The average person waits spends six months of lifetime waiting for traffic signals to change

Apr 11 2023

Did you know that the average person spends six months of their life waiting for red lights to turn green?

According to a study conducted by the European satellite navigation company TomTom, the average person spends 20 minutes each day waiting at red lights.

Over the course of a lifetime, this adds up to a total of 180 days or six months spent waiting for traffic signals to change.

The same study found that drivers in Mexico City spend the most time waiting at red lights, with an average of 45 minutes per day. Other cities with high wait times include Istanbul, Rio de Janeiro, and Moscow.

But it’s not just drivers who are affected by traffic signals. Pedestrians also spend a significant amount of time waiting at crosswalks for the “walk” signal to appear.

In response, some cities have implemented new technologies such as adaptive traffic signals that use real-time data to adjust signal timing based on traffic volume.

#MaltaDaily

Health Ministry calls for conciliation meeting over new sectoral agreement for nurses

Apr 11 2023

The Health Ministry has made an announcement that negotiations for a new sectoral agreement for nurses will be discussed before a three-person panel as part of a conciliation meeting. This decision is intended to ensure normal service resumes at Mater Dei Hospital and other state-run medical facilities while negotiations with the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) continue. Conciliation meetings are a means of resolving industrial disputes with the help of mutually agreed upon mediators, and are provided for in the public sector collective agreement that also applies to nurses.

The MUMN had issued directives in March, and intensified them in April, which forced several hospital services to come to a halt, upsetting patients and in some cases prompting doctors to warn that potentially life-impacting procedures were being postponed. While the union is not required to suspend its directives during conciliation meetings, the ministry hopes it will do so “in the spirit of good faith” and to safeguard patients’ health.

Negotiations for a new sectoral agreement between the nursing union and government started last summer, and they have since met 13 times. The main bone of contention is understood to revolve around nurses’ salaries, with the government’s current offer being more than double the salary increases agreed upon in 2018. The conciliation meeting, chaired by lawyer John Bonello, is among the dispute mechanisms provided for by the public sector’s collective agreement and must be held within eight days of being called, with both parties obliged to attend. If the mediation fails or if the MUMN refuses to suspend hospital directives while negotiations proceed, the government could choose to head to court and request an injunction.

#MaltaDaily

Dad Jokes can be a sign of emotional intelligence, creativity & cleverness

Apr 11 2023

It has become a cultural phenomenon – often associated with the playful and cheesy humour of fathers. While some may roll their eyes at these pun-filled jokes, there are actually several positive signs of dad jokes that are worth exploring.

Studies show that, firstly, dad jokes are a sign of playfulness and a sense of humour.

Secondly, dad jokes can be a sign of emotional intelligence and empathy.

Thirdly, dad jokes can be a sign of humility and self-deprecation. By making fun of themselves or their own experiences, people show a willingness to be vulnerable and poke fun at their own flaws. This can be a refreshing change from the hyper-masculine or stoic stereotypes.

Fourthly, dad jokes can be a sign of creativity and cleverness. Many dad jokes involve wordplay, puns, and unexpected twists that require a certain level of creative thinking to come up with.

Lastly, dad jokes can be a sign of positivity and hopefulness. By finding humour in everyday situations and making light of them, we can be positive about life. This can be a refreshing change from the negativity and cynicism that can often dominate our culture, and can help create a more positive and uplifting environment for everyone.

So, the next time you hear a dad joke, try to appreciate it for the positive sign that it is.

#MaltaDaily

Alibaba will launch AI chatbot Tongyi Qianwen and directly compete with Chat GPT

Apr 11 2023

Alibaba, the Chinese technology giant, has announced plans to release its own artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot called Tongyi Qianwen, which will be integrated into Alibaba’s businesses in the near future. Tongyi Qianwen, roughly translated to “seeking an answer by asking a thousand questions”, is capable of working in English and Chinese and will first be added to Alibaba’s workplace messaging app, DingTalk. The chatbot will perform various tasks, including turning conversations in meetings into written notes, writing emails, and drafting business proposals. Alibaba also plans to integrate Tongyi Qianwen into Tmall Genie, similar to Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant smart speaker.

Interest in generative AI has surged since the release of ChatGPT by Microsoft-backed OpenAI in November. ChatGPT is capable of answering questions using natural, human-like language and can also mimic other writing styles, using the internet as its database. Microsoft has spent billions of dollars on the technology and plans to embed it in its Office apps. Alphabet’s Google and Chinese technology group Baidu have also announced their own AI models and released similar chatbots.

On Tuesday, China’s cyberspace regulator unveiled draft measures for managing generative AI. The proposed rules would require companies to be responsible for the legitimacy of data used to train the technology. The public has until 10 May to give feedback on the proposals.

However, concerns have been raised about the potential risks of powerful AI systems, with a group of high-profile figures in the technology industry calling for their training to be suspended. Twitter CEO Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak were among those who signed an open letter warning of the risks, saying that the race to develop AI systems is out of control. A recent report by investment bank Goldman Sachs estimated that AI could replace the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs.

Earlier this month, Italy became the first Western nation to block ChatGPT, with the country’s data-protection authority citing privacy concerns.

#MaltaDaily