Special Head

Hiya! How's it going for you so far today? As a special thank you for dropping by today, I have a invoked a special South Asian prayer on your behalf: "May the fleas of a thousand camels infest the armpits of anyone you don't like ...assuming I am not included, of course!" Fill your mug with some choice Arabica juice and levitate a heavenly virtual muffin onto your place while I bring you up to date on "Special Head". (You may have seen him on 'America's Got Talent').

The self-proclaimed skills of Special Head, whose real name is Danny Wolverton, are Levitation, Yoga, Meditation, and Acro Balance, Comedy hip hop, live looping Xylophone, Bass, Beat Boxing, Throat Singing, Flute, Synth and some hard hitting beats. Glitch Hop, Down Temp, Break Beats, and Dub-step are also skills he has. I have no idea what half of those are, do you?

He apparently learned levitation in Rajasthan, India while studying under his Guru Racktalian Ranjbar. Special Head channels all seven chakras with a Transcendental Meditation technique. With strength training, balance and yoga Special Head performs the seemingly impossible. 

There is always controversy around any kind of 'magic' or illusions and though on the surface (or perhaps above the surface would be more apt here) his levitation appears genuine and mind-blowing, it seems it was a 'magical trick'.

"Notice how his left arm is stiff when he stands up and he carefully raises the cane into place on the floor. There's a seat under his robe attached to a swivel bar that runs up and over to his arm, then he connects it to the cane when he raises it and the cane connects to a base under the carpet. When he stands up the swivel bar is locked into place; that's why his arm is stiff."

Hot dang! I was all set to believe, too!

See ya, eh!

Bob

PS: It is quite interesting, though so if you want to watch the episode, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdL4d3hEJ0Y

Military Kindergarten

Hey! Hey! Wonderful to see you today! I'm glad you parachuted out of cyberspace and landed right next to the coffeepot. So help yourself while you're there and snag a virtual treat to munch on at the same time, why don't'cha, as I bend your ear about another version of the 'school of hard knocks'...

At the Albert Kindergarten, in Taichung, Taiwan, children aged three to six don camouflage outfits and take part in a mandatory exercise program modeled after marine drills. Their parents hope the rough training will prepare them for the hardships of life, but there are those who criticize the preschool for pushing the kids too hard and exposing them to injury.

For one to two hours a day, the children enrolled at Taichung’s Albert Kindergarten perform a series a series of physical exercises inspired by military drills. Principal Fong Yun believes Taiwanese kids lack confidence and courage compared to youngsters from other countries, so over 10 years ago she teamed up with pediatric professor Chen Yi-hsin to develop a special program that combined military drills and gymnastics to boost their physical and mental strength. 

Yun is convince her training will help the students deal with hardships like tough college admission exams, job hunting and even marriage. Many Taiwanese parents seem to share her beliefs, as all the classes at Albert Kindergarten are full and parents drive from over half an hour ever day just to drop their kids off here. The children climb ladders, do handstands, backflips and all kinds of other exercises that even hardened marines sometimes find difficult. In order to graduate, they must prove they’ve mastered the entire routine by passing a challenging test.

Kind of the direct opposite to the Montessori philosophy of letting the children decide what they want to learn that day, eh.  But with the classes full, I suppose we'd have to gather that there is a call for this kind of school. Me? I vote for Montessori!

See ya, eh!

Bob

'Invisible' Wetsuits Confuse Attacking Sharks

G'day to you! How're you going? (Aussie for How're you doing?). Swimmingly? Excellent! Hop over to the coffeepot and pour yourself a beaut of a mugful of coffee and wrap your digits around a virtual treat. Speaking of swimmingly...

A company in Australia has developed a range of wetsuits which they say renders the wearer nearly invisible or repulsive to sharks. It is hoped the suits will help prevent attacks on divers, surfers and even swimmers who wear them in coastal areas that are shark infested. They incorporate patented Shark Attack Mitigation System technology (SAMS) which is tuned to disrupt the senses of the killer fish.

SAMS was created with the help of experts in the neurology and behaviour of sharks who tested the suits on live animals to make sure they work. One of the creators Hamish Jolly said: "Whilst the end product may appear at first glance to be fairly simple, the science and research behind it is extensive.

"We've combined many variables and elements in response to shark sensory systems so that the design of the water apparel has application for all water sports, including diving and surfing." He said field‐testing by Australia's Oceans Institute and the company itself had been very positive and was recently recorded by a documentary team from National Geographic.

"We cannot say that our suits are a fail-safe protection against shark attack but we believe they certainly can assist without necessitating any additional equipment or cost other than what is already being used."  Some believe sharks attack because they mistake wetsuits for seals. "Trouble with shark repellants is that no one bothered to tell the sharks about it, eh!"

The suits follow two designs, one of which uses highly contrasting stripes to repel the shark by making it think the wearer is inedible.The other, which uses a range of blues and greys, makes the wearer nearly invisible by mimicking the natural patterns in seawater, making it difficult for the shark to focus on a target.

The designs were created following decades of research by shark experts who came to recognise that sharks tend to ignore potential prey that are decorated with highly contrasting colours.

Among the research was anecdotal evidence that indigenous South Sea islanders painted their bodies with stripes to avoid being attacked. Bob Lushey, from the company which is making the wetsuits, Radiator, said: "Over more than 20 years in the wetsuit industry, the common question I have heard over and over again is 'I don’t want to look like a seal. What colours don't sharks like?'

"Well now we know the answer to that question and it's very exciting."

Around 100 shark attacks are reported worldwide every year, with Australia one of the most dangerous places.

I don't know about you but I, for one, do not intend to go swimming off the coast of Australia or any other place where sharks abound. How about you? Like living on the edge? Yeah...on the edge of my chair during a good movie!

See ya, eh!

Bob

Bad Night's Sleep? The Moon Could Be to Blame

Hi there! Thanks for clicking by today. It's a pleasure to see you as always. Wassup? I know...I know. Coffee first to perk you up and a virtual treat. Can't say I blame you. Just to digress for a moment...I discovered some Nescafe Instant Espresso coffee that I really enjoy. Look for it in sort of a squarish bottle. Say, did you sleep well last night? Me? I don't usually have a problem. Nong, on the other hand, often has problems sleeping.

Many people complain about poor sleep around the full moon, and now a report appearing in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, on July 25 offers some of the first convincing scientific evidence to suggest that this really is true. The findings add to evidence that humans -- despite the comforts of our civilized world -- still respond to the geophysical rhythms of the moon, driven by a circalunar clock.

"The lunar cycle seems to influence human sleep, even when one does not 'see' the moon and is not aware of the actual moon phase," says Christian Cajochen of the Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Basel.

In the new study, the researchers studied 33 volunteers in two age groups in the lab while they slept. Their brain patterns were monitored while sleeping, along with eye movements and hormone secretions.

The data show that around the full moon, brain activity related to deep sleep dropped by 30 percent. People also took five minutes longer to fall asleep, and they slept for twenty minutes less time overall. Study participants felt as though their sleep was poorer when the moon was full, and they showed diminished levels of melatonin, a hormone known to regulate sleep and wake cycles.

"This is the first reliable evidence that a lunar rhythm can modulate sleep structure in humans when measured under the highly controlled conditions of a circadian laboratory study protocol without time cues," the researchers say.

Cajochen adds that this circalunar rhythm might be a relic from a past in which the moon could have synchronized human behaviors for reproductive or other purposes, much as it does in other animals. Today, the moon's hold over us is usually masked by the influence of electrical lighting and other aspects of modern life.

The researchers say it would be interesting to look more deeply into the anatomical location of the circalunar clock and its molecular and neuronal underpinnings. And, they say, it could turn out that the moon has power over other aspects of our behavior as well, such as our cognitive performance and our moods.

Thirty-three people is a very small sampling upon which to base any scientific pronouncements in my book but what they found doesn't surprise me. Other things seem to be affected by the moon such as the number of accidents and crimes. All I can say is... don't walk under a ladder and step on a crack in the sidewalk as a black cat crosses your path on the way home to get a good night's sleep during a full moon...because you never know.

See ya, eh!

Bob

Snapper Turtle Goes through 10 Cigarettes a Day

Incoming! Holy smokes...it's you! Nice to see you today! How's it going? Pour some smokin' hot coffee into your mug and use it to wash down a virtual treat while I tell you about how a turtle got itself addicted to cigarettes. Hmmm...

According to Chinese media reports, in a village on the outskirts of Changchun lives a nicotine-addicted alligator snapper turtle who smokes around 10 cigarettes a day. The turtle’s keeper says that whenever it feels the need for a smoke, the reptile becomes agitated and starts to hiss.

So how does a turtle become addicted to cigarettes? A local chef, surnamed Tang, who is helping his boss take care of it, says it all started about two months ago when he noticed the pet had lost interest in its daily fish diet. After inspecting the reptile, he noticed there was a sharp chicken bone lodged in its soft belly, but when he tried to pull it out, it snapped at his hand from the pain, nearly biting off his fingers. 

Tang realized the only way he could take out the bone was to distract the turtle, so he took the lit cigarette that was resting in his mouth and gave it to the pet to bite on. Its jaws snapped on the filter and didn’t let go for hours. His idea proved effective, as he managed to remove the sharp chicken bone, but little did the cook know it would lead to an even bigger problem. 

I wonder if they have a nicotine patch big enough for a snapper? Don't try to kick the habit or you're likely to lose a couple of toes.  

See ya, eh!

Bob

Aegyo Sal – Korea’s Obsession with Beautiful Eye Bags

Hey! Hey! Look who's just orbited out of cyberspace and made a perfect landing right next to a coffee mug! How're you doing? Get enough sleep last night? No bags under your eyes today? Good...unless you're headed for Korea on a flight today. But fill that coffee mug first and wrestle a megamuffin onto your plate while I tell you about why eye bags are considered fashionable in the Hermit Kingdom.

While most Western women spend ridiculous amounts of money to conceal or get rid of the puffy bags under their eyes, Korean women consider them a sign of beauty and resort to a variety of cosmetic procedures in order to get them.

Aegyo Sal, as the bizarre baggy-eyes trend is known in Korea, should not be confused with the saggy or dark purplish eyebags caused by lack of sleep and aging, those are considered unattractive pretty much everywhere. 

The trendy feature refers strictly to the slight puffiness of the lower eye-socket which has to match the color tone of the skin. Contrary to general beliefs and perceptions, Korean women find these little pockets of fat under the eyes cute and believe they give them a more youthful look by brightening the eyes. 

Ever noticed how a person’s eyes become puffy when they smile? The Koreans have, and they’ve come up with way of creating that illusion of a bright joyful facial expression without actually smiling – the aegyo sal.

You don't have to spend good money on cosmetic surgery, creams and do-dads to make your eyes puffy. A few late night movies and five hours of sleep a night will do the same thing and save you buckets of cash. Not for us, though. If a movie doesn't start by 7:00 PM, it's a late movie!

See ya, eh!

Bob

A New Definition of Carpool!

G'day to you, eh! How's she going? Boy the weather here has been up and down like a toilet seat in a Diarrhea ward! Couple days ago it was 36 C. This morning it was 8C. Not quite enough to scrape ice off the windshield and I'm nowhere ready for that nonsense yet. We're owed at least another four weeks of summer so let's get with it, eh! But first...fill your mug with coffee and snag a virtual treat. Rhymes with heat. Speaking of summer heat...

Tired of dealing with the unbearable summer heat, a 27-year-old driver from Eibenstock, Germany, had the not-so-brilliant idea to turn his BMW convertible into a mobile pool, by completely sealing the passenger cabin and filling it with water.

A pool on wheels sound pretty cool, but unfortunately for its creator, the local police didn’t think so. The nutty driver and three of his friends were driving their unconventional vehicle around town last Sunday, when they passed by a motorcycle policeman who happened to see the car had no license plates and that one of the passengers was riding on the trunk.

As he pursued the suspicious convertible through Eibenstock, the officer noticed something very strange: every time it turned into a curb, water poured out of the vehicle. After a short chase, the BMW pulled over in a parking lot and the passengers, who were only wearing bathing suits, ran out and jumped into the nearby Mulde River. 

As he approached the empty car, the policeman discovered it had been converted into a regular pool on wheels. The interior had been sealed, painted blue and filled with water. The sides of the pool were lined with wooden planks, the steering wheel was covered in raffia, and next to the ignition switch was a beer bottle holder. Now that last one makes a lot of sense, eh!

Looking for a good project for August? Think of all the friends you'll have when you 'get 'er done'. As for the police, nah, letting them in the pool will just get their doughnuts soggy.

See ya, eh!

Bob

Cerasee, the Bitter Herb that Works

Hi ya! Feeling healthy today? I certainly hope you are - but just in case you're not, I may have the answer. First things first though. Fill your mug with some Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee and snag a virtual treat to munch on while I tell you about Cerasee...

Cerasee, scientifically known as "Momordica charantia," is a very bitter herb, but like every other bitter herb, it purifies the blood and the body.

It is a native to Africa and the Middle East and can today be found in almost every parts of the world. The yellow fruit with the red seeds, know as bitter melon, can be eaten as well as they can be cooked, which is popularly used in Chinese dishes.

The leaves and fruit were used to make soups and stews, it is the most popularly used herb in Jamaica, and has proven to work for whatever it is used for. Older folks tend to use it more that younger folks and will most times recommend it for whatever ailment they think it is good for.

The number one medicinal benefit is for the cure of abdominal pains. A small bundle of the leaves with vines and some ginger, boiled to make a tea with a little sugar or honey added is very effective. Some people like it better without any sweetener, which is in fact the best way.

A tea made from the leaves and vines is used to treat parasitic worms, liver problems, as a tonic, and as a blood and body cleanser. This herb has detoxifying properties and is used as a wash out to purge the body.

The leaves crushed and rubbed (to get the juice extracted) in a bath with water is used to bathe in to treat skin ailments such as rashes, atopic dermatitis (eczema), sores, and naturally to give your skin a cleaner more refined look.

A recent study looked at a compound called “kuguaglycoside C” that’s in the leaves of cerasee. They found that the extract killed off cancer cells of the nerve tissue (neuroblastoma) in just 48 hours.

One of the ways it works is by increasing “apoptosis-inducing factor” or AIF inside the cancer cells. This stops the cancer cells from making energy, and tells them to shut down and die off.

Another compound in cerasee called DMC works to kill breast cancer tumor cells. Extracts of cerasee also fight hepatitis B, and kill off liver cancer cells.

A fatty acid that’s in both the fruit and the seeds called alpha-eleostearic acid kills off leukemia cells and colon cancer cells as well.

The leaves are also an excellent choice for skin problems. Researchers have discovered that cerasee interferes with an enzyme that’s been linked to psoriasis.

For many skin problems, or even just to have naturally healthier and cleaner skin, crush cerasee leaves and add them to your bath.

The Maroon healers traditionally use cerasee for diabetes – although they didn’t understand the causes or progression of the disease. Still, they made a good choice, because cerasee contains a compound that helps normalize blood sugar – a major problem for diabetics.

Very effective in relieving constipation, fevers and colds in children.

The tea decreases menstrual cramps can also treat urinary tract infections.

Cerasee contains nutrients like iron, vitamins A and C, phosphorous and alkaloids, thus its effectiveness in treating many ailments.

You can also purchase this medicinal herb in supermarkets and health food stores. It is dried and sold in plastic wraps or sold as tea bags. This bitter herb can also be steamed like a vegetable if it is too difficult for you to consume it as a tea.

Looking out for your health, eh!

Bob

North Korea discovers the Refrigerator!

Well, hi there! How're you doing today? 'Anyung na shimnaka!' is Korean for 'Good Morning' but before we get to that...pour some java juice into your mug and stuff a virtual treat into your other mug, why don't'cha, eh? Now where was I? Oh yeah...Korea - the Hermit Kingdom...or used to be. Now North vs South Korea where the capitalist South does a kazillion times better than the starving, mule-like North. But at last there's something new in the North...the refrigerator.

The business website Quartz reported in June that a popular consumer item in North Korea's perhaps-improving economy is the refrigerator, made in China and increasingly available as a reward to stellar performers among civil servants and other elites. The appliances, however, cannot reliably store food because the country's electric grid is so frequently offline and are mostly just status symbols. One item Quartz says often gets displayed in the refrigerator: books.

Interesting, eh? A North Korean fridge that is 'Made in China'. What do you make of that? Hey, the electricity in Thailand goes out all the time but everyone there still has refrigerators...not to mention air-conditioners!  

Read this report (albeit a little biased) from Xinfei, a company that make refrigerators in the North. It is about their display at a 2010 fair in Pyongyang, the capital of DPRK:

The vice premier of North Korea and the Chinese Ambassador to North Korea also visited Xinfei’s booth. Their visit highlighted the influence of Xinfei in North Korea. Xinfei freezer accounts for 80% market share in the North Korean market...The refrigerator display area was the highlight of this exhibition and attracted lots of people. Xinfei received new orders for refrigerators after the exhibition. Freezers exhibited also received good results with positive feedback. Although the market demand for wine chiller and showcase was small, Xinfei exhibited them to highlight Xinfei’s ability to produce a wide range of cooling products. The selection of products was not to only focus on those that were currently being sold locally but to also promote and improve the brand image and to allow consumers to know that Xinfei is not only good at producing freezers, but also refrigerators and that Xinfei is a leader in cooling technology. 

The company hopes to do even better once North Korea learns how to keep the electricity on for more than 30 minutes at a time so that people can actually keep food in their fridges instead of books!

See ya, eh!

Bob

Bangkok's Tourism Court

Sawasdee, krup! How's it going, eh? You know we spent a lot of time living in Thailand so we naturally still follow what's happening there. Pour yourself a nice cafe buran (traditional coffee) and grab a virtual treat to munch on while I tell you about the latest idea the Thai government has come up with.

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports believes it can have a tourism court up and running in Bangkok by September – just two months from now – with similar institutions to follow in Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Samui.

TTR Weekly today quoted Tourism & Sports Minister Somsak Pureesrisak as saying that the ministry will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Justice next month and hopes to see tourism courts established the following month.

“The tourism courts are making good progress... the courts will be set up at popular tourist destinations... and the Ministry of Justice has a budget to fund intensive training courses in France for judges,” he explained.

The courts will operate at existing district courts, but in the evenings, so they can handle tourist-related cases quickly and not disrupt the all ready crowded daily schedule of court sessions.

“We are opening the court to protect the rights of tourists and provide fairness to those who may have been the targets of unfair treatment from people such as tour agencies.” (Off with their heads!)

Trials in the tourist courts will be for civil cases such as disputes over prices and scams and not criminal cases. (I can see it being inundated almost immediately!)

The courts will operate from 4.30 to 8.30 pm in Bangkok at first and then be extended to district courts in the other four places.

However, he noted, there are complications, as existing regulations will need to be changed and new legislation will be required. He admitted these factors might slow implementation. (Ever seen a turtle going uphill?) No timetable was given for the start of tourist courts outside the capital.

Mr Somsak is pushing for the tourist courts because the current court system, in which quite simple cases may drag on for months, is not a practical avenue for justice for tourists, who need to return home to their jobs and cannot afford to see their cases through the system.

What do I think about it? It is likely a good idea and it is a good point that tourists don't have months to wait for a regular court to hear a case. But, like M*A*S*H*, they're going to need a triage unit to sort out the serious cases from the frivolous. Singapore has had a tourism court for some time - both countries depend heavily on tourism to boost their economy. All I can say is that Singapore has a reputation for doing things right. I hope some of that rubs off on Thailand and the new court system doesn't become just one more avenue for graft and corruption.I wish it well.

See ya, eh!

Bob

Super Seed Is Superman Of Pain Relief

Hey! Hey! Glad you could drop by today! Got something that may help your aches and pains - and we all have them, don't we? Well, fill your mug and snag a virtual treat to munch on while I fill you in. I'm sure you have had or used this but perhaps were not aware of it's pain-treating powers. If that is the case, allow me to enlighten you (and me, too!).

If you’ve been suffering from swelling, pain, and stiffness in your joints, any relief is welcome. But many prescription drug solutions can create additional problems for you. One thing you don’t want is to take a drug that has a side effect worse than the original pain.

The good news is, you can reduce pain using natural pain relievers that will help you get going again and get right back in the action.

Today I’m going to tell you about one of the most ancient, yet surprisingly little-known, solutions for pain that I know of. It’s highly effective, yet extremely gentle and completely safe. I’m talking about cumin seeds.

Tiny little cumin seeds are like the Superman of pain-relieving foods. Their unassuming Clark Kent disguise hides their real superpowers.

You’ve probably heard of cumin as a spice used in a range of cuisines from Asia and India.

But it’s not just a tasty seasoning… both the seeds and the oil derived from cumin seed (Nigella sativa) have a powerful pain-relieving effect. The oil also has a warming effect, helping to relieve muscular and joint pain from arthritis and strain.

As a soothing agent, cumin also restores and stimulates the nervous system to help aches and pains, including migraines. Recent research shows it’s also a warrior against infections of all kinds – infections that can result from injury and cause inflammation all on their own.

One study found that in the laboratory, compounds taken from cumin seeds that had been stored for 36 years still had the power to halt a host of microbes in their tracks, including molds, bacteria, and common funguses.

Cumin seed oil does not seem to work in the same way other pain reducers work, though. In an animal study, they tried to stop the oil’s effect by blocking the animals’ opioid receptors, which normally keeps you from feeling pain relief. But it didn’t work. The cumin seed oil relieved the pain anyway. The authors even titled their study, “Black cumin seed essential oil, as a potent analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug.”

It’s easy to use cumin seeds... but try to buy whole cumin seeds instead of cumin powder. The dried powder isn’t as tasty, and you can easily grind the seeds with a mortar and pestle.

In fact, that’s how you would make your own cumin seed extract capsules. Cook the seeds on low heat and stir them every few minutes. Taste them to see when the flavor becomes very bland. After the tartness is removed, remove the pan from the heat.

Grind what is needed in a coffee grinder, or with a mortar and pestle, and place the powder into pre-made capsules that you can buy from any health food store (these will come in different sizes like 500 mg etc.). Take up to 1000 mg a day.

To use the oil for pain relief, get it cold-pressed. Most health food stores and reputable online stores will sell it bottled. It has a high vitamin, mineral and essential fatty acid content, with lots of manganese and magnesium. Take 1 teaspoon a day.

One of the easiest things you can do is cook with cumin seeds. Mix up different combinations of cumin, turmeric, ginger (another pain reliever), chili pepper powder (for the pain-relieving capsaicin in it), paprika, and garlic and use it as a dry rub for lamb and chicken. You can also throw a teaspoon of turmeric into your pan when you’re sautéing vegetables to give them a little kick.

You may be surprised to learn that Mother Nature produces many foods like this, with powerful pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties. Simply eating more of them can actually turn off the corrosive inflammation in your joints that’s causing your pain.

See ya, eh!

Bob

Titanus Giganteus

Hey there! I'm tickled pink that you could find time to scurry by today. Pour yourself a delectably refreshing mug of coffee and grab a virtual treat before they disappear, eh. Say... how do you feel about bugs? What would your reaction be if one morning you awoke to find one of these pictured bugs sitting on your chest? Probably scare the bejeesus out of me anyway...don't know about you!

As its name suggests, the Titanus giganteus, or Titan Beetle, is a giant of the insect world. Adults can grow up to 6.5 inches (16.7 cm) long and have incredibly strong jaws that can snap wooden pencils in half, so just imagine what they could do to your fingers. Luckily, these scary-looking bugs are quite harmless to humans.

The Titan beetle is one of the most mysterious creatures on Earth. It lives unobtrusively deep in some of the South America’s  hottest tropical rain forests and only ventures out when seeking out mates. The larvae of this amazing insect have never been found, but judging by the large boreholes found in dead trees in their natural habitat, scientists believe Titan beetle grubs feed on decaying wood below ground for several years before reaching maturity. The size of these holes suggests the grubs are around two inches in diameter and up to a foot long. 

Just like the Atlas Moth, the Titan beetle doesn’t feed during its adult life cycle, using the reserves gathered in its pupa stage to fly around long enough to find a mate. Because they mostly sit around waiting for males to seek them out and fertilize their eggs, females have rarely been spotted.

It's funny how the weird mind works, isn't it? Because these bugs only ventures out when seeking out mates, I wonder if there are singles bars for giant beetles? Lady beetles sitting around all day clicking to each other (or whatever it is beetles do to communicate). "Eh, Señor Beetle, you like to buy a lonely lady beetle a drink?"

See ya, eh!

Bob

Let Thor check your Kid for Drugs

Whoa! Wearing a cyberchute? You should be the way you are rocketing through cyberspace. Glad you stopped by today. Fill your coffee mug and dig into a virtual mega muffin while I tell you about a new way parents can check if their kid is doing drugs or not.

German entrepreneur Reitner Reuther has made headlines in the national media for offering a very unique service. He gives parents who suspect their children of using illegal substances the chance to find out for sure by hiring a trained sniffer dog.

Statistics show drug abuse among youth is an increasing problem all around the world, but parents in Germany now have a new way of dealing with it without involving the authorities. Reitner Reuther believes his sniffer dog Thor is able to find even the most secret stashes of narcotics that can often be “too sophisticated” for parents to discover, so he set up a website where he offers to conduct discreet searches at the clients’ homes, at a rate of €95 ($125) per case. 

Thor completed his training to become a police dog in Texas, USA and specializes in sniffing out cannabis, heroin, speed and ecstasy. Parents get in touch with Reitner and they set up an appointment. When their child is away at school, he brings the dog by to search the house. According to his owner, no matter how well the drugs are hidden, nothing gets by Thor.

Not a bad idea for parents who are suspicious or afraid their child may be taking some kind of illegal substance. It can be done discreetly as well. When the kid is at school, call Thor and his handler in for a thorough search. I can see lots of people trying to get into the act here and it could spawn a whole new industry...what with the prevalence of drugs these days. Just make sure, before letting anyone like this into your home that he or she is bonded and reliable - not just there to check out your home and later rob you blind. 

See ya, eh!

Bob

Comment from Brian in Pattaya, Thailand about my "Pee Analyzer' post:

Letter to a friend who recommended the gin soaked raisin cure for Arthritis.

 

" I couldn't remember whether you said drink seven pints of gin with nine raisins or nine pints of gin with seven raisins so I did both.

Now I can't find the raisins but __

The pain has gone."

 

B.

Pee Analyzer Thwarts Drunk Driving

Whoa! That was a neat landing out of cyberspace. Where did you learn to do that, eh? But what really matters is that you're here and as usual, your timing is impeccable. The coffee's hot (or cold if you prefer) and the selection of virtual treats Madge keeps bringing out is unsurpassed. Segue to the topic of the day... Back when I was a social drinker, I admit that I would occasionally get overserved and drive home when perhaps I shouldn't have.

Accidents caused by drunk driving are a major problem  all around the world, and the city-state of Singapore is no exception. With over 2140 reported cases of drunk driving in the last 12 months, authorities are having problems dealing with the issue efficiently. 

Luckily, Zouk, one of the hottest nightclubs in South-East Asia seems to have come up with an ingenious way to thwart the dangerous practice.

Statistics show almost every drunk driver thinks he is sober enough to drive, but what if you could show them they are wrong and convince them to take a taxi home instead? That’s the idea behind Zouk’s pee analyzing urinals. 

The nightclub partnered with marketing agency DDB Group to create a unique system of identifying and testing drunk drivers that would discourage patrons from driving home intoxicated. They started by replacing the usual parking coupons with RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Device) cards which were exchanged with car keys by the club’s valets. 

Then they fitted every urinal with pee-analyzing gadgets that could detect alcohol in the urine and reset for every new user. The gadgets were connected to an RFID reader which identified drivers through their parking cards. If their alcohol level was above the legal limit, the card was tagged and a message was displayed above the urinal, telling them they’ve had too much to drink and advising them to call a cab or use Zouk’s drive home system.

Yikes! I'd really be peed off if they confiscated my car keys. Many guys get belligerent when they've had too much to drink, too...another problem to deal with but I think this gadget is a good thing that could save a few lives, don't you. Wouldn't hurt to bring this over here.

See ya, eh!

Bob

PS: Don't know if they've named their new gadget but I'd call it...wait for it... UrineTrouble!

Tampering With Fate

Hi there! How's trix? Not up to par? (Why don't they say 'down to par' since par is a golf term and when you are doing better than average, your score is lower, right?). Anyway... help yourself to a mugful of coffee and a virtual doughnut, why don't'cha, while I tell you how some Japanese are tampering with fate.

Palmistry, the art of predicting the future by reading palm lines, has always been very popular in Japan, only now modern day believers are taking matters into their own hands by using plastic surgery to alter or extend their life, love and success lines, and hopefully change fate.

Do you want to live a long and healthy life, find the man/woman of your dreams or win the lottery? Changing your fortunes may seem impossible, but an increasing number of Japanese are confident it’s as easy as altering your palm lines through plastic surgery. A reporter from The Daily Beast sat down with Takaaki Matsuoka, a plastic surgeon at the Shonan Beauty Clinic, who has so far performed 20 of these palm-line altering surgeries. 

Matsuoka knew nothing about palmistry until two years ago, when a client walked into his office and asked him to change some of her palm lines. Unsure he could pull off such a procedure, the doctor started searching through medical journals and found it was already practiced in Korea. He studied the methods and after the patient confirmed what she wanted altered, he performed the surgery for ¥100,000 ($1,000). 

It turned out alright, and since then 37 clients have had their palm lines changed or added at the Shonan Beauty Clinic alone.

Fine but...has any of them won the lottery yet?

See ya, eh!

Bob

Creme de la Weird

Hi ya! How's it going today? I trust you-re just tickety-boo, as they say...they being the British, I mean. Help yourself to a mug of Arabica juice and a virtual treat while I tell you about one particular, or perhaps peculiar is a better word, Brit.


 Whitby, U.K., town councilman Simon Parkes, 58, confessed to a reporter in June that he had had an extramarital affair -- in fact, an extraterrestrial extramarital affair -- with the 9-foot-tall Cat Queen, and that she had borne him a child. 

Parkes said the Cat Queen is biding her time until technology is available to bring her and the child to Earth. 

Said Parkes, "There are plenty of people in my position who don't choose to come out and say it because they are terrified it will destroy their careers." No...really?

Parkes said his wife knows about his periodic meetings with the Cat Queen and is "very unhappy, clearly." 

Now why would that be, I wonder, eh? Having an affair with ET's sister shouldn't be any big deal these days, considering all the weird stuff happening out there in the world...not to mention the rest of the universe.

See ya, eh!

Bob

Live Snails as a Beauty Treatment

Well, g'day to you! I`m running a tad late today. Drove home from an overnight visit to my brother Terry and his wife Lynne's in Sharbot Lake...where I didn't have Internet access. Yes there still are a few places on the planet where that can happen. Help yourself to a mug of coffee and a virtual muffin. If where you are is anywhere like where we are, you'll want to make that an icExpresso! 34 C here this afternoon. Whew! Shades of Thailand, eh! Say, what do you think about a snail facial?

I thought you'd say that...but it's happening in Japan (where else, eh?).Snail slime is believed to have an anti-ageing effect on human skin and beauty product companies have been using as an ingredient for around two decades. Now, a Japanese beauty salon is taking things to a whole new level by offering a treatment where live snails are put directly on clients’ faces to cover them in slime.

For a lot of women, having snails crawling on their faces is the stuff of nightmares, but the owners of Tokyo-based beauty salon Ci:z Labo are hoping some will actually be willing to pay for it. According to Ci:z Labo spokeswoman Manami Takamura, snail slime removes old cells from a person’s skin, moisturizes it and treats sun burn effects. 

The treatment, called the Celebrity Escargot Course, costs Y24,150 ($241) and involves four snails bought from an organic snail breeder in Japan and kept in sterile conditions. An assistant gently places the snails on the patient’s previously washed face and let’s them crawl freely. If they get too close to the person’s mouth, eyes or nostrils, she picks them up and places them back on an area where they feel less uncomfortable. 

The slimy facial is a central part of this 60-minute treatment and is followed by a series of massages, masks and electrical pulse machines using creams infused with snail mucus which ensure the secretions penetrate the skin properly.

When they get through crawling all over your face, can you dip them in butter and gulp them down?  Not sure I'd want to do that either!

See ya, eh!

Bob

Bill Gates and the Chickenless Egg

G'day to ya! How're things down on the farm...or wherever you find yourself today. Fill your mug and munch on a virtual pastry, why don't'cha, while I relay a message from Dr. Al Sears...

"I just read that Bill Gates is investing in a 'chickenless egg' company. It’s called Hampton Foods and they make an egg substitute product made from bits of ground-up peas, sorghum and a few other plant-based ingredients.

They want you to start using it in place of eggs and they say that using plants to make a chickenless egg product is more 'sustainable' than raising chickens and gathering their eggs.

Gates wrote that he supports technologies like chickenless eggs because he believes, "Raising meat takes a great deal of land and water and has a substantial environmental impact." And that, "… there's no way to produce enough meat for 9 billion people."

Even brilliant people like Bill Gates fall into this trap because they think it’s true that meat production is expensive, has a huge environmental footprint and is ecologically unsustainable.

But meat production is a natural process. It takes nothing from the environment and is completely sustainable.

What we’ve done today is make that process unnatural by taking the animals out of their environment and then feeding them grains. And we made it hugely devastating to the environment by growing that grain.

Now they want to do more of the same by growing the ingredients for the chickenless egg.

That’s the problem, not the solution.

You see, cattle do not eat grain in their native environment. They eat grasses. That’s what their stomachs are designed for – cellulose. And chickens forage. Sometimes they eat grass but also things like flower petals, insects, and berries.

Letting cattle graze and chickens forage works because it’s the natural order of things. The animals' grazing cuts the grass and other plants which spurs new growth. The animals also trample the nutrients from manure and other decaying organic matter back into the soil, turning it into nutrient-rich humus.

It’s perfectly sustainable, and had been for thousands of years until we removed the animals and put them in barns and coops.

Now we grow annual crops to feed the animals. This removes all of the nutrients from the soil and annihilates every creature in that ecosystem (because you want crops to grow there and nothing else). It’s an ecological dead end.

You could say that conventional cattle raising is like mining … it's unsustainable, because you're just taking without putting anything back. But when you rotate cattle on grass, you change the equation. You put back more than you take.

If someone influential like Bill Gates can believe meat is unsustainable because animals need to be raised on grain, it’s no wonder others believe it too.

A more sustainable and healthy way of eating – that would feed the most people with the best nutrition at the lowest cost and the most effectively – would be for everybody to eat:

a) two eggs a day
b) a relatively small portion of grass-fed meat a couple of times a day
c) locally grown organic vegetables and fruits

Pasture-raised, grass-fed beef is so loaded with health benefits I’d even go as far as to call it a 'super food.'

Natural cage-free eggs are the perfect food. They give you strong, healthy bones, heart, muscles and a sharper mind. Free-range organic-eggs give you even more benefit. We now know they’re antioxidant powerhouses that can improve your vision, and fight inflammation."

Thanks, Al! Something to think about, eh?

See ya!

Bob