Scivillage.com Casual Discussion Science Forum

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Wine company needs taste tester and they pay £200 per session
https://metro.co.uk/2020/10/04/wine-comp...-13368215/

EXCERPT: If you enjoy nights in with a bottle of wine, the perfect job has just come up. Subscription box Wine List is looking for a wine taste tester to help them decide what drinks to include in the future. Not only do you get a free box filled with wine up to four times a year, but you also get paid £200 each time. The role involves simply drinking and enjoying the wine, and then completing a short review on each type.

[...] You’ll have to be over 18 to apply ... you need to submit a 150 word review of your favourite wine under £10. You have until 30 October and a candidate will be chosen on 15 November.

[...] Explaining why they need a new taster, Wine List said: [...] ‘At the moment, the three full time Wine List staff all help choose the wines that we will send out. But we want to find a new addition to our panel: someone from outside the wine trade to help us.’

You can find the full job description and details of how to apply here... (MORE)

The Hist has allowed itself to be bullied into turning on free speech
http://www.universitytimes.ie/2020/10/th...ee-speech/

EXCERPTS: In 2017, when the College Historical Society (the Hist) came under fire for inviting former UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage to address the society [...] Banning Farage from speaking would have been censorship plain and simple, and would have played into the usual “snowflake” trope that has been attached to students.

[...The...] auditor of the Hist Bríd O’Donnell decided to revoke the society’s invitation to Prof Richard Dawkins last week ... The fury surrounding the Farage debacle has served its purpose: it has made censorship of controversial voices acceptable. A society that once valued open debate has been bullied into turning on the cornerstone of any debating society: freedom of speech.

Whether you agree with Prof Richard Dawkins or not is immaterial [...] But a debating society doesn’t exist to protect its members’ “comfort” - which, O’Donnell has said, is now the society’s primary objective. They are about testing your ideas against ones you disagree with.

The Hist must now reckon with what exactly its role is on campus, because - as long as it silences voices that make it feel uncomfortable - it cannot call itself a debating society. It is simply a society where like-minded people can listen to speakers that won’t challenge their views... (MORE - details)

PM Boris Johnson says Britain’s obesity levels are a big coronavirus risk
https://www.scmp.com/print/news/world/eu...oronavirus

EXCERPTS: . . . Johnson, who had a spell in intensive care in April, told The Andrew Marr Show on the BBC he was not feeling any lingering effects and that he had lost weight. [...] “This is an important point, obesity – I’m not making any comment on President Trump – but obesity, since you mention cheeseburgers, is one of the problems that this country needs to address,” Johnson said after being asked if Trump should eat fewer cheeseburgers.

[...] Johnson said he knew his government’s handling of the pandemic had caused public anger, especially in areas subject to tight lockdown rules, but warned of a “very tough” winter ahead, with difficulties lasting through Christmas and beyond.

Johnson conceded that the government’s encouragement for people to eat out over the summer may have helped to spread the virus, and also that its test and trace system needed to improve. Under the “Eat Out to Help Out” drive, the government paid up to £10 (US$13) per person towards the cost of a meal in a restaurant or cafe in an attempt to kick-start the economy and encourage people to spend again after the pandemic lockdown. “It was very important to keep those jobs going,” Johnson said. “Insofar as that scheme may have helped to spread the virus, then obviously we need to counteract that.”

Of the government’s coronavirus-testing regime, he said it was “not perfect, but it has made a huge difference to our ability to see where the virus is spreading”. Johnson said it was possible that there would be significant progress on a vaccine by December and that scientists had told him the outlook for the pandemic would be radically different by next spring... (MORE - details)

Britain 'can live' with no deal, says Johnson
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/br...-1.4371851

EXCERPTS: British and European Union leaders have indicated a deal is not yet in sight with just weeks remaining to clinch a trade agreement in time for the end of the Brexit transition period. Prime minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday he was not wedded to leaving without a deal – a scenario forecast to cause profound economic disruption for Britain and its neighbours [...] When asked if he was concerned about the economic impact of an abrupt shift to EU-UK trade relations if no deal was clinched by on January 1st, Mr Johnson played down the prospect.

“I don’t want the Australian WTO-type outcome, particularly, but we can more than live with it,” he said. “I think the people of this country have had enough ... of being told that this will be impossible or intolerable. I think we can prosper mightily under those circumstances.”

Taoiseach Micheál Martin last week said it was unlikely that a deal could be reached before the 27 EU leaders meet on October 15th-16th, when they are due to assess progress in the negotiations. The European Union believes that the start of November is the last moment in which a deal could be reached, in order for it to be approved and enacted in time for 2021... (MORE - details)

As a UK citizen my response was going to be a snippet of Lurch going "Urrrrrr" but I couldn't find one.

(Oct 7, 2020 07:58 AM)confused2 Wrote: [ -> ]As a UK citizen my response was going to be a snippet of Lurch going "Urrrrrr" but I couldn't find one.

Insect-based animal feed could help UK reach net zero
https://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/research/t...57_en.html

RELEASE: Insect-based feeds for farmed animals could help the UK reach its net zero carbon emissions target, researchers say. Emissions from agriculture are among the issues that must be tackled if the UK is to reach its 2050 target, and insect-based feeds offer a promising method to feed animals in a sustainable, low-carbon way.

A project led by Entec Nutrition – set up by two University of Exeter scientists – has won a £250,000 grant from the Innovate UK's "transforming food production" scheme to explore the science behind insect-based feeds. The team, which includes food research organisation Campden BRI, will work on efficient insect production for the poultry and aquaculture (fish farming) industries.

“We are thrilled to have won this Innovate UK grant with our research partners,” said Dr Olivia Champion, who co-founded Entec Nutrition with University of Exeter colleague Professor Richard Titball. “It’s really exciting for Entec Nutrition to form part of the UK’s clean innovation solutions to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The funding will allow us to explore methods for low-energy production of insects to lower the cost of production and the environmental impact of the feed industry.”

As population levels rise, it is expected that fish and poultry consumption will increase, generating a greater demand for animal feedstocks, and therefore animal-feed ingredients. The global feed industry is energy-intensive, reliant on international imports, at risk of commodity price hikes, and associated with deforestation. The UK therefore needs to increase feed production resilience to move fish and poultry production towards a sustainable and productive future.

RELATED: Why insects could be the ideal animal feed(2015) ..... Can Using Insects As Animal Feed Reduce The Climate Impact Of Meat Production?(2019)

‘Laughing gas’ misuse in Leeds is damaging the O-zone layer, claim council officers
https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n...rs-2998569

INTRO: Complaints to the authority about the misuse of nitrous oxide more than doubled between the winter and summer months of 2020, with council officers believing the cancellation of festivals and parties due to Covid-19 could have pushed the drug’s use onto the streets. Nitrous oxide, also known as ‘NOX’ or ‘laughing gas’ is often inhaled from small metal canisters via balloons in order to induce excitement or laughter in the user.

A report by Leeds City Council officers added the city was currently seeing a trend of “small groups of males” parking up and inhaling from canisters or balloons. The number of complaints received by the authority regarding recreational use of NOX rose from just 19 in April to 51 the following month. The average number of complaints across the city doubled from an average of 21 in January to March up to 42 per month from June to August.

The document, set to go before members of Leeds City Council’s environment sub-committee next week, also claimed NOX was “300 times more potent than carbon dioxide”, and that it “depletes the ozone layer”, adding: “Since it also has a shorter life span, reducing it could have a faster, significant impact on global warming.” (MORE)

Drugs mule who swallowed 99 packs of cocaine caught by Heathrow Airport X-ray
https://www.mylondon.news/news/west-lond...9-19078987

INTRO: A drugs mule who tried to smuggle 99 packages of cocaine into the country by swallowing them before he flew to Heathrow Airport has been locked up. Border Force officers became suspicious of Jean Da Silva Oliveira, 22, when he landed at Heathrow on a flight from Sao Paulo, in Brazil, on September 5. Following inconsistencies in his account for why he was travelling to England, Oliveira was arrested and a National Crime Agency investigation began... (MORE)

Dog neglected so badly vets unable to determine what animal it was when she died
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/do...e-22817923

INTRO: A woman let her dog's fur become so matted that after the pet died vets were unable to determine what kind of animal it was. Abbey, a crossbreed, died and was taken to the vets for cremation - but when the cardboard box was opened the fur was so matted it was impossible to see it was a dog. Owner Emily Louise Fiel, 54, neglected the dog so badly that 90% of the animal's fur was matted. The extreme neglect meant Abbey was forced to lie in her own bodily fluids as they became trapped in her fur. And the dog's legs were identifiable from an overgrown claw... (MORE)

This is what the law says you can do when someone parks in front of your house
https://www.pontefractandcastlefordexpre...se-2998108

EXCERPT: . . . Owning a house that’s in a convenient location has lots of advantages but it does mean you’re susceptible to fighting off other motorists for a parking space. [...] However, the bad news is, unless you live on a road which has parking permits, or is private, it’s very difficult to stop this from happening... According to the Highway Code, these are the only laws of where you can’t park:

On a pedestrian crossing, including the area marked by the zig-zag lines
In marked taxi bays
In a cycle lane
On red lines
In spaces reserved for Blue Badge holders, residents or motorbikes (unless entitled to do so)
Near a school entrance
Anywhere that would prevent access for Emergency Services
At or near a bus/tram stop

It’s a slightly different story if someone is blocking your driveway or their wheel is over the dropped kerb to your house... (MORE)

Support for Scottish independence at historic high, poll finds
https://www.rt.com/uk/503528-scottish-in...port-poll/

INTRO: A new poll has found that as many as 58 percent of Scottish voters support a breakaway from the United Kingdom – the highest in any survey to date. The poll also found widespread dissatisfaction with PM Boris Johnson among Scots.
When undecided voters aren’t counted, 58 percent of Scots would vote in favor of independence, an Ipsos MORI poll revealed on Wednesday. Including undecided voters, 55 percent of people would vote yes, 39 percent would vote no, and six percent were unsure.

The result is the biggest polling lead for the Scottish independence movement ever recorded. Back in 2014, Scotland voted against independence by 55.3 percent to 47.7 percent, and since the referendum, the yes side has broken 50 percent only once in opinion polling, in a 2015 Ipsos survey... (MORE - details)

Boris Johnson repeats threat to walk away from EU talk
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/br...-1.4381174

EXCERPTS: Boris Johnson has reaffirmed his threat to walk away from talks with the European Union this week if the two sides are not closing in on a free trade agreement.

[...] “The leaders discussed the latest state of play of the negotiations on our future relationship with the EU, ahead of the October European Council,” a Downing Street spokesperson said. “The prime minister noted the desirability of a deal but expressed his disappointment that more progress had not been made over the past two weeks. The prime minister said that he looked forward to hearing the outcome of the European Council and would reflect before setting out the UK’s next steps in the light of his statement of September 7th.”

Last month, Mr Johnson set a deadline of October 15th for the negotiations, threatening to walk away from the talks if a deal was not in sight. “If we can’t agree by then, then I do not see that there will be a free trade agreement between us, and we should both accept that and move on,” he said. “We will then have a trading arrangement with the EU like Australia’s. I want to be absolutely clear that, as we have said right from the start, that would be a good outcome for the UK. As a government we are preparing, at our borders and at our ports, to be ready for it.”

British negotiators are impatient with the EU’s refusal to begin work on a consolidated legal text of an agreement and eager to enter the most intensive phase of negotiations, known as the tunnel. The EU will not agree to enter the tunnel until there is broad agreement between the two sides on the landing zone for an agreement... (MORE - details)

NHS urged not to spend money on expensive incontinence devices
http://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/research/ti...11_en.html

RELEASE: An international team of experts led by Glasgow Caledonian, and including the University of Exeter, have found no evidence that expensive biofeedback devices used in the treatment of urinary incontinence in women make any difference.

Biofeedback therapy has been used as a way to enhance the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle exercises by helping patients see they are exercising their muscles correctly and encouraging them to do them more often. The cost of the biofeedback devices can range from £100 to £500.

However, scientists from universities at Glasgow, Exeter, Stirling, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Otago in New Zealand, as well as NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Ayrshire and Arran, have found that the devices make no difference to the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle exercises.

Lead author of the study, GCU Professor Suzanne Hagen, who is also Deputy Director of the Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit (NMAHP RU), is now urging the NHS “not to spend money” on these biofeedback devices.

The five-year study involving 600 women with stress or mixed urinary incontinence from all over the UK was launched to find out if pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) plus electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback was more effective for female urinary incontinence than PFMT alone.

Scientists studied the women over 24-months after they were randomised to receive six PFMT appointments with EMG biofeedback used in clinic and at home, or six PFMT appointments alone. They found no evidence of a difference in incontinence severity between the biofeedback PFMT and PFMT groups.

The study concluded: “We found no benefit of including EMG biofeedback as part of a PFMT programme when compared to PFMT alone. Results indicated similar incontinence severity at 24-month follow-up in both groups.”

The research, entitled ‘Effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle training with and without electromyographic biofeedback for female urinary incontinence: the OPAL multicentre randomised controlled trial’, was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).

Professor Sarah Dean- University of Exeter Medical School- “A good, supervised programme of pelvic floor muscle exercises on its own is enough to make a difference to women’s incontinence….so this means seeing a women’s health physiotherapist or a nurse continence advisor, who are specialists in this area of health care. This ensures women are doing the correct muscle contraction as well as know how to progress their exercise training when at home.”

Professor Hagen said: “In the NHS in the UK, continence physiotherapists and nurses shouldn’t routinely be giving biofeedback to all women they treat with urinary incontinence. It is not something the NHS needs to invest money in because there is now clear evidence that overall it makes no difference to the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle exercises. A good, supervised programme of pelvic floor muscle exercises on its own is enough to significantly improve women’s incontinence.

“When we started this trial five years ago there was still uncertainty over the role of using the EMG biofeedback. It wasn’t clear whether adding in biofeedback to pelvic floor muscle exercises was beneficial or not and the NIHR commissioned us to do this trial.

“Meanwhile, the use of biofeedback varied from centre to centre with some continence therapists using it frequently as part of treatment and others selectively or never. Biofeedback devices were also becoming more widely available and women could buy them themselves online. It was therefore becoming easier for women to get them directly and use them at home.

“The NIHR asked us to trial this because we still didn’t know the answer. We found that the evidence to support EMG biofeedback being used was contradictory. Now we have a clear answer and this means that in the NHS in the UK, those treating women with incontinence can be confident that they should not routinely use biofeedback.

“We are saying to the NHS not to invest in this because it is now clear that on average it makes no difference.. In the study we found no difference in incontinence or any other measure after two years between those who did exercises alone and those who did exercise with biofeedback.

“Biofeedback is a tool that lets the patient and the clinician know if the pelvic floor muscles are contracting correctly during the exercises. We hypothesised that it would increase women’s exercise skills and motivate them to exercise more and for longer, however ultimately it didn’t make a difference to their incontinence.”

Japan, Britain sign free trade deal for post-Brexit era
https://www.ntd.com/japan-britain-sign-f...19972.html

INTRO: Japan and Britain signed a free trade agreement on Friday, the first such major post-Brexit deal, reducing tariffs on goods like Yorkshire lamb sold in Japan as well as auto parts for Japan’s Nissan plant. “How fitting it is to be in the Land of the Rising Sun to welcome in the dawn of a new era of free trade,” British International Trade Secretary Liz Truss told reporters at a signing ceremony in Tokyo. Appearing with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Truss called the agreement a “landmark” as the first major trade deal for Britain as it becomes once again an independent trading nation... (MORE)

Parents refuse to pay £10,000 fine for son, 18, who threw party while they were away
https://metro.co.uk/2020/10/18/parents-r...-13442478/

INTRO: The parents of an 18-year-old are refusing to pay his £10,000 fine for hosting a house party he claimed got out of hand. Police found between 80 and 100 people at the house party in Devizes, Wiltshire, on September 4. The teen claimed he had only invited a few friends over but his event was gatecrashed after word got out about it on social media.

Officers were called to the event and ordered party-goers to leave but after being ignored, police fined the organiser and dispersed the guests. But the boy’s family have refused to pay the hefty fine because they believe their son did not intentionally break Covid-19 rules and said they are willing to take the case to court, according to The Times... (MORE - details)

Muslim section at City cemetery 'will be full within two weeks'
https://www.asianimage.co.uk/news/188178...two-weeks/

INTRO: A City Council has announced that burial space in the Muslim section of a cemetery is almost full. Handsworth cemetery which is based in Birmingham currently has fewer than 15 graves available in its Muslim section and less than 70 available for other religions. While this will not affect graves which have already been reserved, it is anticipated that the cemetery will be full to the Muslim community within a fortnight and to other communities within the next two to three months.... (MORE)

Nearly half of people in England do not fully understand 'confusing' lockdown rules
https://www.thenational.scot/news/188172...own-rules/

INTRO: Nearly half of the public in England do not “fully understand” the current coronavirus lockdown rules, a study suggests. Researchers found that around half of adults (51%) in the country said they understand the current Covid-19 restrictions. Only 13% of the respondents said they “fully understand” them. The ongoing University College London (UCL) Covid-19 Social Study found this was an improvement on the 45% who felt they understood the rules in England in July. Those responses came after lockdown restrictions were firstly significantly eased on July 4.

But it was a significant drop from the initial lockdown period when 90% of respondents said they understood what was and was not permitted. Lead author Dr Daisy Fancourt, associate professor at UCL’s Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, said the findings were “especially worrying” at a time when case numbers were climbing.

“Levels of understanding around what is and isn’t allowed under current lockdown restrictions have dropped markedly since nationwide ‘strict lockdown’ has ended,” she said. “This issue may well also be exacerbated by the newly introduced system of tiers in England and the differing policies of the devolved nations. As well as this potentially leading to people breaking rules they don’t fully understand, confusing messages or unclear communication could result in people disengaging from trying to keep abreast of restrictions, which could well lead to lower compliance in the long term. These developments are especially worrying at a time when the number of cases continues to climb. So it is vital that the Government improves communication of lockdown restrictions and ensures they are as simple to understand and follow as possible.”

The study of more than 70,000 people also found that understanding of the rules was lower in England than in both Wales and Scotland.... (MORE)

5 Houseplants That Help Ease Depression And Anxiety
https://gardenculturemagazine.com/5-hous...d-anxiety/

INTRO: While 2020 has been an incredibly stressful year for most of us, it isn’t the first time any of us have struggled with mental health issues. From work to family to money, life always gives us reasons to feel stressed and anxious. But plants can help! Caring for plants and spending time in green spaces has shown many positive benefits to people’s mental health. Let’s look at five plants with properties that help fight stress, depression, and anxiety... (MORE)

covered: CHAMOMILE, ALOE VERA, JASMINE, ENGLISH IVY, LAVENDER

Passers-by steal belongings of dying woman in Brierfield, police say
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-54661523

RELEASE: Two passers-by offered to help a dying woman in Lancashire before stealing her phone and purse, police have said. The man and woman were walking along Walter Street, Brierfield, when the woman's husband ran into the street to get help at 03:00 BST on 16 October. They offered to phone for an ambulance while the husband went upstairs to sit with his wife, who died later that day.

A purse and a mobile phone, belonging to the deceased woman, were later found to be missing, police said. "To commit a crime like this on an elderly and vulnerable man in his hour of need is shameful and appalling and we are committed to finding those responsible," said PC Rob Bayley. Detectives have released CCTV of a man and a woman, who they would like to speak to in connection with the incident.

Activist charged by police at drug consumption van
https://news.stv.tv/west-central/activis...on-van?top

RELEASE: An activist has been charged by police after officers attended at a drug consumption van (video) in Glasgow. Peter Krykant, 43, is campaigning for a change in the law, claiming the current legislation forces addicts to inject in unsafe conditions in filthy alleyways. He has now been charged after police attended a drug consumption van in Parnie Street on Friday morning. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “A 43-year-old man has been charged in connection with an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 on Parnie Street in Glasgow during the morning of Friday, October 23. “A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal in due course.”

Weird & surprising car facts for our strange days (slideshow: 48 facts)
https://www.autocar.co.uk/slideshow/weir...nge-days-0

INTRO: All industries have "not many people know that" facts and the world of cars is no different. As we come to terms with the world as we find it today, we suggest taking a diversion. Join us for a journey into a bunch of odd, surprising and downright weird facts about the car world. You'll hopefully feel right at home, right now... (MORE)

Surprise discovery of rare plant at Norfolk 'ghost pond'
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-55104153

EXCERPTS: Centuries ago, there were thousands of ponds in Norfolk, but many have been neglected, becoming what are known as "ghost ponds".

[...] A rare ... pinkish-flowered plant, known as grass-poly, was found growing on the banks of an old farmland pond in Norfolk. ... The last confirmed record for grass-poly (Lythrum hyssopifolia) in Norfolk dates to more than a century ago.

[...] the seeds of the plant remained buried in the mud, like a "time capsule". When willows were pulled out to restore the pond, this disturbed the soil and let in light, allowing the seeds to germinate. "There's no oxygen, it's very dark, and it's perfect for preserving seeds," says Prof Carl Sayer. ... The discovery shows plants believed extinct can be brought "back to life" with good conservation, he added.

[...] "It's really quite beautiful," says Prof Carl Sayer. "We only found a handful of these plants in the pond but we're hoping to cultivate this population and keep it going and expand it now we know it's there." (MORE - details)

Brit dog walker stumbles upon £225,000 cannabis stash weighing 40kg on beach
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/br...n-23100567

Shock as Buddy the cat found ‘shot between the eyes’ on Sheffield street
https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/crime/sho...et-3053740

DWP debt drives people to food banks – exposing the Orwellian nature of Universal Credit
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/we...-universal

EXCERPTS: Over seven years, I have reported on the difficulties some people experience when using the Universal Credit welfare system [...] The caveat ... was always that if you needed it, you could receive emergency funds upfront while you waited for your first payment.

This is what’s known in benefits speak as an “advance payment”. But it’s not a payment at all. It’s a euphemism for loan. You can apply for one when you first claim Universal Credit if you can prove you need upfront financial help while you wait for your initial payment.

You then pay it back via deductions of up to 30 per cent from your monthly Universal Credit standard allowance – and you have to pay it all back within 12 months. There is no interest on the repayments.

To me, it seemed the language of “advance payments” was a rhetorical device used to suggest no one would be left with nothing when first claiming Universal Credit. But the reality is that these loans simply delay hardship, and can push those already in a financially vulnerable situation into debt... (MORE - details)

Thousands Of EU Citizens Risk Exclusion From UK After Brexit
https://www.eurasiareview.com/02122020-t...er-brexit/

INTRO: Thousands of Europeans living in the UK risk missing the deadline to apply for settled status in Britain because they are unaware of the new settlement scheme or lack the digital skills to complete the application, according to new research.

After June 2021 EU citizens living in the UK will be legally required to prove their status, and the UK government launched the EU settlement scheme in 2019. However, the application system is digital-only and the UK government plans to give EU citizens a digital code only to prove their residency.

The report by the New Europeans campaign group, based on responses to a survey from over 260 individuals – conducted in English, Italian, Romanian and Polish – found that 38% of respondents had to access information in another language other than English to make their application and understand their status.

“The majority of our respondents knew that such a scheme exists, but had no further details,” the report found. It also points out that although the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted outreach and advice services supporting Europeans to apply to the EUSS, the June 2021 deadline to apply has not been extended.

The report recommends that paper application forms should be introduced to “make sure that everyone has fair and equal access to the process,” and that a physical document proving their status would ensure that pre-settled status holders do not miss the expiry date and upgrade to settled status.

A report published by the 3million campaign group earlier this year found that 89% of EU citizens are unhappy about the lack of a physical document to prove their status... (MORE)

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