From: Mermaid . (britannica@hotmail.com)
Date: Wed Jan 02 2002 - 20:34:06 MST
[Mermaid]Thank God! America's favourite dessert is Ho-Hos. Why do I say
that? Scroll down for second news article...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1739000/1739413.stm
Spotting the face of deception
The airports of the future could identify potential terrorists by using a
lie detector that spots concealed blushing with a super-sensitive thermal
imaging camera.
Liars are betrayed by the heat that rushes to their face when they tell a
fib, according to scientists in the United States.
Blood flow to the surface of the skin around the eyes increases when someone
tells a lie.
The tiny hot spots are invisible to the naked eye but can be measured by
thermal imaging, says a team led by James Levine of the Mayo Clinic in
Rochester, Minnesota.
The researchers believe the new test could be used under cover at airports
to identify potential terrorists.
They write in the journal Nature: "There is an urgent need to devise
technologies that can be used for automated, high-throughput screening to
identify individuals intending to perform acts of terrorism."
At present, airports have to rely on a passenger's response to brief
questions such as: "Did you pack your own bags?"
Hands-off approach
The new system was tested on 20 volunteers who were told to carry out a fake
crime.
The individuals were asked to stab a mannequin and rob it of $20, before
pleading their innocence when questioned.
Another group of people who had no knowledge of the crime were also tested
with thermal imaging.
Using the equipment, the scientists managed to correctly identify as guilty
seventy-five percent of the 'criminals', while 90% of the 'innocent' group
were successfully cleared of blame.
The results were as good as those from a traditional polygraph, or lie
detector test.
Polygraphs, which have been used for many years, are accepted in some courts
of law.
They monitor physiological signs like breathing, sweat production and
cardiovascular activity.
But they have to be carried out by highly trained operators and the results
take time to analyse.
The new method has the advantage that it is instant and can be used without
physical contact by untrained staff in a variety of different situations.
Philip Baum, Editor of Aviation Security International, said further trials
of the test were needed under real-life conditions.
He told BBC News Online: "It shows promise but there's a long way to go.
"We can't become overly reliant on technology except for the best technology
we have available to us and that is the human brain."
[Mermaid]On a totally different note...and from a different season...this
turned up quite by accident...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_1508000/1508647.stm
Supermarket may rename spotted dick
Saturday, 25 August, 2001, 07:15 GMT 08:15 UK
A supermarket chain is considering renaming one of the nation's favourite
old-fashioned puddings to stop people shying away from buying it.
Tesco is asking customers if they want spotted dick rebranded as spotted
Richard.
The company found sales of spotted dick lagged behind those of other
traditional desserts.
Results of their survey on 1,200 people showed men were most bashful about
buying the sponge and raisin dessert.
Many admitted concealing their purchase behind other items to spare their
blushes in front of shoppers.
Tesco category director Jacqueline 'Neill said: "On the one hand, spotted
dick has been a favourite dish for decades, and so may will want to keep the
name.
"However, we also know that many men have been embarrassed by the name."
Uncomfortablet
While 98% of male respondents listed spotted dick as among their favourite
desserts, 78% admitted that its name made them feel uncomfortable.
For 7% of men, buying the dish under its current name was a real trial when
facing a female checkout assistant.
A further 3% of mainly young men said they would avoid the ordeal entirely
and head for a checkout with a man behind it.
Tesco will ask customers to see if they want the pudding rebranded when it
launches a new range of desserts next month.
Other facts about spotted dick
*The origins of its name are a mystery
*Some have suggested it looks like a spotty dog, which in previous centuries
was often called dick
*Others suggest dick was a slang name for dough
*It ranks fifth among the supermarket's top 10 desserts, beaten by raspberry
creme brulee, sticky toffee pudding, chocolate truffle torte and pear,
orange and treacle tart.
[Mermaid]98% of the men responded to a poll that their favourite dessert is
the spotted dick. What do you know!!
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