strong, energetic

Shrill - High pitched, grating voice

Bossy, pushy - Assertive

Best man for the job - Best candidate for the job

Master of ceremonies - Host

Repairman - Repairer, technician

The 'Toolkit on Gender-sensitive Communication' document compiled by the The European Institute for Gender Equality highlights language that needs to be changed and notes alternatives.


It also notes that terms such as 'shrill' and 'pushy' have 'strong connotations that are strongly associated with only women' and should be replaced with 'high-pitched' and 'assertive' respectively.

It says that 'virile', considered 'strongly associated with only men', should be substituted with 'strong or energetic'.

The famous Star Trek line, 'To boldly go where no man has gone before', is noted in the bundle as an example for which 'women may be subject to invisibility or omission'.

[Sandra]

A volunteer police officer told a Christian singer that she was 'not allowed to sing church songs outside of church grounds' 
Gospel singer Harmonie London regularly performs worship music to passing shoppers on Oxford Street and has more than 300,000 subscribers on YouTube .
But she was stopped by a Metropolitan Police special constable and told:
'No miss, you're not allowed to sing church songs outside of church grounds, by the way.'
As onlookers watched and filmed the confrontation outside the John Lewis store, Harmonie protested her innocence to the officer, saying: 'You are, you are, you are.' But the officer continued to insist that she could not sing 'outside of church grounds unless you have been authorised by the church to do these kind of songs'.

[Sandra]

The 118 new emoji coming to your iPhone in iOS 17.4 - including a lime, a shaking head and four new gender-neutral families

The new emoji coming to your iPhone this year have been revealed. Among them are a lime, a phoenix, a broken metal chain, two shaking heads and four gender neutral families.

[Slivers]

So King and Queen becomes Queen and King, is that an gender equal alternative? This woke BS is going way to far.

[Sandra]

A woke row has exploded after Queen's Fat Bottomed Girls has been discarded from a greatest hits compilation targeted at younger listeners.

Chiefs says the new compilation of Queen hits released by Universal Music will not feature the 1978 single which celebrates the beauty of "girls with big bums".

The removal of the song will mean a younger generation will be shielded from lyrics which describes an infatuation with "Fat bottomed girls" who "make the rockin' world go round".

The track - which was written by Brian May - includes the lyrics: "I was just a skinny lad, Never knew no good from bad, But I knew life before I left my nursery, left alone with big fat Fanny, she was such a naughty nanny, big woman, you made a bad boy out of me".

Other hit songs including Bohemian Rhapsody and We Will Rock You do feature, however the tracks come with an online content warning.

[Sandra]

Elon Musk says Neuralink implanted wireless brain chip.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk has claimed his Neuralink company has successfully implanted one of its wireless brain chips in a human.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, he said "promising" brain activity had been detected after the procedure and the patient was "recovering well".

The company's goal is to connect human brains to computers to help tackle complex neurological conditions.

A number of rival firms have already implanted similar devices.

"For any company producing medical devices, the first test in humans is a significant milestone," said Professor Anne Vanhoestenberghe of King's College London.

"For the brain chip implant community, we must place this news in the context that whilst there are many companies working on exciting products, there are only a few other companies who have implanted their devices in humans, so Neuralink has joined a rather small group."

However, she also suggested there needed to be a note of caution as "true success" could only be evaluated in the long-term.

"We know Elon Musk is very adept at generating publicity for his company," she added.

Among the other companies to make similar advances in the field is the École Polytechnique Fédérale in Lausanne (EPFL), in Switzerland, which has successfully enabled a paralysed man to walk just by thinking.

That was achieved by putting electronic implants on his brain and spine which wirelessly communicate thoughts to his legs and feet.

Details of the breakthrough were published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature in May 2023.

There has been no independent verification of Mr Musk's claims, nor has Neuralink provided any information about the procedure he says has taken place.

Neuralink has been criticised in the past, with Reuters reporting in December 2022 that the company engaged in testing which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,500 animals, including sheep, monkeys and pigs.

In July 2023, the head of the US Department of Agriculture - which investigates animal welfare concerns - said it had not found any violations of animal research rules at the firm.

However, a separate investigation by the agency is ongoing.

Mr Musk's company was given permission to test the chip on humans by the FDA in May 2023.

That gave the green light for the start of the six-year study during which a robot is being used to surgically place 64 flexible threads, thinner than a human hair, on to a part of the brain that controls "movement intention", according to Neuralink.

The company says that these threads allow its experimental implant - powered by a battery that can be charged wirelessly - to record and transmit brain signals wirelessly to an app that decodes how the person intends to move.

"[It] has great potential to help people with neurological disorders in future and is an excellent example of how fundamental neuroscience research is being harnessed for medical advances," said Professor Tara Spires-Jones, president of the British Neuroscience Association.

"However, most of these interfaces require invasive neurosurgery and are still in experimental stages thus it will likely be many years before they are commonly available."
Telepathy

In another post on X, Mr Musk said Neuralink's first product would be called Telepathy.

Telepathy, he said, would enable "control of your phone or computer, and through them almost any device, just by thinking".

"Initial users will be those who have lost the use of their limbs," he continued.

Referring to the late British scientist who had motor neurone disease, he added: "Imagine if Stephen Hawking could communicate faster than a speed typist or auctioneer. That is the goal."

While Mr Musk's involvement raises the profile of Neuralink, some of his rivals have a track record dating back two decades. Utah-based Blackrock Neurotech implanted its first of many brain-computer interfaces in 2004.

Precision Neuroscience, formed by a Neuralink co-founder, also aims to help people with paralysis. And its implant resembles a very thin piece of tape that sits on the surface of the brain and can be implanted via a "cranial micro-slit", which it says is a much simpler procedure.

Existing devices have also generated results. In two separate recent US scientific studies, implants were used to monitor brain activity when a person tried to speak, which could then be decoded to help them communicate.

[krakbaknsak]

People beware of shingles.
I recently found a rash on my right kidney region, which quickly turned into a blistered wound. Strangely enough I had no serious amount of pain. As the healing began, so did the discomfort.
The discomfort is more of an annoyance, as it is n the form of itchiness akin to rubbing fibreglass insulation batts over my skin. Nothing severe, just randomly irritating.
The randomness of when the itchiness is going to strike is the major frustration.

I have been lucky in getting what I deem a mild case.

[Sandra]

The music industry is still a "boys' club" where sexual harassment and abuse are common, MPs warned in a report.

The Women and Equalities Committee said musicians have to sit beside sexual abusers at parties and events, due to a "culture of silence".

It makes a series of recommendations to tackle the problem of misogyny, but also said that a shift in the behaviour of men is needed.

The government said the industry must ensure "a safe working environment".

The report by the Women and Equalities Committee follows an inquiry into misogyny in the music industry, which began in June 2022.

The cross-party group of MPs concluded that the issue was "endemic" and called for urgent action to tackle it.

The inquiry heard evidence from people who said there was a "tidal wave" of revelations about sexual assault in the music industry waiting to be told.

The broadcaster and writer said there was an "unbelievable" number of stories that have not yet emerged, and warned the industry was "rigged against women".

Singer and former X Factor contestant Rebecca Ferguson said in her evidence that misogyny in music was just "the tip of the iceberg".

She said bullying and corruption was allowed to happen, and said she had been told rapes were going unreported.

Rebecca Ferguson said people in the industry abused their power

The committee warned that non-reporting of sexual harassment and abuse was high, and that victims who did speak out struggle to be believed or face losing their career.

They said female artists are routinely undervalued and undermined, endure a focus on their physical appearance in a way that men are not subjected to, and have to work far harder to get the recognition their ability merits.

"Much of the evidence we received has had to remain confidential, including commentary on television shows and household names," the report said.

"That is highly regrettable but demonstrates the extent of the use of NDAs [non-disclosure agreements] and the culture of silence."

It said women in the music industry have had "their lives ruined and their careers destroyed by men who have never faced the consequences for their actions".

Also said was women face a lack of support and persistent unequal pay, and warned these issues are worse for women who already face racial discrimination.

In 2021, a BLiM (Black Lives in Music) report found that racism in the British music industry was "serious, upfront and personal".

Misogyny is 'endemic'

The report by the Women and Equalities Committee makes a series of recommendations to try and tackle misogyny and discrimination in the music industry.

The MPs called on ministers to amend the Equality Act, to ensure freelance workers have the same protections from discrimination as employees, and to improve protections for people facing intersectional inequality.

They also recommended the government legislate to impose a duty on employers to protect workers from sexual harassment by third parties.

The committee also urged ministers to prohibit the use of non-disclosure agreements in cases involving sexual abuse, sexual harassment or bullying.

Other recommendations in the report include increasing investment in diverse talent, and improving pathways to careers for women working in the industry.

The report welcomed the establishment of a single, recognisable body, the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority, which it said would help to shine a light on unacceptable behaviour in the music industry.

But the committee cautioned it is "not a panacea for all of the problems in the industry" and "time will tell whether it has the powers required to drive the changes needed".

The committee chair, Caroline Nokes, said women's potential "should not have limits placed upon it by 'endemic' misogyny which has persisted for far too long within the music industry".

She said the report focuses on improving protections and reporting mechanisms, and on making reforms.

"However, a shift in the behaviour of men - and it is almost always men - at the heart of the music industry is the transformative change needed for talented women to quite literally have their voices heard and be both recognised and rewarded on equal terms."

A government spokesperson said: "All women should be able to work in a music sector which is free from misogyny and discrimination. The industry must do all it can to ensure there is a supportive and safe working environment and to address any imbalances of power that exist.

"The government will carefully consider the Committee's recommendations, and it is right that the industry is taking action through work led by Creative UK and the formation of the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority."

[Sandra]

People beware of shingles.
I recently found a rash on my right kidney region, which quickly turned into a blistered wound. Strangely enough I had no serious amount of pain. As the healing began, so did the discomfort.
The discomfort is more of an annoyance, as it is n the form of itchiness akin to rubbing fibreglass insulation batts over my skin. Nothing severe, just randomly irritating.
The randomness of when the itchiness is going to strike is the major frustration.

I have been lucky in getting what I deem a mild case.

I don't know much about this, I have only known 1 person with this and the only thing that helped was acupuncture, are you getting medical treatment Krak?

[Sandra]

Albania's constitutional court has approved a controversial agreement to send asylum seekers in Italy to Albania.

Under the agreement, the Italian government will build two centres in northern Albania to process36,000 people hoping to reach Italy each year.

The deal will now have to be ratified by the Albanian parliament.

However, it is likely to pass easily as Prime Minister Edi Rama holds an unassailable majority.

Under the agreement, some 3,000 people a month who attempt to reach Italy by sea would be detained in two processing centres near the Albanian north-western port of Shengjin while their asylum claims are examined.

The centres would be paid for by the Italian government and would be operated under Italian law. Italian staff would be responsible for operations and would have immunity from Albanian law in certain cases.

Once migrants' asylum claims had been assessed, Italy would be responsible for either resettling them from the centres to Italy or deporting them. Security personnel and police officers will be provided by Albania.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Mr Rama first presented the deal in Rome in November.

Soon after, the agreement was temporarily blocked after the Albanian opposition filed two petitions arguing that the agreement would deny the asylum seekers the protection of the constitution and international law.

But on Monday, constitutional court judges ruled that the agreement was not unconstitutional. They said that the deal "does not create new constitutional rights and freedoms, nor does it bring additional restrictions on existing human rights and freedoms, beyond those provided by the Albanian legal order".

Judges also rejected claims that the deal to set up asylum reception facilities would give Italy sovereignty on Albanian territory, ruling that the agreement "does not set territorial borders nor does it change the territorial integrity of the Republic of Albania".

Albanian media reported that the court's judges voted 5-4 to reject the application to block the proposed legislation.

Last week, Italian MPs voted in favour of the agreement, which was backed by 155 votes to 115. It will now go to the Italian Senate, where it is also expected to be approved.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, told the Italian Senate last week that he was concerned that transfers of asylum seekers to Albania would "raise important human rights issues" including living conditions and freedom for arbitrary detention.

It is unclear when the centres might open, but spring 2024 was the tentative date given for when the plan was first announced.

Ms Meloni, who heads the right-wing, nationalist Brothers of Italy party, promised to crack down on immigration when she was elected in September 2022.

However, more than 155,000 migrants entered Italy in 2023 - 52,000 more than the previous year.

The Albania plan is one of Ms Meloni's proposed interventions to end illegal immigration.

If Italy can do it why can we not send ALL our immigrants to Rwanda?

[Sandra]

UPDATE

 Now police launch investigation into special constable who wrongly told Christian busker

Scotland Yard is investigating the actions of a special constable who told a Christian busker that she was 'not allowed to sing church songs outside of church grounds'.
Metropolitan Police officials are reviewing body-worn footage of the incident which involved gospel singer Harmonie London and volunteer officer Maya Hadzhipetkova.
After telling the singer she could not perform such music on Oxford Street in Central London last weekend, The officer's actions drew widespread condemnation after a section of the exchange was shared by 20-year-old piano player and singer Harmonie on her Instagram page.
The Met said: 'We're reviewing body worn video of this interaction - it's more than 40 minutes long.
At the heart of this is a specific by-law related to busking.
The officer knows she could have handled this differently and is speaking to her manager.'

Detectives added that they were 'working to understand the context in which these comments were made'