Israel
Jordanian official: Moving US embassy to Jerusalem would be ‘catastrophic’ jta.org
An embassy move would be a “red line” for Jordan, would “inflame the Islamic and Arab streets” and serve as a “gift to extremists,” [Jordanian minister Momani] said, adding that Jordan would use all possible political and diplomatic means to try and prevent such a decision.
Norway
Norway to become first nation to switch off FM radio in shift to digital telegraph.co.uk v
Critics say the government is rushing the move and many people may miss warnings on emergencies that have until now been broadcast via the radio. Of particular concern are the 2 million cars on Norway's roads that are not equipped with Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) receivers wikipedia, they say.
Tech
Honda’s Self-Balancing Motorcycle Is Perfect for Noobs wired
Honda uses an electronic steer-by-wire system that disengages the handlebars from the front forks at speeds below 3 mph, passing control of the front wheel to the computer. The bike senses lean angles and swings the wheel to either side, thousands of times per second, to counteract any tendency tip over. It also adjusts the angles of the front forks, lowering the bike’s center of gravity to improve stability. The result is a bike that stays upright all on its own, even if it does look like a Big Mouth Billy Bass singing fish v, swinging its wheel from side to side in more extreme upsets. (It can recover from surprisingly serious tips.) Under normal balancing, you can barely tell anything is happening at all with the front wheel. The bike stands there perfectly upright, as poised and serene as a ballerina.
For a video, also see Honda Self Balancing Motorcycle Riding Assist v
Holo Cube lets you hold holograms in your hand wired.co.uk v
Called the Holo Cube, the toy can be transformed into various objects from musical instruments to virtual pets, or worlds of mini blocks that children can hold. Pairing Holo Cube with the firm’s VR Goggles additionally lets children interact directly with the holograms.
Research
Blood test to predict likelihood of disease years in the future telegraph.co.uk
A simple blood test that can tell how well a person is likely to age is on the horizon after scientists cracked blood “signature” patterns which predict ill health.
Environment
Pollution limit hit on Brixton Road just 120 hours into the New Year standard.co.uk
A monitor on Brixton Road has already recorded more than 20 hourly readings when concentrations of toxic nitrogen dioxide exceeded 200 micrograms per cubic metre since Big Ben sounded in 2017.
Under European law residents, pedestrians and cyclists should not be exposed to such high levels of N02 - a gas emmitted by diesel engines - more than 18 times in an entire year.
Note: no fatalities or injuries or unexplained coughing...or even mild awareness by general population reported. :)
Society
Texas Moves to Limit Transgender Bathroom Access nytimes
The bill, announced by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, is similar to one that caused a political uproar in North Carolina and led to widespread boycotts there by companies, entertainers, sports events and gay rights groups, which said the bill discriminated against transgender people who use bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity. Mr. Patrick played down the potential economic fallout for Texas and denied that the bill, which has been in the works for months, was discriminatory.
Also see Lawmakers in 6 More States Are Pursuing ‘Bathroom Bills.’ And That’s Just the Beginning time
Crucifixion maybe too distressing,' [UK] theology students warned telegraph.co.uk
Universities are issuing a range of warnings to students in case they feel the need to leave lessons due to graphic content. Others include veterinary students being warned they will be working with dead mice, archaeology students that they will see a skeleton and forensic science pupils that they will be studying blood.
Also see opinion piece Should The Crucifixion Come With A 'Trigger Warning' For Students? christiantoday
Abortion
‘Fetal Tissue Is Not Human Remains,’ Texas Asst. AG Asserts in Hearing Over Aborted Baby Disposal Rule christiannews.net
“[Texas cremation law] deals with human bodies—bodies that have been born, lived and died. Fetal remains are categorized as pathological waste. It’s not a human body. It hasn’t been born,” [Assistant Attorney General John] Langley later stated. “It’s the state’s best effort to try to make the best of this situation.”
[OPINION] Why Mark Zuckerberg Is Suddenly Acting Like a Politician slate
Zuckerberg has been getting religion in more ways than one lately. Once viewed as a ruthless businessman, he has refashioned himself as a world-historical humanitarian, pledging to donate 99 percent of his Facebook shares and vowing to cure all diseases. He is also spearheading projects to connect the entire world to the internet and pass business-friendly immigration reforms. In this respect, he is following the path of his childhood hero, Bill Gates, albeit on an accelerated timetable.
More recently, though, Zuckerberg's ambitions appear to have taken a political turn that his idol's never did. This past summer, he responded to claims of liberal bias in Facebook’s trending news section by convening a summit with conservative leaders from across the country. Pressed in November on Facebook’s role in spreading “fake news” about the U.S. election, he pivoted to lecturing his liberal critics on the importance of political empathy. This week, Zuckerberg announced on Facebook his latest annual self-improvement project: a 30-state listening tour of the United States.
Space
NASA Animation Offers a Freakishly Accurate Look at This Year's Coast-to-Coast Eclipse gizmodo v
NASA visualization artist Ernie Wright created this animation using an array of datasets, including information collected by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter nasa.gov and the SRTM topography project nasa.gov.
It’s the most accurate simulation ever produced of a total solar eclipse, showing the irregular and ever-changing shape of the moon’s shadow.
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