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Why the escalator etiquette of ‘stand right, walk left’ is wrong

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Why the escalator etiquette of ‘stand right, walk left’ is wrong

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Selina

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The modern escalator debuted in 1900 at the Paris Exposition-to great wonder and acclaim. Four years later, Canada had its first wooden version in a downtown Toronto department store. By 1911, the escalator was an integral part of the London subway system. And with it came proper escalator etiquette.

Stand on the right, walk on the left. This familiar rule allows folks who'd prefer to let the machinery do all the work relax to one side while those in a hurry squeeze by on the left. It seems eminently fair, since all levels of patience and energy are accommodated. But what does this say about human nature? And can it change?

Last month the Nanjing subway system announced a campaign to abolish standard escalator behaviour. Because the vast majority of Chinese commuters prefer to stand, the equipment is wearing unevenly. "About 95 per cent of the escalators have severe damage on their right side," the Nanjing Metro stated on their social media account, according to the South China Morning Post. "Standing on the right and walking on the left is no longer recommended." The newspaper reported numerous objections to the move. "If I don't stand to the right, others will see me as rude," said one commuter.

Escalator etiquette is also under threat in Britain, where operators of the London Tube have come to the same conclusion about user preferences as their Chinese counterparts: more people stand than walk. Rather than worrying about wear-and-tear, however, their plan to end the stand-right, walk-left habit is meant to increase throughput; standing on both sides of an escalator allows for a possible 30 percent increase in total capacity. Despite convincing mathematical arguments, however, plenty of folks have complained about the change. The ability to scoot past tourists and other laggards is a deeply ingrained tradition among Londoners. A similar campaign in Japan in 2014 was widely ignored.

In 2007 the Toronto Transit Commission took down signs promoting stand-right, walk-left in their subway system for safety reasons, but there's been no official effort to end the practice. Folks in a hurry still make ample use of the left-side pass, and everyone else accommodates them.

Resistance to changing a system that allows some people to zip past those who prefer to line-up is more than just a frustration for subway operators. It also seems deeply ironic given the difficulty transportation advocates have in trying to convince drivers who prefer lining-up to allow other cars to pass them on the right.

Consider the zipper merge, the escalator dilemma's mirror opposite.

When road construction signs announce a lane closure, traffic must necessarily merge in response. Many drivers complete this move as soon as possible to avoid any later unpleasantness and maintain their place relative to other drivers. Unfortunately, this results in long line-ups of cars merging well before the lane actually disappears.

To avoid unnecessary congestion, traffic planners recommend merging as late as possible using a back-and-forth zipper pattern at the closure point. Merging near the obstruction makes full use of all available road space, and can reduce unnecessary congestion by as much 40 percent, according to research from Minnesota.

Pushing against these scientific arguments, however, is the perception that a zipper merge allows late-merging drivers to steal a march on those who have dutifully merged early to reduce hassles. We've all felt the bile of injustice rising as a hard-charging driver races past on the right to merge ahead of us. Grim warnings and hand gestures often follow.

To overcome this reaction and improve travel times, the Alberta Motor Association (AMA) last month unveiled a campaign to promote the zipper merge. "It's OK to cheat - in fact AMA encourages it!" reads the headline. "The zipper merge goes to the core of what people believe to be fair. We've always been told to line-up and be patient," admits Jeff Kasbrick, the AMA's vice-president of government and stakeholder relations. "It seems unfair to watch someone zip past us." He hopes drivers will embrace the concept on efficiency grounds, in spite of their instincts.

Yet a recent trial of the zipper merge in Winnipeg had very little effect on road speeds, perhaps because drivers weren't willing to make room for late-mergers. "I've learned people don't usually let you in when you just cut everyone," Jesse Konchuk told the local CBC.

To recap: efforts to change escalator behaviour to prevent passing others on the left have met with resistance. At the same time, efforts to change driver behaviour to permit others to pass on the right have also been resisted. Both programs are designed to improve efficiency. Both struggle because they violate common perceptions of fairness.

But how can two diametrically opposed habits both be considered fair?

It depends on what we mean by fairness, says Byron Williston, a philosophy professor at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ont. "While the concept of fairness is likely universal, what counts as fairness is culturally specific." Notions of fairness arise out of an accumulation of habits and values that can widely vary across societies or circumstances. Plus, arguments promoting efficiency over perceptions of fairness or self-interest aren't likely to be convincing for most people. "Nobody apart from technocrats, social planners and economists really cares about efficiency," the philosopher observes.

In his recent book "The Fairness Instinct," biology professor Lixing Sun of Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Wash. argues humans are born with a natural sense of fairness, the same as can be observed in capuchin monkeys and other primates. "Decisions we make about fairness are connected to our emotions, rather than careful reasoning," says Sun. "These are instinctive and evolved reactions-we care about others." The flip side of this instinct is that we scorn those perceived to be taking unfair advantage. "Free riders violate our caring instincts and provoke feelings of injustice," he observes.

So why do we consider it fair to let others pass us on an escalator, but not on the road? Sun says his experiments suggest a sense of familiarity is necessary to activate our caring instincts. On an escalator, we're close enough to see and touch one another, and so accommodation is offered. On the road, however, we're encased in metal and glass and largely estranged. "The more people can recognize each other, the more likely we are to care," says Sun. Possible solution to greater zipper merge acceptance? All-season convertibles.

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Why the escalator etiquette of 'stand right, walk left' is wrong - Macleans.ca

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The modern escalator debuted in 1900 at the Paris Exposition-to great wonder and acclaim. Four years later, Canada had its first wooden version in a downtown Toronto department store. By 1911, the escalator was an integral part of the London subway system. And with it came proper escalator etiquette.

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Radiation can give life and take it away. Sunlight, therapy to kill malignant tumors, powerful x-rays, and radio waves are all forms of radiation. Lately, much has been made of the health risks related to another source of invisible waves: WiFi.

In recent years, politicians and leaders in the health field have tried to do something about the perceived threat of exposure to radio-frequency (RF) electromagnetic fields, on which WiFi, cell phone networks, radio signals, microwave ovens, and cordless home phones depend. Public fears about RF fields may have hit a fever pitch when, last summer, the World Health Organization designated them as a " possibly carcinogenic" agent-alongside others like coffee-for which evidence of harm is uncertain. Since then, we've heard our nation's doctors raise concerns about the health risks related to cell phones; politicians, such as Elizabeth May, warn publicly about the potential harms posed by WiFi; and frightened parents say they'd move their children away from the invisible threat, as schools impose bans on wireless internet.

But what do we actually know about the health effects of RF exposure-and, in particular, the health risks related to WiFi?

Different technologies give off different amounts of radiation, explained Dr. Patrizia Frei (PhD), a research fellow at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, who has conducted reviews on the health effects of RF exposure. "While mobile phones cause mostly localized exposure to the head," she said, "WiFi usually causes far-field whole-body exposures which are usually much lower." According to the UK's Health Protection Agency, "the signals are very low power, typically 0.1 watt (100 milliwatts) in both the computer and the router (access point), and the results so far show exposures are well within the internationally-accepted guidelines from the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection."

The agency also goes on to note that the frequencies used in WiFi are similar to those from FM radio and TV, and that RF exposure from WiFi is likely lower than that of mobile phones. A review of the evidence on wireless technology and health outcomes by Public Health Ontario stated, "Wi-Fi exposure are not only well within recommended limits, but are only a small fraction (less than one per cent) of what is received during typical use of cellphones." (Read more on different types of RF exposures here).

Singling out WiFi as a threat, in isolation from other (higher intensity) RF sources, then, seems quite science-ish. And those who banned WiFi in schools should consider dumping radios, cell phones, TVs, and-why not? -some of the WHO's other " possibly carcinogenic " substances, like coffee and baby powder.

Back to the science...

Let's discuss what we know about RF exposure. The short answer: We have a pretty big pool of evidence to draw on, but the science is still working itself out and there are a number of methodological hurdles to overcome with regard to this type of investigation.

For starters, much of the research into the health effects of RF has focused on cell phones and brain tumors. The consensus here is that overall, there is no increase in the risk of glioma or meningioma with cell phone use, but there is evidence to suggest an increased risk of glioma at the highest exposure levels, which is part of the reason why the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has said RF exposure is possibly cancer-causing in humans.

There's less material on WiFi, even though, as noted, RF exposure from this source is lower than that of cell phones. For now, Dr. Joachim Schüz, head of the section of Environment and Radiation at the IARC, summed it up for Science-ish: "No adverse health effects in relation to (WiFi) exposure have been established." (His sentiments are echoed by Health Canada and UK's Health Protection Agency.)

But the dearth of good evidence about adverse health effects doesn't mean we are in the clear. All the data we have are fairly new, since these technologies have only been ubiquitous for the last 10 to 20 years, and the way we live with them is rapidly evolving. When it comes to chronic diseases like cancer, Dr. Schüz noted, "induction periods between exposure and the onset of disease may be very long."

Furthermore, there is no established biological mechanism for how RF fields at low levels would lead to adverse health effects. "Hence studies showing no effect only provide evidence against certain assumed mechanisms but it is difficult to rule out any possible effect," said Dr. Schüz.

Lastly, there are the notable methodological limitations when it comes to the research into RF and its effects in humans. On cell phone studies, Dr. Frei noted that most so far have used a case-control design: researchers ask people with (cases) and without (controls) brain tumors about their mobile phone use in the past. "Do you remember when you started using your mobile phone for at least once a week?" Dr. Frei asked, noting that people with a brain tumor might be cognitively impaired and therefore have even more difficulty remembering. Other studies that looked at cell-phone subscription records have their flaws, too. "We do not have information on the use of an individual, we just know when they got or bought a mobile phone. So there are still limitations with regard to exposure assessment." Plus, most of us live with so many RF sources, it's difficult to study populations by levels of exposure.

Nonetheless, Dr. Schüz said he would not recommend banning Wifi from schools based on the evidence we have. But he suggests there's no harm in taking a precautionary approach where possible. For example, "Heavy mobile phone users can use hands-free devices to reduce exposure to the head, base stations of cordless phones can be placed outside the bedroom a hands-free devices to reduce exposure to the head, and keep base stations of cordless phones outside the bedroom." Science-ish would add: Be wary of conclusive answers and fear-mongering on this subject. It's a new and evolving area of science.
After my year-end call for submissions, you told me you were most concerned about two things: whether WiFi poses health risks, and which is the most effective diet for losing weight, based on the evidence. Stay tuned for the second installment on diet next week.
Science-ish is a joint project of Maclean's, The Medical Post, and the McMaster Health Forum. Julia Belluz is the associate editor at The Medical Post. Got a tip? Seen something that's Science-ish? Message her at julia.belluz@medicalpost.rogers.com or on Twitter @juliaoftoronto

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Does WiFi pose health risks? - Macleans.ca

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Radiation can give life and take it away. Sunlight, therapy to kill malignant tumors, powerful x-rays, and radio waves are all forms of radiation. Lately, much has been made of the health risks related to another source of invisible waves: WiFi.

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The provincial government says it spent about $2.6 million fighting the B.C. Teachers' Association in court over cuts it made to classroom conditions in 2002.

The provincial government says it spent about $2.6 million fighting the B.C. Teachers' Association in court over cuts it made to classroom conditions in 2002.

November's Supreme Court of Canada ruling found for the teachers and restored class size, class composition and specialist teacher language that was deleted from teachers' contracts 15 years ago.

The Ministry of Education said the $2.6 million is divided between about $1.7 million for staff lawyers and $900,000 for external lawyers. Public service employees in the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General have done the majority of the work as part of their assigned cases, the ministry said.

"What is important now is that we are at the table with the BCTF talking about how to ensure we are dealing with the complexities that came out of the court's decision, and to ensure we come up with an agreement that offers the best path forward for students," Education Minister Mike Bernier said in a statement.

The BCTF has not said publicly what its legal costs have been for the case.

The ministry also released its costs for the special adviser who was appointed after the Vancouver School Board did not pass a balanced budget in June, as required by law. The total amount paid in fees to Peter Milburn was $80,000 while Ernst & Young's fees were $400,000, the ministry said.

Since the adviser was appointed, the school board was fired and replaced by official trustee Dianne Turner.
tsherlock@postmedia.com CLICK HERE to report a typo. Is there more to this story? We'd like to hear from you about this or any other stories you think we should know about. Email vantips@postmedia.com.

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B.C. government spent $2.6 million in losing fight against teachers over classroom conditions

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The provincial government says it spent about $2.6 million fighting the B.C. Teachers' Association in court over cuts it made to classroom conditions in 2002. The provincial government says it spent about $2.6 million fighting the B.C. Teachers' Association in court over cuts it made to classroom conditions in 2002.

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vivian

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Do you really believe in ghosts? Is this a deal breaker? Is the house that you purchased and are now moving into really haunted with ghosts and spirits? Because I am sure most people do not want to be celebrating Halloween every day.

This brings up the fundamental question of stigmatized properties: what are the disclosure requirements and ultimate ramifications of discovering peculiar or disturbing facts and circumstances about your new home? And what happens if you learn about them after you have already firmed up the purchase?

Of course, this all depends on who the buyers are and what their personal sensitivity is to these kinds of queasy, eerie and dramatic real life circumstances - or what are called stigmatizations - that may have occurred at some time in the home's history.

Normally a buyer can investigate the neighbourhood by googling a number of sites that describe the quality of the schools, the safety of the community and availability of various features and amenities.

But what if something happened in the house or nearby that might be a psychological negative to you and your family? Would this be something that could affect the value of the property if it were widely known and disclosed?

Provincial real estate regulators have devised a common definition of stigma in the context of a real estate transaction. They describe it as a non-physical, intangible attribute of a property that may elicit a psychological or emotional response on the part of a potential buyer. These may have been an event or circumstance that occurred on or near the property that does not affect the property's function or appearance, but might be considered by some as emotionally disquieting. Unlike a latent or patent defect like a wet basement or leaking skylight, there is nothing physically observable or measureable associated with a stigma.

Of course, real estate agents are required to attempt to uncover the facts of a property by doing their research and due diligence. The Realtors Code of Ethics requires agents to disclose material facts affecting the property to all of their customers and clients. But there seems to be no real estate case law that requires a seller or their representative to disclose the existence of a stigma to a potential buyer. For instance, what if the seller does not want their agent to disclose that there was a grizzly murder that had been committed in the house?

Other stigmatizations could be that the house was the scene of a death, suicide or violent crime. It may have been frequented by gangs or drug dealers, or perhaps at some point operated as a brothel, meth lab or marijuana grow op. None of these facts have to be disclosed by the agents and/or by the law. Agents typically will try their best to disclose all that they know and discover, but many of these events may have taken place 10, 20 or 50 years previously and it is sometimes hard to find all of this out now.

One of my best suggestions is to go to www.housecreep.com, a site that discloses murders and other serious occurrences that may have taken place in the home. It is a definite must-visit website as part of a home buyers' own research when looking at prospective homes.

The principle "caveat emptor" is really in effect here: let the buyer beware. This is extremely risky and troublesome, especially if the stigma is one that is particularly disturbing to a potential buyer. It is so important to dig deep and find out what the full story is beneath the surface of the home. You need to be in tune as well with the surroundings, which could affect the value and safety of your purchase.

I can recall we once considered a home that was close to a hydro substation. My scientist wife insisted we dig deeper to see if there were any possible health effects. We found someone who measured EMFs (electric and magnetic fields) and discovered that the readings were very high. In addition, he told us about a Swedish study that linked high EMFs to cancer; because of this stigma, we took a pass on the home.

As a buyer, you must be thorough and relentless in uncovering as much as you can about any house you are considering for purchase. Besides the features and condition of the house, you must ensure that any concerns about safely, health and security are met, as well as uncover any stigmas which might prove troublesome to your psyche and ultimate peace of mind.
Stephen Moranis, B.Comm., MBA, FRI, CMR has been active in the North American Real Estate Industry for more than 40 years. He is a former President of the Toronto Real Estate Board and a former Director of the Canadian Real Estate Association. Do you have a real estate question or topic that you would like to know more about? Email Stephen at smoranis@foresthill.com or text him at 416.818.3110

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shouldn’t the seller have told you about the ghost in your new house?

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Shouldn't the seller have told you about the ghost in your new house?

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Do you really believe in ghosts? Is this a deal breaker? Is the house that you purchased and are now moving into really haunted with ghosts and spirits? Because I am sure most people do not want to be celebrating Halloween every day.

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C

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It was an anxiety attack at a recent Christmas party that got Yasaman Gheidi thinking about the silent struggles people face when it comes to mental health.

Fearing that co-workers and friends would label or stigmatize her, the Vancouver beauty blogger and X-ray technologist finally admitted something to herself: She had spent many years trying to hide her depression and anxiety.

"I felt really alone. I was scared of sharing - I didn't want to be labelled as crazy," she said, adding she didn't want to hide her struggle any longer.

"I found that by staying quiet it was making it worse."

The 27-year-old uploaded a video to YouTube using makeup to paint half her face with what she was feeling on the inside. Then she shared it on Instagram with her 75,000 followers.

She dubbed it the "Inside Out Challenge," inspired by the movie, challenging others living with mental illness to share their stories in a safe and creative way -- using makeup to create an outward expression of what they feel on the inside, no matter how dark.

The reaction was overwhelmingly positive, with Gheidi receiving messages of hope and support from around the globe.

"It's amazing to know you're not alone. There's a lot of comfort in that unity," she said.

"I created this challenge to start a conversation so that I could start chipping away at mental health."

What started as a whisper two weeks ago has grown into a powerful movement. Since Jan. 9, more than 600 people have used the hashtag #InsideOutChallenge to share their experiences - many intensely personal - with mental illness, PTSD, depression, anxiety, ADHD, eating disorders, body dysmorphia, panic attacks and bipolar disorder.

The project has also been featured in Cosmopolitan magazine, and dozens of beauty blogs across North America.

Sometimes the images are disturbing and sad and aren't easy to look at - but that's the point, says Gheidi.

"Sometimes people don't take mental illness seriously enough because there aren't any obvious physical symptoms. But you don't know what that person is going through inside," she said.

Professional makeup artist Izzy Zirilli used the challenge to combat her fight with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

"ADHD hasn't ruined my life or made me sad, it made me realize that I'm the way I am for a reason," she wrote on Instagram. "My brain works differently than others and I am glad to be who I am, inside and out."

Having "inherited depression and anxiety disorders" from her mother, California makeup artist Britt Gorman accepted the challenge as a way to raise awareness through Instagram.

"I know there will always be road blocks, but I'm really happy by how much understanding there is on social media," she wrote.

"It doesn't have to be a dark mystery. The more the social stigma lifts, the better."

Follow #InsideOutChallenge on Instagram to see more posts.

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Makeup challenge gives a face to mental health struggles

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It was an anxiety attack at a recent Christmas party that got Yasaman Gheidi thinking about the silent struggles people face when it comes to mental health. Fearing that co-workers and friends would label or stigmatize her, the Vancouver beauty blogger and X-ray technologist finally admitted something to herself: She had spent many years trying to hide her depression and anxiety.

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President Donald Trump believes that millions of people voted illegally in the US election based on "studies and evidence", the White House has said.

Press secretary Sean Spicer said Mr Trump "does believe that", but offered no evidence to support the claim when pressed by reporters.

Mr Trump has repeated his claim to explain why he lost the popular vote to Democrat Hillary Clinton.

But any notion of widespread voter fraud has been widely rejected.

"He continues to maintain that belief based on studies and evidence that people have presented to him," Mr Spicer told reporters on Tuesday.

What executive actions has Trump taken?

Trump's unlikely power brokers

Embattled FBI chief keeps job under Trump

Trump backs controversial oil pipelines

Mr Spicer's comments came after the president told congressional leaders behind closed doors on Monday night that three to five million undocumented immigrants had illegally voted in the election.

Mr Trump, who first made the claim in a late November tweet, has never provided any evidence.

Fact-checkers have rejected it as untrue and Republican election officials in key states have said they found no proof of fraudulent voting.

On Tuesday, the National Association of Secretaries of State said it had confidence in the "systemic integrity of our election process" and was not aware of any evidence related to Mr Trump's claims.

The Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton, received nearly three million votes more than Mr Trump, who won the presidency by prevailing in so-called swing states.

Is there any evidence of illegal votes?

Unsubstantiated claim was started without evidence by self-styled conservative voter fraud specialist Greg Phillips, who tweeted "Number of non-citizen votes exceeds 3 million"

His tweets were picked up by right-wing websites like Infowars.com, which has made false claims in the past

Fact-checking website Snopes.com says there is "zero evidence" that "illegal aliens" voted in election

'Don't buy it', says Politifact, which points to research suggesting there have been 56 cases of non-citizens voting numbers between 2000-2011

A Pew study in 2012 found millions of invalid voter registrations because people moved or died, but "zero evidence" of fraud

Republicans admonished Mr Trump and urged him to drop the matter a day after the closed doors meeting with congressional leaders.

Senator Lindsey Graham called the comments "inappropriate", adding that Mr Trump should "knock this off".

He continued that the president "seems to be obsessed with the idea that he could not have possibly lost the popular vote without cheating and fraud".

Trump must move on - Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, Washington

Donald Trump just can't let it go. Even with a comfortable electoral college victory over Hillary Clinton last November, his three-million-vote deficit to his Democratic presidential opponent clearly is eating at him. It's an open wound on his psyche that leaves him looking for someone to blame.

How else to explain the president's continued allegations that undocumented immigrants cast millions of illegal votes for his opponent, despite no supporting evidence?

It would be in Mr Trump's interest to simply move on. Or, if he truly feels his concerns are legitimate, to announce a robust effort to investigate what would easily be the biggest electoral heist in US history.

Instead, he has vented his angst in early morning tweets and during closed-door meetings with his members of Congress. The end result is a distracting media frenzy that forces his Republican allies - including Speaker of the House Paul Ryan - to distance themselves from his unsubstantiated accusations.

It's creating a rift within conservative ranks when the one thing Mr Trump needs - in fact, the only thing he really needs to enact his agenda - is party unity.

House Speaker Paul Ryan also said there was no evidence to support his claims.

Republican Pennsylvania Representative Charlie Dent also weighed in, saying Mr Trump needed to move on and "get to the serious business of governing".

Independent Senator Bernie Sanders said it was "nonsensical" and he feared Mr Trump was paving the way for Republican governors to "go forward with voter suppression".

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President Donald Trump believes that millions of people voted illegally in the US election based on "studies and evidence", the White House has said. Press secretary Sean Spicer said Mr Trump "does believe that", but offered no evidence to support the claim when pressed by reporters.

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Artemka  read it and it was too boring(((

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NASA and and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have released incredible photos of home taken from a new satellite orbiting Earth called GOES-16. The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) are a number of satellites that both agencies have used to monitor meteorological conditions across the globe. GOES-16 was launched on Nov. 19, 2016.

The moon is seen with the Earth in this image from GOES-16.

Here, the moon hangs above Earth. This image was captured by GOES-16 on Jan. 15. Like other GOES satellites it will use the moon for calibration.

A storm system moves across the U.S.

A massive storm system is seen here crossing much of the United States on Jan.15. The storm was responsible for freezing rain and ice across several states that caused power outages and several deaths. The GOES satellite will help provide better data on systems such as this one. A second new GOES satellite, currently called GOES-S, will launch in spring 2018.

The east coast of the U.S. and parts of Canada are seen ahead of the storm.

The east coast of the United States is seen here before the storm passed through the region. Lakes Erie and Ontario are visible, as are southern Ontario and Quebec.

The inviting, warm waters of the Caribbean show as light blue.

While eastern Canada and parts of the U.S east coast were dealing with chilly weather, it was still warm in the Caribbean. Here, the shallow, light blue waters of the Caribbean are seen.

The Great Lakes show clearly in image of our blue marble seen from space.

This composite image shows a full-disk of Earth and the western hemisphere from Canada straight down to South America. The Great Lakes, as well as the St. Lawrence Seaway, are clearly visible.

South America is brown and green with mountain waves clouds.

GOES-16 captured storms in the northeast of Argentina. Mountain waves clouds are also seen in the southwest. These types of clouds form under a particular set of conditions and look like a sequence of waves, hence their name.

Smoke and fire are seen from space in Mexico and Central America.

Smoke and fire is seen here in this mainly cloud-free image of Mexico and Central America. The new GOES satellites - GOES-16 and soon-to-be-launched GOES-S - will help monitor conditions that might exacerbate fires.

Heavy clouds hang over the Pacific Ocean and California.

"The image is much more than a pretty picture - it is the future of weather observations and forecasting," said Louis W. Uccellini, director of NOAA's National Weather Service in Silver Spring, Maryland.

"High resolution imagery from GOES-16 will provide sharper and more detailed views of hazardous weather systems and reveal features that previous instruments might have missed ... As a result, forecasters can issue more accurate, timely, and reliable watches and warnings, and provide better information to emergency managers and other decision makers."

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There's no place like home: NASA releases beautiful satellite photos of Earth | CBC News

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NASA and and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have released incredible photos of home taken from a new satellite orbiting Earth called GOES-16. The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) are a number of satellites that both agencies have used to monitor meteorological conditions across the globe.

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Lucas

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New liquor laws come into effect today creating new opportunities for businesses across the province.

Starting today, all kinds of businesses, from salons to bookstores, can apply for a liquor licence.

Hotels with a bar will also be allowed to serve guests a complimentary drink upon arrival and even permit them to carry that drink from the lobby to their room.

The only businesses that will be exempt from being able to apply are those who operate from a motor vehicle or those that target minors.

"One of government's goals is to ensure that doing business in B.C. is easy and exciting," said Coralee Oakes, Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction and Minister Responsible for the Liquor Distribution Branch, in a release last year. "Creating new liquor licence and permit options for businesses is part of our ongoing effort to remove operating obstacles for businesses, create ease of access for consumers, and still maintain B.C.'s health and safety standards."

Just like bars and restaurants, businesses will have to go through the same licensing processes as other establishments, including that all staff serving liquor are 'Serving-It-Right' certified. The requirement that businesses applying for a liquor primary licence must also abide by their local government's or First Nations' liquor licensing criteria will remain unchanged.
WATCH: The B.C. government opens the door for more businesses to serve alcohol. As Keith Baldrey reports, that means your drinking options are being expanded well beyond bars and restaurants.

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New B.C. liquor laws come into effect today

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New liquor laws come into effect today creating new opportunities for businesses across the province. Starting today, all kinds of businesses, from salons to bookstores, can apply for a liquor licence. Hotels with a bar will also be allowed to serve guests a complimentary drink upon arrival and even permit them to carry that drink from the lobby to their room.

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Elmira

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A 19-year-old Canadian inventor has been honoured in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for creating a flashlight powered by the heat of the human hand and a mug that can charge a phone battery via hot coffee.

Ann Makosinski, a second-year student at the University of British Columbia, has already received numerous accolades for her work, including being named in Time's 30 Under 30 list in 2013 and winning first place in her age group at the 2013 Google Science Fair.

But on a personal level, she says making Forbes' list was special.

"It's been a little goal of mine for a while, so it was great to finally get there," Makosinski told CTV News Channel on Tuesday.

Makosinski said she knew she was nominated, but didn't learn the news until she woke up to congratulatory text messages from friends. Other honourees in the "Energy" category include a 14-year-old who created a piezoelectric "leaf" device that harvests energy from sun, wind and rain and a 23-year-old who worked as an electrical engineer on the first airplane to circle the world with solar energy.

Makosinski is best known for two inventions. The Hollow Flashlight, a device that converts body heat into electricity to power an LED lightbulb, was developed after she learned of a friend living in the Philippines who fell behind in school because she didn't have light to study at night.

She later developed the e-Drink, a mug that uses thermoelectric generators to harness excess heat from coffee to power a phone or music device. The invention landed her a guest appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where she showed off her creation.

"It was a really fun experience," she said.

Both inventions have yet to hit the market, but Makosinski says she's in talks to lock down a licensing deal for the flashlight.

Originally from Victoria, B.C., Makosinski credits her passion for invention with her childhood ingenuity.

"I wasn't given many toys, so I'd have to take garbage from around the house and piece together 'inventions' - of course they never worked - but the idea of creating things with the resources around me was always there from the start. And then I did 10 science fairs from Grade 6 to Grade 12, so I was just making things constantly."

She recalled the moment she learned she made Time's 30 Under 30 list -- an honour that, at first, went over her head.

"To be honest, I didn't even know what Time's 30 Under 30 was until someone told me, and then I was like, 'Oh, this is kind of cool.' So it was a big surprise for me and also a wonderful thing to add to my resume."

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19-year-old B.C. inventor makes 2017 Forbes 30 Under 30 list

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A 19-year-old Canadian inventor has been honoured in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for creating a flashlight powered by the heat of the human hand and a mug that can charge a phone battery via hot coffee.