Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty that can cause problems with reading, writing and spelling.

It's a "specific learning difficulty", which means it causes problems with certain abilities used for learning, such as reading and writing. Unlike alearning disability, intelligence isn't affected.

It's estimated that up to 1 in every 10 to 20 people in the UK has some degree of dyslexia.

Dyslexia is lifelong problem that can present challenges on a daily basis, but support is available to improve reading and writing skills and help those with the problem be successful at school and work.

What are the signs of dyslexia?

Signs of dyslexia usually become apparent when a child starts school and begins to focus more on learning how to read and write.

A person with dyslexia may:

• read and write very slowly
• confuse the order of letters in words
• put letters the wrong way round – such as writing "b" instead of "d"
• have poor or inconsistent spelling
• understand information when told verbally, but have difficulty with -read more-also check out possible help -http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/learningschools/school_dyslexia.htm-http://www.netmums.com/northdevon/local/index/support-groups/special-needs-dyslexia-http://devoncf.com/apply/apply-for-a-grant/

25 year wedding blessing a non starter.

this year me and my wife Enid have been married 25  years and we wished to have a blessing.but here comes the best bit ,getting a  celebrant was no problem as contracted a lovely lady -Debbie Merritt-who came to visit and discussed cost and what was required for the day. the bits were quite honestly hard and got fed up with fact when mentioned the word wedding or blessing the costs of venues and caterers went up or were disinterested due to small number of guests numbers not our fault only have a small group to invite ,the same attitude was extended when ask for level access due to my wife not being able to walk every well .yes i know some of you will say why not do it yourself but  we wanted to make it special as never had a honeymoon so i hope no one else has this hassle.

was chicken worlds first takeaway?

tooth marks found on a chicken bone dug up in Africa has shown were eaten about 800 bc. this 300 years before other finds of birds originally from Asia and Europe .this indicates were farmed before pigs and cattle .

This is one of the sessions that was presented at BlueLightCamp 2014 by Matt Wroughton of West Midlands Fire Service, as well as at the recent Policing Social Citizens in Manchester. At both events the idea was well received by those attending the sessions.

Matt Wroughton presenting 999eye

Over the past few months, a team at West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) has been working on an innovative way of increasing the availability of information about an emergency incident to control room operators and category 1 responders during the incident itself. The team developing the solution are now seeking to connect with organisations who may be interested in being involved with the project in order to gain multiple perspectives on how the solution may be developed to provide maximum benefit to a variety of potential users.

Since the birth of the internet, at the very same time a call is placed and received through the 999 system, a vast array of internet enabled services have been providing a platform of information sharing freely and easily between endless numbers of internet users.

Some examples:

• Present-day smartphones have the functionality to record and relay images and video, often in real time, and which may later be uploaded onto internet sites or sold to media agencies.
• Mobile network providers are able to detect an increase in smartphone usage at the location and could potentially have data on numbers of people in the vicinity of an incident.read more

Scavenger robot EATS living organisms

It may not be a living, breathing robot, but UK researchers have created something pretty close. Robotics experts has developed a soft robot capable of consuming organic material for energy, effectively creating a machine which digests living things. The hope is that such self-sustaining robo-scavengers could be used to mop up contaminated water or algal blooms, which choke out life.Using a soft polymer membrane as a 'mouth', the machine filters its aquatic surroundings – a water bath with added biomatter – to gain the energy it needs. 

But unlike the stomach or digestive tract of living organisms, the mechanical imitator relies on a microbial fuel cell packed with bacteria which break down organic matter. 

These microbes break liberate the chemical energy stored in the biomatter, which is transformed into electrical energy which the robot can use. 

The clever design imitates the symbiotic relationships which have helped living things to dominate the planet over billions of years. 

Once the matter is used up, it is excreted out the other end and the robot moves on.

Baby blues - information and support

Feeling emotional or low after birth is very common. The majority of new mothers experience the ‘baby blues’. Find out what it is, signs and symptoms and how long it lasts.

This article covers:
What are the 'baby blues'?
What causes baby blues?
Common baby blues symptoms
How long does the baby blues last?
What can be done to help
Further information

What are the baby blues?

During the first week after giving birth, some mums may find themselves feeling weepy and irritable. This is called the ‘baby blues’ and it is experienced by many mums after giving birth.

What causes the baby blues?

The baby blues are thought to be linked to the changes in chemical and hormone levels two to four days after giving birth. Suddenly, your body has some major adjustments to make. Levels of certain hormones that were required during pregnancy drop rapidly, while others that promote the bonding process and trigger the start of milk production rise. These rapid changes can leave you feeling confused.-read more

arctic live -bbc iplayer

Arctic Live-Episode 1

Every autumn, polar bears gather on the shores of Hudson Bay in Canada to wait for the sea ice to form so they can begin their winter hunt. And every year, they are waiting longer. In one of BBC Two's most ambitious live broadcasts, Gordon Buchanan, Kate Humble and Simon Reeve head north to follow the remarkable story of not just these bears, but the entire Arctic.

Vast and stunningly beautiful, the Arctic spans eight countries and six million miles of frozen ocean. As temperatures rise and the ice starts to melt, it has become an increasingly valuable battleground. Shipping routes are opening up. Oil, gas and minerals are tantalisingly within reach. Suddenly, the polar bears aren't the only ones on the hunt.

Tonight, Simon travels to an unspoilt corner of Greenland that could become one of the biggest uranium mines in the world, while Kate follows the oil money that has shaped Alaska. In Churchill, Gordon learns how to stay safe when living side by side with the world's largest living land carnivore, and the team are live on the tundra to bring you the best of the bears.