Coronavirus: The Truth

/in /by

Coronavirus is the name given to the family of viruses that causes illness in humans and animals. They can cause the common cold or more severe diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

Coronaviruses originally only transmitted between animals and humans. Such as SARS which was transmitted from civet cats to humans 

The coronavirus that’s currently making people sick is coronavirus disease COVID-19. It is a new strain which hasn’t been identified in humans before. Not much is known about it. However human to human transmission has been confirmed.

Where did the virus originate?

Chinese health authorities are yet to determine where the virus came from. However they say it most likely came from a seafood market in Wihan where wildlife has been traded illegally. 

While on February 7th researchers have suggested that the virus could’ve spread via illegally trafficked infected t. Pangolins are prized in Asia for food and medicine. However, Scientists have pointed to either bats or snakes as the source. 

What are the symptoms

The signs of infection are respiratory symptoms fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death. 

While most common symptoms of Coronavirus are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Others may experience aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms however are usually mild and begin gradually. 

Furthermore some people may be infected and not even know it as some don’t develop any symptoms and don’t feel unwell. 

About 80% of people infected will recover from COVOD-19 without needing special treatment. 1 out of 19 will become seriously ill and have trouble breathing. 

Older people, especially those with underlying medical problems such as high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness. 

People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention.

How does COVID-19 spread?

The disease is spread from person to person via small droplets from the nose or mouth when an infected person coughs or exhales. Droplets will then land on objects and surfaces around the infected person. Others will then touch surfaces or objects and then touch their eyes nose or mouth. Which will then lead to infection. You may also become infected if you breathe in droplets from an infected person. It is advisable to stand more than 1 meter (3ft) away from a person who is sick.

Is COVID-19 the same as SARS?

SARS and COVID-19 are related genetically but are different. SARS is more deadly and less infectious than COVID-19. There has been no outbreaks of SARS anywhere in the world since 2003.

What is being done to stop it from spreading?

Scientists are racing to develop a vaccine, but warned that it won’t be available until 2021. 

Chinese officials have sealed off Wuhan and placed restrictions on travel to and from several cities, affecting 60M people.

Many airlines have cancelled flights to china and some countries have banned Chinese citizens from entering their territories. 

Italy has its own red zones and have sealed off small towns in northern Italy.

Is this a global emergency?

Yes. The WHO have declared it a global health emergency as of Jan 30th. The decision was made to declare it one was after the confirmation of the first cases of human to human transmission outside of China. 

This alert is to call other countries around the world to co-ordinate a response to Coronavirus under the guidance of the United Nations health agency.

Since the declaration was formalised there’s been 5 global health emergencies since 2005: swine flu in 2009, polio in 2014, Ebola in 2014, Zika in 2016 and Ebola again in 2019.

What’s the risk for people like me?

Those more likely to die if infected are: the elderly, the unwell and, maybe, men.

After an analysis of more than 44,000 cases in China the death rate for the very elderly to the middle aged was 10x! 

The death rate was the lowest for the under 30’s with 8 deaths in the 4,500 cases. 

While, the death rate for those with an underlying health condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart or breathing problems was 5 times more common. 

It’s also slightly higher for men than women. 

While some analysis has been made all of the factors interact with each other and there isn’t a complete picture of the risk for every type of person in every location. 

What’s the risk for people where I live?

The risks for the elderly in China will be very different to the risks for the elderly in Europe or China. Your prognosis also depends on the treatment you get. It also depends on what type of treatment is available at the stage of the epidemic you get infected. 

If the epidemic gets worse, healthcare systems could get swamped making it harder for you to get treatment. 

Current estimates of the incubation period range from 1 to 14 days. 

Incubation period: the amount of time between infection and the onset of symptoms.

However, most people who are infected will show symptoms within 5 to 6 days. 

Where have cases been reported?

Most cases (More than 95%) are in China, the most of which are in the Hubei province. 

Deaths have also been confirmed in: Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, France, Taiwan, South Korea, Italy and Iran.

Infections have now been confirmed in every continent except Antarctica; many countries in the Asia-Pacific region as well as in Europe, North & South America, the Middle East and Africa, Australia.

Majority of infections outside of China are the result of those who have travelled to China. Instances of  human-to-human transmission have been recorded in several countries 

How likely am I to catch COVID-19?

It all depends on where you live and where you’ve travelled recently. 

The risk of infection is higher in areas where a number people have been diagnosed with COVID-19. 

For people outside of China, the risk of getting infected with Coronavirus is currently low. However it is best practice to be aware of the situation and preparedness in your area. 

 

Sources

Aljazeera 1 / 2

World Health Organization 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

BBC

The Guardian

UK GOV Website

CDC Gov Website

The independent

Listen to the guys chatting about this by clicking here!

Keep up to date with everything How To Kill An Hour by signing up to our newsletter by clicking here!

Let us know what you think of the show by clicking here!

Click here to subscribe to our YouTube Channel to see more amazing ways to kill time!

Follow us on Twitch by clicking here!

Coronavirus: Fact or Fiction

/in /by

There’s a lot of different info about Coronavirus COVID-19. So we thought we’d throw together some quick facts we’ve managed to source;

  • As of 29 February at 9am, a total of 10,483 people have been tested in the UK, of which 10,460 were confirmed negative and 23 positive.
  • The number of cases have climbed to over 83,000 globally Friday. Nearly 3,000 people have died from the virus. 
  • The UK Chief Medical Officers have raised the risk to the UK from low to moderate. 
  • The UK is now one of the first countries outside China to have a prototype specific laboratory test for this new disease. 
  • The name coronavirus comes from the Latin word corona, meaning crown or halo. Under an electron microscope, the image of the virus looks like a solar corona.

FICTION

CLAIM – Corona is Reporting over 100 million loss in sales since the epidemic started due to fears of getting the virus from Corona beer. 

 

TRUTH – No you can’t

 

The company that owns Corona beer (Anheuser-Busch, also own Budweiser/Stella Artois/Beck’s) is facing its worst quarter in 10 years following the coronavirus outbreak.

During the last two months since coronavirus has been spreading, the company has suffered a $170m (£132m) loss in of earnings in China. This comes during a lunar new year, where sales were expected to be up. Such a loss has affected the chief executives bonus. There’s a forecast of one of the steepest declines in quarterly profits. 

The company believe this is due to people in China not wanting to go out to avoid catching COVID-19. With many bars and restaurants being forced to close due to the lack of people in public.

CEO Carlos Brito told CNBC: “

“Our business is all about going to restaurants, to nightlife, going out with friends, it’s really about to go back to normal, we’re preparing for the surge when things return to normal.

As we look to the future, we are determined to lead growth through consumer-centricity, operational excellence and innovation….our performance in 2019 was below our expectations, and we are not satisfied with these results.”

A survey undertaken by 5W Public Relations said that 38% of Americans wouldn’t buy Corona “under any circumstances” due to COVID-19. 14% also say they wouldn’t order a Corona in public. 5W Public Relations were polling from 737 beer drinkers in the US.

Another survey by YouGov found consumers’ intent to purchase Corona has fallen to its lowest level in two years

Furthermore searches for “corona beer virus” spiked in early February! However they have since declined.

Constellation Brands’ stock dropped 4% on Friday and 8% Thursday. However, the entire stock market has fallen sharply recently due to the uncertainty around COVID-19. 

CLAIM – You can get it from packages from China

TRUTH – No, you can’t

It is still safe to get packages from China

The likelihood of an infected person contaminating commercial goods is low and the risk of catching the virus that causes COVID-19 from a package that has been moved, travelled, and exposed to different conditions and temperature is also low. 

You can catch Corona COVID-19 from your pet

TRUTH –  NO YOU CAN’T

There is no evidence that companion animals or pets such as cats and dogs have been infected or could spread the virus that causes COVID-19

Wired – Reports that a dog in Hong Kong that had tested “weak positive” for the coronavirus provoked breathless newspaper headlines that pets could carry Covid-19. But there is no evidence that dogs or any pet can become sick with Covid-19 and it may well be that the dog that tested positive for the virus had simply picked up the virus from a contaminated virus.

Claim: ‘Face masks stop Coronavirus”

 

TRUTH – They do not stop Coronavirus

 

You can still get sick if you wear a mask. Viruses will still transmit through eyes and tiny viral particles, known as aerosols. These can still penetrate masks. 

Masks are effective at capturing droplets. If you are likely to be in contact with an infected person, mask cuts the chances of the disease being passed on. Walking around town and not in close contact with others, wearing a mask will not make a difference. 

Claim: ‘It only kills the elderly, so younger people can relax’

 

TRUTH – NO – (Kinda) Explanation below

 

Most people who aren’t elderly and don’t have an underlying health condition will not get critically ill from COVID-19. However, the illness still has a higher chance of leading to more serious respiratory symptoms than the regular seasonal flu. Others such as health workers are more vulnerable due to being around the infected. 

Young, healthy people’s actions including reporting symptoms and self isolation will have an important role in protecting the most vulnerable. 

Even if you’re young and healthy, you still need to stay away from the most vulnerable to reduce the risk of spreading the disease on. 

This is just us thinking here but, if you are young and have an underlying health condition such as asthma – could you potentially still be at risk of getting seriously ill? Check with your local GP if you are worried! 

Claim: ‘You need to be with an infected person for 10 minutes to get infected’

 

TRUTH – NO, it doesn’t matter how long you are around someone who is infected

 

You can actually catch it from shorter interactions and from surface contamination.

For flu, some hospital guidelines will define exposure as being around an infected person who sneezes/coughs for ten minutes or longer and within 6ft. Though it is still possible to be contaminated from shorter interactions by simply touching an infected surface and then touching your nose, eyes or face. Though contaminated surfaces are known to be a less common transmission route. 

Claim: ‘It is no more dangerous than winter flu’

 

TRUTH: NO – Kinda.  There’s loads of factors that contribute – See below

 

Most people who get coronavirus will experience nothing worse than season flu like symptoms. However, the overall profile of the disease, including the mortality rate, looks much more serious than the seasonal flu. 

At the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, the mortality rate may have been an overestimate if a lot of mild cases are missed. However a WHO expert squashed this, Bruce Aylward, who led an international mission to China to learn about COVID-19, said the evidence did not suggest that we were only seeing the tip of the iceberg. Further testing could mean current estimates of a 1% mortality rate could be accurate. Making COVID-19 TEN TIMES more deadly than the season flu. Which estimates suggest that it kills 290,000 to 650,000 people a year globally. 

Claim: ‘If a pandemic is declared, there is nothing more we can do to stop the spread’

TRUTH: NOT TRUE 

 

 

Pandemic = a worldwide spread of a new disease. 

However the exact threshold of declaring a pandemic is vague. While actions being taken would not change whether or not a pandemic is declared. 

Containment measures are not simply about eliminating the disease altogether. It’s about focusing on reducing the ‘peak’ or an onset of an outbreak. Keeping the numbers infected low to allow health systems ro cope with a sudden influx of patients. 

Hand Sanitizer will protect you

 

TRUTH: KINDA (see below)

Hand Sanitizer eliminates bacteria, Coronavirus is a Virus

 

HOWEVER – You can use hand sanitiser that is alcohol in it and has at least 60% alcohol in it (CDC.Gov)  kills virus

If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

Sources:

Aljazeera 1 / 2

World Health Organization 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

CNN

BBC

The Guardian

UK GOV Website

CDC Gov Website

The independent

Listen to the guys chatting about this by clicking here!

Keep up to date with everything How To Kill An Hour by signing up to our newsletter by clicking here!

Let us know what you think of the show by clicking here!

Click here to subscribe to our YouTube Channel to see more amazing ways to kill time!

Follow us on Twitch by clicking here!

RODE Rodecaster Pro Podcast Studio

/in /by

The RØDECaster™ Pro is the world’s first fully integrated podcast production studio and we absolutely ADORE it! It is so good! If you are a podcaster the Rode RODECaster Pro, is the podcast production studio that you need!

There’s a total of 4 high quality (and we mean HIGH quality) microphone channels available to you. The device will also power studio condenser microphones. Alongside regular dynamic microphones. Automatically connect microphones for all users and set the levels automatically. Plus there’s one touch recording to a micro SD card. You can also record audio from USB, Bluetooth and a TRRS cable!

Furthermore you’re able to record directly into your audio program of choice such as Adobe Audition or Logic. You may also record (via an update) either via multitrack (which allows the device to record each channel individually) or as a stereo mix (which records all channels as 1) Though, with the Rode RODECaster Pro, you’ll be up and recording within minutes of getting this fantastic device out of the box.

Sound Effects and Jingles

The RØDECaster Pro comes with eight programmable sound effects pads, allowing you to get creative with your podcasts. If you’ve listened to How To Kill An Hour lately you’ll be able to see how we’ve integrated these into the show. They’re sounding so good! Instantly trigger sound effects, music, jingles, ads, whatever you want really! It’s perfect for stepping up your game. Even record audio directly into the programmable pads via any of the inputs. While you can also put the audio in the conventional drag and drop way via the supplied software. Plus, change the colours of the pads easily to differentiate which pad is which piece of audio.

Phone calls

Connect via Bluetooth or a TRRS cable and the Rode RODECaster Pro automatically provides ‘mix-minus’ to prevent audio to be heard by the caller. Telephone calls for us got so much easier!

 

 

 

 

Processing

Class A Servo-biased Preamps

The RODECaster Pro has pristine preamps and outputs feature Class A circuitry which is found in broadcast centres around the world. The Class A preamps provide a very clean gain structure with very low levels of distortion. Making for an incredible clean and low-noise signal. In layman’s terms, you’re going to sound very very good!  The Preamps are also servo-biased, which therefore keeps distortion levels low. .

APHEX® On board

The processors on board are APHEX Aural Exciter™ and APHEX Big Bottom™. Which you can find in the settings tab on the RODECaster Pro, your podcasts and audio recordings will therefore be rich and warm. Other processing features available to you are multistage dynamics, such as compression, limiting, de-essing and noise-gating.

Overall we are very much in love with the RODECaster Pro, it is a stellar piece of software and we cannot wait to see how creative we can get!

123456789

(Rode)

Purchase by clicking here!

Keep up to date with everything How To Kill An Hour by signing up to our newsletter by clicking here!

Let us know what you think of the show by clicking here!

Click here to subscribe to our YouTube Channel to see more amazing ways to kill time!

Follow us on Twitch by clicking here!

Netflix Price Changes

/in /by

Netflix are reportedly testing a really low new price plan. Furthermore it’s cheaper than the current basic package! However, as always with news too good to be true, there’s a small catch.

The new price plan would only be available on a mobile device like a smartphone or tablet. The price? £2.99 per month which is a £5.99 per month saving on the current basic package. While it’s an £8.99 saving per month on the standard package.

So this new mobile price plan is rather appealing to commuters and those always on the go, who want to catch the latest The Witcher episode or Ozark or even a bit of Stranger Things.

As Netflix trialed the mobile price plan in Malaysia, India and Indonesia at the end of 2019, it may soon make its mark in other territories.

In an ever changing world where many young people have a smartphone but not a TV, the option to have a cheap unlimited video streaming service may be an attractive one.

So, if Netflix’s continued trials are a success, they may look to launch it elsewhere!

‘In Q4, we launched a mobile-only plan in Malaysia and Indonesia (which we introduced to India in Q3 last year),’ the streaming giant said in a letter sent to shareholders.

‘We’ve seen similar results with this plan driving incremental subscriber growth and improving retention.

We expect the mobile-only plan to be revenue-positive which will allow us to further invest in content to be enjoyed by our members and continue to feed the virtuous cycle. We plan to continue to test adding this plan, as well as additional ideas in other countries around the world.’

For £2.99 you’re only getting standard definition however. Though is high def, that much of a difference on such a small screen. For basically £3 a month, you can’t complain!

(Metro)

Listen to the guys chatting about this by clicking here!

Keep up to date with everything How To Kill An Hour by signing up to our newsletter by clicking here!

Let us know what you think of the show by clicking here!

Click here to subscribe to our YouTube Channel to see more amazing ways to kill time!

Follow us on Twitch by clicking here!

APPLE FINED £25M!

/in /by

Apple have been slapped with a £25M fine for slowing down older iPhones deliberately! The fine was given to them by France’s competition and fraud watchdog DGCCRF as they said that consumers were not warned.

In 2017 Apple did confirm that they slowed down older iPhones to prolong the lives of the devices. Apple said in a statement that it had resolved the issue with the watchdog.

Why did Apple slow down old iPhones?

While many consumers had long suspected that Apple were slowing down their older iPhones in an attempt to encourage upgrades, it was never confirmed unti 2017. Though Apple said that they did it to help consumers devices run better and prolong the lives of them.

The tech giant said that the lithium-ion batteries in the devices became less capable of supplying the growing demands of the phones newer software as they aged.

It could result in an iPhone unexpectedly shutting down to protect itself. So they released an update for the iPhone 6, 6s and SE which smoothed out performance.

The practice was confirmed again after a customer shared performance tests on reddit. Showing their older iPhone 6S had slowed down considerably as it aged. Yet once the battery had been replaced it sped up.

Regulators

DGCCRF said that iPhone owners  “were not informed that installing iOS updates (10.2.1 and 11.2) could slow down their devices”.

So, as part of the agreement, Apple must display a notice on its French-language website for a month.

They said that Apple had “committed the crime of deceptive commercial practice by omission” and the tech giant agreed to pay the fine.

Does it still happen?

Yes. Since the 2017 fix the software battery smoothing out process has been implemented it on several more iPhones including:

  • iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S, 6S Plus, SE, 7 and 7 Plus
  • 8 and 8 Plus running iOS 12.1 or higher
  • X running iOS 12.1 or higher
  • XS, XS Max and XR running iOS 13.1 or higher

The setting for these phones is only enabled once the battery begins to degrade. The iOS software now shows clear information to consumers when performance management has been enabled.

“The effects of performance management on these newer models may be less noticeable due to their more advanced hardware and software design,” Apple said.

So listen to the guys chatting about this by clicking here!

Keep up to date with everything How To Kill An Hour by signing up to our newsletter by clicking here!

Let us know what you think of the show by clicking here!

Click here to subscribe to our YouTube Channel to see more amazing ways to kill time!

Follow us on Twitch by clicking here!

 

The Fun-Killing Toilet?!

/in /by

There’s a British start up that’s taking aim at all workers wanting a little bit extra on their toilet breaks. StandardToilet have designed a toilet that comes with a slanted seat. Therefore making it less comfortable to sit on for extended periods. What an awful idea, ruining our fun!

It has a 13 degree slope on it, making it painful to sit on for more than 5 minutes!

This new fun destoroying idea will set back bosses a whopping $200 to $650! It is designed to improve efficiency at companies. As the uncomfortable seat will discourage employees from messing on their phone whilst on the toilet. That’s quite an amount of money when a regular toilet costs FAR less. Especially ones bought en-masse. Why would bosses fork out this much money on a toilet? Because their the devil, that’s why!

StandardToilet, the devil’s partner, stated in a press release

“In modern times, the workplace toilet has become private texting and social media usage space…with the advent of flexible zero hour contracts it is easy to see why our StandardToilet can be an asset to a business.”

What do you think about the slanted toilet? Great Idea or fun killer? Let us know via our socials we’re @howtokillanhour across all socials.

(BusinessInsider)

Keep up to date with everything How To Kill An Hour by signing up to our newsletter by clicking here!

Let us know what you think of the show by clicking here!

Click here to subscribe to our YouTube Channel to see more amazing ways to kill time!

Follow us on Twitch by clicking here!

Tinder Prince Charming

/in /by

A woman used Tinder to help rescue her after her camper van that she was test driving alongside two friends, became stuck on an icy cliff edge. Lonia Haeger was traveling through Norway when she got trapped at the precipice of a cliff edge.

Unfortunately they got stuck in Nordkapp of Northern Norway in an ice storm!

While travelling in the remote Nordkapp of northern Norway the trio got caught in an ice storm.

Lonia, posted on Instagram

“Just after 30 minutes driving down of the North Cape, it started raining…the street iced up that we even couldn’t stay on one point! 

The worst, we stopped in front of a mountain going down, next to the street just ocean and big rocks and we stopped exactly behind a curve.”

The moment you realize your are helpless against Mother Nature.”

Tinder To The Rescue!

They were terrified that anything could have pushed them off the cliff such as a car or the rapidly building ice. Furthermore remote location emergency services were too far away to reach them in time.

So Lonia used Tinder to help her:

“While sitting in our camper with the fear that every second the car could slide down the mountain or a car could crash into our camper due to the slippery road, Phil had the weird but actually genius idea to create a tinder account with me and this fluffy cutie.”

She created a Tinder account with a snap of her and her dog. Then Lonia was able to quickly track down someone near her and her friends to come and rescue them.

Not 5 mins later, they were rescued by a local man called Stian.

She continued on Instagram:

 “Another 5 minutes later he came up with his Bulldozer and shaped lines in the ice. We followed him to the next parking slot and the day after our hero organized tires with spikes! (There wasn’t a mechanic closer than 200km).

“Now we can continue our road trip to the Lofoten. Tusen takk for your help @stianlauluten.”

Steven Stade who organised the trop said that everyone was really worried for them but was glad that Stian the kind construction worker was there to help.

1234

(The Sun)

Keep up to date with everything How To Kill An Hour by signing up to our newsletter by clicking here!

Let us know what you think of the show by clicking here!

Click here to subscribe to our YouTube Channel to see more amazing ways to kill time!

Follow us on Twitch by clicking here!

Jeff Bezos and Saudi Arabia Phone Hacking Links

/in /by

According to a source speaking to the Guardian anonymously, the Crown Prince sent an infected video file to Jeff Bezos. Following a seemingly friendly exchange on 1st May 2018. According to digital forensic analysis this link infiltrated Bezos’ phone.

This raises difficult questions for the Kingdom, how the National Enquirer, a US tabloid, obtainted details about Bezo’s life.

Furthermore the Crown Prince and his inner circle would be under more scrutiny. What were they doing in the months prior to  the Washington Post Journalist, Jamal Khashoggi’s murder.

Saudi Arabia have previously denied targeting the phone and insist Khashoggi Murder was a result of a “rogue operation”.

Digital forensic experts investigated how Bezo’s texts were obtained by AMI following the leak. AMI insist the brother of Bezo’s girlfriend tipped them off.

The Saudi’s had managed to access private information according to Bezo’s security team.

Writing in the Daily Beast, the head of security of Bezo’s security team stated a “close relationship” between David Pecker, the chief exec of the company that owned the Enquirer and the Saudi Prince.

Forensic Analysis

Agnès Callamard reviewed the forensic analysis, a UN special rapporteur who investigates extrajudicial killings. the infected file is considered to be credible enough for investigators to consider approaching Saudi Arabia for an explanation.

Discovering credible evidence, while investigating the Khashoggi murder that the Crown Prince and other senior Saudi officials were responsible.

While pursuing ‘several leads’ into the murder, declining to comment on the alleged Bezos link.

The Guardian asked if she was challenging Saudi Arabia, following the new allegation. Callamard said she was following all UN protocols, which require investigators informing governments about forthcoming public allegations.

Saudi experts believe Saudi Arabia targeted Bezos because he owns the Post. Following Khashoggi’s critical columns about the Crown Prince that he wrote.

US Dilemmas

Saudi Arabia were targeting Jeff Bezos, it reflects the “personality based” environment according to Andrew Miller, a Middle East expert:

“He probably believed that if he got something on Bezos it could shape coverage of Saudi Arabia in the Post. It is clear that the Saudis have no real boundaries or limits in terms of what they are prepared to do, in order to protect and advance MBS, whether it is going after the head of one of the largest companies in the world or a dissident who is on their own.”

Despite US intelligence finding that a high possibility that Mohammed bin Salman ordering Khashoggi’s murder. Trump and Jared Kushner, still are close with Crown Prince.

Saudi Arabia and AMI have denied Saudi Arabia involvement.

(The Guardian)

 

Sign up to our newsletter by clicking here!

Let us know what you think of the show by clicking here!

Click here to subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Follow us on Twitch by clicking here!

Facebook rudely translating Chinese President’s name?!

/in /by

Facebook has apologised for translating the Chinese President’s (She Jinping’s) name as “Mr Shithole”. During his visit to Mi-yan-mar this week. The company said the incident was due to a “technical issue” that caused incorrect translations from Burmese to English on Facebook.

Facebook and their Awkward Situation

The technical error produced a rather embarrassing and awkward situation for all the parties involved. As part of his visit to the  Mi-yan-mar, President “SHE”  met with a State Counsellor Ang san suu chi to sign various infrastructure agreements backed by China. A post about the visit was published to suu chi’s official Facebook page, which meant that it was loaded with references to “Mr Shithole” when translated to English.

Additionally, according to Reuters, a headline from the local news site The Irrawaddy was translated as, “Dinner honors president shithole.”

Facebook said it had fixed the technical issue. Reuters reported that Google’s translation system did not produce the same error.

“This should not have happened and we are taking steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again,” Facebook said in a statement to Reuters. “We sincerely apologise for the offence this has caused.”

Facebook explained that the error occurred because its system did not have President SHE’s name in its Burmese database. So it guessed the translation. After running translation tests, the company found that its system also translated similar words. Which start with “SHE” and “shi” in Burmese to “shithole” in English.

Kenneth Wong, a Burmese language instructor at the University of California, Berkeley, told The New York Times that he could understand why a machine would have made that translation error. Wong said that President SHE’s name sounds similar to “chi kyin phyin,”. Which roughly translates to “faeces hole buttocks” in Burmese.

 

So, keep up to date with everything How To Kill An Hour by signing up to our newsletter by clicking here!

Let us know what you think of the show by clicking here!

Click here to subscribe to our YouTube Channel to see more amazing ways to kill time!

Follow us on Twitch by clicking here!

Flapgrip

/in /by

We’ve recently been testing something called a Flapgrip an accessory for your smartphone that makes it more than just a smartphone!

The Flapgrip is a small device that allows you to hang your phone almost anywhere. Simply attach to your smartphone using the adhesive 3M tape provided, push down on the grip and then attach! It’s multifunctional and innovative smartphone grip that we believe that any creator can make use of!

All manner of uses:

  • Use it in your air vent to use as a sat nav style holder for your phone. (Most air vents compatible) Simply plug in and drive!
  • Use it to grip your phone in your hand better by resting the grip securely in between your fingers
  • On a laptop as a video conference holder
  • Also use it as a media player stand!

The Flapgrip is a wonderful little device which is easy to use and one that we think you’ll love! So, check out the video above to see it in action!

Purchase your own Flapgrip by clicking here!

Keep up to date with everything How To Kill An Hour by signing up to our newsletter by clicking here!

Let us know what you think of the show by clicking here!

Click here to subscribe to our YouTube Channel to see more amazing ways to kill time!

Follow us on Twitch by clicking here!