FazzNoth

Drivers of electric vehicles could save an average of £110 a year—and cut their carbon footprint by 20%—by using "smart charging" to power up their cars at the best possible times, a report by a research team involving Swansea University experts has shown. By Evergreen Smart Power, it also involved Swansea University energy experts from the SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre, in collaboration with myenergi, GenGame, and Energy Systems Catapult. by Evergreen Smart Power, it also involved Swansea University energy experts from the SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre, in collaboration with myenergi, GenGame, and Energy Systems Catapult. The team recruited 250 members of the public who already had electric vehicles and were using myenergi's zappi charging points and software to help them charge more efficiently. Throughout the project Evergreen managed the FRED participants' EV charging using its smart charging software platform. The platform used artificial intelligence to shift charging times to maximize efficiency and minimize cost. Participants supported the project by providing feedback as to how smart charging affected their driving experience. The researchers found that: Smart charging cuts the cost of various charges that make up the overall price of energy for consumersThis means an overall saving of £110 a year for an average electric vehicle driver—with even bigger savings if you drive, and therefore recharge, more than averageThese savings come from various factors—for example avoiding times when network charges or energy wholesale prices are high, and switching customers to payment per half-hour rather than per hourIn addition they found that:Further savings of up to 45% are possible with better incentive schemesSmart charging reduces the carbon footprint of car charging by over 20%, providing a strong environmental incentive. Peter Bullock from Evergreen said: "Our research showed that smart charging using the platform can make a big difference, even where people are already charging efficiently. It cuts the cost and the carbon for cheaper, cleaner driving. In our emerging green energy system, the energy we generate—for example through wind and solar—can be variable. Luckily, with electric cars, it is easy to be flexible with the times we consume energy. This is where smart charging is crucial, helping us create an energy system that is both low-carbon and efficient." Mark Spratt from the SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre at Swansea University said: "SPECIFIC created the Active Buildings on the Bay Campus to demonstrate how buildings that generate and store electricity can have a positive impact on the grid by managing their energy intelligently. These buildings, together with our fleet of electric vehicles, provided an ideal platform for testing the smart charging strategies of the FRED project. The financial and carbon savings demonstrated in the FRED project are a validation of the need for Active Buildings as we make the transition to net zero." https://techxplore.com/news/2021-12-smart-electric-vehicle-drivers-year.html

Tech’s biggest companies are joining game makers and start-ups in pursuit of an immersive digital world that some have been working on for years. The metaverse, one of the most buzzy terms of the tech industry, could be many things. It could be a virtual world where imagination is the only limit. Or it could be a less fantastical place for holding business meetings without leaving home. For the tech titans getting behind this big idea, the metaverse could be something more tangible: the next great way to make piles of money. After 15 years of riding a boom in mobile computing that has turned tech’s biggest companies into giants worth trillions of dollars, the power brokers of the industry believe that controlling the doors into the metaverse and virtual reality could be the centerpiece of a new business, like smartphones and apps or personal computers and web browsers in the 1990s. Fifteen years is a long time for the industry to wait for a new tech trend to come along. Ideas that many hoped would take central stage by now, like advanced artificial intelligence and quantum computing, are taking longer than some had anticipated. And the technology behind cryptocurrencies and newer ideas like decentralized computing appears promising — but its mainstream appeal is still unclear. So tech companies are lining up to sell the devices that let consumers into this virtual world and control their experiences once they are inside it. Suddenly, building new things for the metaverse is offering the kind of fresh appeal that comes along only every so often in any industry. Mark Zuckerberg is so excited about the metaverse that he recently made the attention-grabbing decision to change his company’s name from Facebook to Meta. Google has been working on metaverse-related technology for years. Apple, arguably the biggest winner of the mobile boom, has its own devices in the works. Microsoft is putting a corporate spin on the metaverse, offering a headset to businesses and government agencies. “Most companies now see that the metaverse is around the corner,” said Matthew Ball, a venture capitalist and an essayist who has written extensively about this concept and the hype that has sprung up around it. “The narrative is a little ahead of the reality of these technologies, but this is a response to the enormity of the opportunity.” One research firm estimates that the market for metaverse technologies — including games, virtual reality headsets, and other emerging gadgets and online services — topped $49 billion in 2020 and will grow by more than 40 percent each year. “This is the evolution of the internet,” said Alex Kipman, who has spent more than a decade shepherding this kind of technology at Microsoft. “If you are a company like Microsoft, you want to participate.” Focusing attention on the metaverse also allows companies like Facebook to focus on something other than their problems with content moderation, misinformation and regulators accusing them of monopolistic practices. But it could also lead to new scrutiny of old issues like privacy and managing who does what to whom in a virtual world. The metaverse is not a new idea. The science fiction writer Neal Stephenson coined the term in 1992, and the concept is commonplace among video game companies. For decades, massively multiplayer online games have served as digital worlds where people can meet, chat and do business. Some, like Second Life, an online fad more than a decade ago, were designed as purely social spaces. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2021/12/30/technology/metaverse-virtual-reality-big-tech.amp.html

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Vicente’s parents are no longer alive, but in the small, stone town of Calaceite on a remote Aragonese hillside, he still vividly remembers their stories. Vicente is 83. He remembers how they talked of the Spanish Civil War, of the green-uniformed fascists, of the militia, of how their native language - a mix of Catalan and Spanish known locally as chapureáo - was outlawed by Franco. How in order to handicap the Republican resistance, the dictator banned communities from living in the countryside. For modern Spain, this was the first real drive of people to urban spaces, a drive which continues today and has led vast swathes of rural Spain to be stripped of what were formerly thriving, sustainable communities. This is what is now referred to as España Vacía, or Empty Spain. Vicente remembers how his parents and their friends continued to speak chapureáo at home, to teach their children their personal histories, to read Federico García Lorca in secret, to keep their lives, memories and values alive underground. What Vicente is remembering, of course, is his people’s cultural legacy of resistance. ‘Empty Spain’ Calaceite is in the Matarranya region of Teruel, a state which a decade ago was forced to remind the rest of Spain it was still there by running a marketing campaign called Teruel SI Existe (Teruel DOES Exist). Teruel forms a broader part of the region of Aragon, and is comfortably the least po[CENSORED]ted state in Spain, known predominantly for black olives (Aragonesas), olive oil and almond production - as well as for the fact that nobody goes there. This region is certainly an extreme example of modern depo[CENSORED]tion, but it is by no means alone, with an estimated 90 per cent of the territory of Spain having suffered a mass exodus of po[CENSORED]tion in the middle of the twentieth century. Accompanying this vast internal movement, for cost-benefit reasons governments subsequently cut services and resources to these rural areas, an act which in turn drove more people to the cities, and continues to do so. This region is certainly an extreme example of modern depo[CENSORED]tion, but it is by no means alone, with an estimated 90 per cent of the territory of Spain having suffered a mass exodus of po[CENSORED]tion in the middle of the twentieth century. Accompanying this vast internal movement, for cost-benefit reasons governments subsequently cut services and resources to these rural areas, an act which in turn drove more people to the cities, and continues to do so. To the industrial, holistic eye of government mechanics, these rural areas are now empty of society - a kind of terra nullius, and must be made to contribute to the national economy in other ways. Perhaps the biggest window of opportunity seen by successive governments across the political spectrum has been to open up these territories for the development of vast wind farm complexes. The truth is, however, that Empty Spain is not empty at all, and continues to house historic communities across its territory, many of which have now developed themselves into models of local, sustainable economies - communities which in the national debate are struggling to get their voices heard. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.euronews.com/green/amp/2021/12/30/why-rebel-rural-community-north-east-spain-fighting-against-wind-farms

A tiger was shot and later died after biting the arm of a cleaner in an enclosure at a zoo in Florida. Eko, an eight-year-old Malayan tiger, was found with the man's arm in its mouth at Naples Zoo. The sheriff's deputy tried to get the animal to let go of the arm but was "forced to shoot", officials say. They said the cleaner, who was in an "unauthorised area" and may have tried to pet or feed the animal, had serious injuries and was airlifted to hospital. The man, in his 20s, had entered the area, near the tiger enclosure, after the zoo had closed for the day, the sheriff's office said. The cleaner, who was working for an outside company hired by the zoo, appeared to have put his arm through the enclosure's fencing. Trying to pet or feed the animal were "both unauthorised and dangerous activities", the sheriff's office added. The zoo said third-party cleaning is allowed to clean toilets and the gift shop, but not animal enclosures. After the animal was shot it retreated to the back of its pen, where it was sedated and later died. Responses on social media said it was tragic that the tiger had to be killed. Eko had lived at Naples Zoo since early 2020, after its purchase was funded by efforts to save wild tigers. At the time, the zoo called the tiger "a great ambassador for his species". Malayan tigers are classed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Fewer than 200 of the animals remain in the wild, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Tiger attacks at zoos are rare but not unheard of. Last year, a Siberian tiger attacked and killed a female zookeeper in Switzerland in front of visitors and zoo staff. In 2007, one person was killed and two seriously injured when a tiger escaped from its cage at San Francisco Zoo. It was shot dead. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59826100

Royal Enfield drops a cheeky little 'Christmas egg' with a glimpse at the new Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 in a video detailing its South Pole adventure There are some films that you sometimes just have to watch twice because you missed out on some key details the first time… and while this clip from Royal Enfield isn’t exactly The Sixth Sense, as it transpires we DID actually miss something rather important when we watched and ran it yesterday. More than that, we were even looking for an 'easter egg' as well for we thought this film, during which two members of the Indian firm’s top level team conquer a trip to the South Pole on a pair of Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycles, might give us a glimpse of the much-rumoured-now-confirmed 650cc version of the charming adventure bike. There are some films that you sometimes just have to watch twice because you missed out on some key details the first time… and while this clip from Royal Enfield isn’t exactly The Sixth Sense, as it transpires we DID actually miss something rather important when we watched and ran it yesterday. More than that, we were even looking for an 'easter egg' as well for we thought this film, during which two members of the Indian firm’s top level team conquer a trip to the South Pole on a pair of Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycles, might give us a glimpse of the much-rumoured-now-confirmed 650cc version of the charming adventure bike. While that remains for the future, we in fact did originally miss arguably something even better - the finished Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650. It is only a brief moment in the film - which you can view below - but at 0.33secs mark, Dean Coxson is seen walking into an impressive Royal Enfield-brimmed garage, which we guess is one of the benefits of being the firm’s Senior Engineer, and we catch a glimpse of a Meteor, the no-nonsense classic roadster that has been available in 350cc form since the start of the year. Look a little closer though and you’ll spot that isn’t a 350cc engine sprouting beneath it… that we spy is the twin-cylinder 650cc engine better known for its performance in the equally po[CENSORED]r Interceptor and Continental GT twins. News this may be but we have been expecting this. Royal Enfield is full of ambition as it branches out from its domestic Indian home base into global markets where larger engines generally mean larger profits. Moreover, the marrying of the Meteor, which has been a sales success both at home and in the UK, with the 650cc engine - which in the Interceptor sees it classified as the fourth best-selling +125cc motorcycle in the UK - makes excellent business sense. We even got a hint of what to expect during EICMA with the Royal Enfield SG650 concept cruiser but this is a first view of what is expected to be the finished product. While the SG650 name makes us wonder whether this is the moniker it will adopt or it will revert to the otherwise reported ‘Super Meteor’ branding, either way it looks like we will be getting the finished product very soon. https://www.visordown.com/news/new-bikes/snatch-glimpse-finished-royal-enfield-super-meteor-650

Since 2017, life insurer NN and UGent, under the direction of Professor Lieven Annemans, have been researching what makes Belgians happy. In 2022, this study, which is conducted every 2 years, will focus on another aspect, namely the concrete changes in our lives that influence our happiness. Be the actor of your own happiness Thanks to scientific developments, we are all living longer and healthier on average. This allows us to stay fit and active longer. But how can we do this happily? What can we personally do to ensure our long-term happiness? In addition to the study we conduct every 2 years on the happiness of Belgians, next year we will add a new component. We will examine which wellness-related interventions can, in the short and longer term, have an impact on our happiness. We will also focus on the happiness of people who are approaching or have reached retirement age. Analyses and reports with new insights will be published at various times in 2022. https://belgesheureux.be/dossier/nouveau-volet-pour-lenquete-nationale-du-bonheur-de-lugent-nn/

The vaccination campaign for the 5- to 11-year-olds has kicked off in Flanders today. About 200 children were invited to a test event at a vaccination centre in Gooik (Flemish Brabant). Each of them got a special certificate of "virus fighter" after getting the jab. Children have the option to get a vaccine, nobody is obliged to take it. Those that don't will not face any consequences. There will be no such thing as a corona passport for children, the federal Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke underlined earlier. As most children don't suffer a lot from corona virus - especially those with underlying illnesses or a weaker immune system are at risk - a majority doesn't benefit directly from taking a jab. Experts however point to indirect benefits, such as a smaller chance of classroom closures or more options to meet their grandparents. Children get a smaller dose of about one third of the adult dose. 11-year-old Lou told reporters: "I had corona myself last year so I wanted the jab. I also want to protect my grandmother who lives in the same house." The first Flemish vaccinations took place in Gooik today, where a test event was held. Health workers will calculate more time for a child to get vaccinated, and want to find out how much. The Gooik vaccination centre had provided several items to distract the children's attention. https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/en/2021/12/30/first-children-get-corona-vaccine/

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Happy New Year to all the CSBD community take care everyone.

Video title: BEST MEMES COMPILATION DECEMBER 2021 Content creator ( Youtuber ) : H-Matter Official YT video:

Happy Birthday

Founded in 1969, The British School of Brussels (BSB) is an outstanding British success story in Europe. Since its inception, the school has gone from strength to strength, combining the best features of British education with a European and international perspective. BSB is truly a world class international learning community. It's our shared ethos of ‘learning together: inspiring success’ that makes us a high performance school. Since BSB’s early beginnings when Sir Dick Pantlin, with a small group of like-minded businessmen, opened the school in 1970 on the present site, the school has grown steadily and successfully. With considerable foresight, our founders and the first Principal, Alan Humphries, understood that for all students and teachers to be on first name terms would ease communication, break down barriers, and help the integration of all children especially those whose first language was not English. It is a tradition we both retain and cherish. Key dates in BSB history: -1969: BSB is officially created. -1970: Duke of Edinburgh attends the opening ceremony. -1981: King Baudouin attends official opening of the new auditorium, now known as the Brel Theatre. -2010: BSB celebrates the 40th anniversary of its official opening in Tervuren. -2016: Jacques Rogge Sports Centre is opened. New facilities mean BSB is the only international school in Belgium to offer an indoor swimming pool. -2020: BSB celebrates its 50th anniversary

DH1, Because I like the story that gives the song

DH1 is better

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Happy Birthday! Have a nice day!

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