Lilou, the airport therapy pig

At San Francisco airport she is the most beloved land travel assistant. LiLou, this is her name, is not a hostess, but a small pig. If you land after a long flight it is likely that you will find her there, at the arrivals, ready to rip you a smile. LiLou is part, along with some dogs, of the Wag Brigade, a group of animals that are used by the airport for pet therapy, in this case to relax and entertain passengers stressed by the journey. “The presence of members of the Wag Brigade, their unconditional and gide-free love reduces depression and anxiety,” explains Jennifer Henley of the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which activated the airport service in 2013. LiLou is the latest arrival. In addition to being present, she manages to amaze travelers by greeting them (with a grunt or by nodding her head), turning on herself, rising on two legs and even playing a keyboard, and then ending the performance with a bow ( and punctually gathering applause, caresses and sweets). “It is apparent that LiLou is happy when she shows her abilities and receives compliments,” says her owner, Tatyana Danilova. “It is exciting to be able to do something for the community and bring joy in such an original way.” The pig also has an Instagram page (lilou_sfpig) where it shows itself in all its glory. When she is not at the airport, LiLou visits patients in hospitals and nursing homes: confirmation that animals are more human than humans.

Italy's super volcano

An underwater eruption of Italy's supervolcano, Campi Flegrei, could produce 100-foot tsunamis that could severely impact populated coastal areas like Pozzuoli and Sorrento, scientists have said. By modeling offshore eruptions at the active volcano, which sits to the west of Naples, researchers were able to show that tsunamis could pose a risk to the region. They believe the National Emergency Plan for Campi Flegrei should be updated accordingly. Campi Flegrei is a volcanic complex consisting of 24 craters and edifices. Many of these are underwater, in Pozzuoli Bay. The volcano last erupted in 1538, when a week-long discharge led to the formation of a new volcano, Monte Nuovo. Campi Flegrei has been active for 60,000 years, with the caldera forming during two large explosive eruptions. Several recent studies have indicated changes are taking place at the system. In one, researchers discovered magma appears to be building under the volcanic system, suggesting Campi Flegrei is entering a new caldera cycle. This new phase, they say, could "at some undetermined point in the future," culminating in a "large volume eruption." In another report, researchers looked at the ground deformation that has taken place in the region since the 1950s, finding that the volcano has been building energy throughout this period, potentially indicating it is "evolving towards conditions more favorable to eruption." Because of the risk Campi Flegrei poses—around 500,000 people live in the volcano's "red zone"—the Italian government has a National Emergency Plan for the event of an eruption. This plan, however, does not include the event of an eruption taking place at sea. "Campi Flegrei is an active volcano that has been producing explosive eruptions in the past for at least 60,000 years including two super eruptions," Martina Ulvrova, from ETH Zurich's Institute of Geophysics, told Newsweek. "There are several high risks associated with this volcanic activity including large explosions that would destroy landscape and emit ashes into the atmosphere, dense pyroclastic flow of hot gas, ash and other volcanic material that is ejected into the atmosphere during an eruption." Ulvrova added that, while the evacuation plan for a more likely land-based eruption is well established, a tsunami could also pose a risk: "We cannot neglect it and it should be included in the hazard maps for the region," she said. In a study published in the Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, Ulvrova and her colleagues produced models showing the potential tsunamis produced by eruptions of different sizes in various locations in the Bay of Pozzuoli. According to their tests, an explosion would form a "crater-like cavity at the water surface" with a column of water appearing in the center. When the column collapses, it would produce a second wave.

Life on Mars?

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine told Hill.TV on Friday that evidence of water and other environmental factors on Mars means researchers should leave no stone unturned in their search for Martian life. “We have found liquid water — 12 kilometers under the surface of the Mars,” Bridenstine said during an interview on “Rising.” “What do we know about liquid water?” he asked. “Anywhere it exists on Earth, there’s life.” “I’m not saying there’s life on Mars, but we should find out,” Bridenstine added. Bridenstine said scientists have also discovered complex organic components on the surface of mars, the presence of an ocean in its northern hemisphere and the existence of methane cycles. "We have discovered that the methane cycles of Mars are commiserate with the seasons of Mars," he said. "Again increasing the probability that we could find life on a world that’s not our own." The idea of life existing on Mars has intrigued people for centuries. But, since no humans have successfully made the journey, exploration has been limited. The U.S. and other countries, however, have been sending spacecraft to orbit or land on Mars since the 1960s, and, through each mission, scientists have been able to learn more about the mysterious planet. "Mars used to be a lot like Earth," Bridenstine said said. "So by studying Mars, we can learn about our own planet." Bridenstine joined “Rising” to discuss the NASA’s latest efforts to send more Americans to the moon by 2024, including the first woman, as part of Apollo’s twin project Artemis. He emphasized that NASA hopes to use the moon as a training ground and test site before a human mission to Mars at a later date.

How to play badminton nicole junkermann

The object of badminton is to hit the shuttlecock over the net and have it land in the designated court areas. If your opponent manages to return the shuttlecock then a rally occurs. If you win this rally i.e. force your opponent to hit the shuttlecock out or into the net then you win a point. You are required to win 21 points to win a set with most matches being best of 3 sets. Points can be won on either serve. Serves should be diagonal across the court to count and should always be hit from below the waist. If the scores are tied at 20 all, then the player/team to gain two clear points ahead of their opponent will win the game. The side who wins the game then goes on to serve first in the next game. Badminton is fun which makes it a good activity for family and friends to bond. At the same time, it is also an effective calorie-burner that not only builds strength but put your reflexes to the test. After all, players are required to run, lunge, stretch, leap and jump around the 20 x 44 feet rectangular court. Just 30 minutes into the game you could feel as though you’ve been through an intense workout or just ran a marathon. Badminton is fun and it can also improve agility, boost flexibility and sprint speed, improve hand-eye coordination, strengthen muscles, boost cardiovascular activity. The longest match was 124 minutes and was played between Sun Jun from China and Peter Rasmussen from Denmark. 

Google vs Viagogo

Google has today dealt a blow to controversial second-hand ticketing company Viagogo by suspending its website as an advertiser. It is the second setback for the firm this month. Earlier in July, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it would take Viagogo to court. Google said: “When people use our platform for help in purchasing tickets, we want to make sure that they have an experience they can trust. “This is why we have strict policies and take necessary action when we find an advertiser in breach.” Last year, the Football Association, the trade body UK Music and MPs signed an open letter to Google executives, urging it to stop Viagogo from advertising. Viagogo has come under fire in recent months amid claims touts resell tickets at prices way above face value. This is done via its website for second-hand tickets to music and sporting events. The CMA launched its legal challenge against the company in August last year. It said it was concerned the website was breaking consumer-protection law. Following this, a court ordered Viagogo to overhaul its business. It said the firm must tell buyers whether there was a risk they would get turned away at the door. But the CMA said earlier this month the firm had not done enough to change its practices. In March, the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee of MPs urged consumers to boycott the site. They also criticised Google at the time for retaining Viagogo as an advertiser. Viagogo has said it is working with the CMA. A spokesperson for Viagogo said: “We were extremely surprised to learn of Google’s concerns today. We are confident that there has been no breach of Google’s policies and look forward to working with them to resolve this as quickly as possible.” Which magazine consumer rights expert Adam French said: “Viagogo has persisted in its apparent disregard for consumer law despite repeated warnings from the competition watchdog to change its practices and a court order requiring them to take action, so it is good to see firm action from Google that will ultimately hit the site where it hurts by hampering its ability to reach consumers. “The CMA’s allegations – that the firm is still using misleading ticket availability messages and failing to adequately warn fans that tickets sold on the site may not get them into events – are damning. We would urge all consumers to steer clear of Viagogo. ” https://www.bmmagazine.co.uk/news/google-suspends-viagogo-from-advertising-after-breach-of-client-trust/