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5/31/09

TWIST & SHOUT !










Designer Jess Han has re-imagined the simple door handle with a DaVinci Code style lock that denies entry for all but the chosen few (cue: dramatic music).
This intuitive door handle dubbed the “NUMLOCK HANDLE” features a numbered dial-lock that re-shuffles and locks itself after every successful entry.
Get the code incorrect and Tom Hanks gets punched in the gut by an albino assassin.
The numbers can be replaced or supplemented with braille for that extra level of mystery.
Designer: Jaeseok Han

THINNEST TV & MORE !

A few generation of super-slim screens will revolutionise home entertainment, according to the makers.

The OLED sets boast the thinnest TV screen created. At its narrowest point it is the width of a pound coin. And technological advances make the image far sharper than on LCD and plasma screens.

Enlarge OLED TV

The Sony XEL-1 is currently the only OLED TV on the market and priced at £3,500. The screen is just 3mm thick

The Organic Light- Emitting Diode TVs have a contrast rating of 1,000,000 to 1, about ten times sharper than most LCD screens.

The first OLED TV to reach consumers was Sony's 11in £3,489 Bravia XEL, which went on sale this year.

Sony recently unveiled a new Walkman music and video player using an OLED screen to take on Apple's iTouch, while large-screen TVs, priced at £5,000, could be in shops by Christmas.

Panasonic is expected to launch a 40in OLED television next year and, according to online speculation, Apple will make a 15in Oled notebook on which users will be able to download movies.

Enlarge bendy OLED light

The Orgacon prototype is a flexible OLED lighting panel. Companies such as Japan's NHK are working on creating bendy TVs

Apple is also rumoured to be planning to include an OLED screen in the next generation of iTouch and iPhone devices, which could be unveiled within days.

The OLED TV uses display technology based on organic materials which emit light naturally, once an electric charge is passed through them, rather than being back-lit as in LCD and Plasma screens.

This means the screens are much thinner and use up to 40 per cent less energy.

Dark areas appear black rather than dark grey because the relevant cells are simply switched off.

sony oled

OLED screens have a contrast rating of 1,000,000 to 1, producing remarkably sharp images

Jim Clark, of retail analyst Mintel, predicted that OLED televisions would become the dominant television from 2012, when cheaper models arrive in the shops in time for the World Cup.

However, the screens have a limited lifespan. An OLED set will last 30,000 hours, about ten years for someone using the TV eight hours a day.

By contrast, a Sony LCD TV lasts twice that long.

OLED

An OLED (organic light emitting diode) is 200 times smaller than a human hair. Two layers of organic material are sandwiched between two conductors. When a current passes from the cathode to the anode a bright light is produced by the organic material


RESEARCHERS
at Japan's public broadcaster NHK have developed a flexible OLED display that's 5.8in and can display moving images in colour.

The screen could one day be used as a light-weight television that could be rolled up after use.

It is currently in the early stages of development and the prototype on show at DHK shows lines that are stuck on one colour. This is because connections are vulnerable to breaking due to the flexible screen.

HOW TO STOP BODY ODOR NATURALLY !


Millions of people suffer from embarrassing body odor. Fortunately, you don't need to spend a lot to solve the problem. Natural, 'green', cheap baking soda can solve your personal odor issue!
Instructions :
Step 1 - DEODORANT : If your deodorant isn't able to stop body odor effectively for you, you don't have to buy a more expensive brand. Simply apply a slightly heavier coat of deodorant than normal. Then, apply baking soda on top of that layer, like you were applying baby powder. Be careful not to inhale baking soda. It's not toxic, but any lung contaminate can result in respiratory problems.
Step 2 - BAD BREATH : Try adding baking soda to your toothpaste, or purchase a toothpaste with baking soda as an ingredient. You can also mix half a teaspoon of baking soda with your mouthwash and use it to swish and gargle.
Step 3 - HAIR : Your hair traps odors and oils produced by your scalp. In fact, more body heat is released through your head than through any other part of your body. These oils not only look bad, but carry an unpleasant odor too. Try adding a touch of baking powder to your grooming routine. In the shower, after washing and conditioning, mix a small amount of baking soda (2 tbs approximately) with enough water to create a paste. Apply this paste to your hair and massage in thoroughly. Allow to sit for 3 minutes, then rinse. Your hair may feel slick even after rinsing. This is because a small amount of baking soda will cling to your hair, helping to absorb odors throughout your day.
***NOTE***
If you are in a situation where showering is not an option, baking soda can be applied directly to your hair and combed through for a similar effect. Do not mix the baking soda with any water. Again, be careful not to inhale baking soda.
Step 4 - SHOES : You are probably aware that baking soda is a common additive to innersoles and other shoe inserts. However, you don't need to purchase the insert to have the same odor fighting effects.Pour enough baking soda into your shoes to coat the inner sides. Spread the baking soda on all inner sides of the shoe as though you were coating a baking pan with flour. Allow soda several hours to absorb odors. Then, turn shoe upside down over a trash bin and pat with your hand to remove excess powder. Repeat as often as you need to keep up with foot odor.
Step 5 - LAUNDRY : Adding baking soda to your laundry will help stop body odor. This method works best with natural fibers like cotton, denim blue jeans, linen.
WASH METHOD : Wash clothes as normal with regular detergent, but add 1/4 cup baking soda to the wash.
DRYER METHOD : Wash clothes as usual. Moisten a clean washcloth, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Add the washcloth to the load in your dryer. Dry as usual. ***This method works best for ongoing prevention of body odor***
Step 6 - BATH : There are many benefits to adding soaking in a a baking soda bath. It will help relieve skin irritation, moisten your skin, relieve itch. It will also help fight odor.Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda to a comfortably warm bath.
Step 7 - HAND ODOR : If you are one of many people who find that any odor your hands come in contact with is difficult to wash away, baking soda is the answer. Baking soda is highly effective in removing unpleasant smells like onion and garlic. Simply wet your hands, apply baking soda liberally, scrub, rinse. Odor is gone.Tips & Warnings- If skin irritation develops, discontinue use of baking soda.- If you have existing skin conditions, consult your doctor before using baking soda in any of the methods described in this article.- Do not expose eyes to baking soda.- Do not inhale baking soda.

5/29/09

Cheese Wheels Keep Rollin’















Each year on Cooper’s Hill in Gloucester, England, hundreds of people race down a steep grassy hill in pursuit of a large wedge of cheese. If you win the race, you win the cheese, and if you don’t win you get some bad bruises and nasty grass stains. The cheese gets a one second head start and can reach speeds of 70 miles an hour, making it pretty difficult (and painful) to actually catch.
This tradition has been going on for over 200 years, gaining popularity and contestants from all over the world. There are several trial runs and separate men’s and women’s races. But enough history, let’s just see some epic falls.
Three cheese-chasers were taken to hospital for treatment - two with suspected spinal injuries and one with a dislocated shoulder.

5/28/09

Cancer patient held at airport for missing fingerprint


HONG KONG (Reuters) – A Singapore cancer patient was held for four hours by immigration officials in the United States when they could not detect his fingerprints -- which had apparently disappeared because of a drug he was taking.
The incident, highlighted in the Annals of Oncology, was reported by the patient's doctor, Tan Eng Huat, who advised cancer patients taking this drug to carry a doctor's letter when traveling to the United States.
The drug, capecitabine, is commonly used to treat cancers in the head and neck, breast, stomach and colorectum.
One side-effect is chronic inflammation of the palms or soles of the feet and the skin can peel, bleed and develop ulcers or blisters -- or what is known as hand-foot syndrome.
"This can give rise to eradication of fingerprints with time," explained Tan, senior consultant in the medical oncology department at Singapore's National Cancer Center.
The patient, a 62-year-old man, had head and neck cancer that had spread but responded well to chemotherapy. To prevent the cancer from recurring, he was put on capecitabine.
"In December 2008, after more than three years of capecitabine, he went to the United States to visit his relatives," Tan wrote.
"He was detained at the airport customs for four hours because the immigration officers could not detect his fingerprints. He was allowed to enter after the custom officers were satisfied that he was not a security threat."
Tan said the loss of fingerprints is not described in the packaging of the drug, although chronic inflammation of the palms and soles of feet is included.
"The topmost layer ... is the layer that accounts for the fingerprint, that (losing that top layer) is all it takes (to lose a fingerprint)," Tan told Reuters.
"Theoretically, if you stop the drug, it will grow back but details are scanty. No one knows the frequency of this occurrence among patients taking this drug and nobody knows how long a person must be on this drug before the loss of fingerprints."
By : Tan Ee Lyn (Editing by Alex Richardson)

5/27/09

A New Face for Money !





rs_dollar_phatcity2

Graphic Designer Richard Smith can think of one way to help the U.S. economy: designing new currency! Smith created the design above and has asked others to submit their designs to the Dollar Redesign Project. Winners will win a t-shirt, and have their entry posted on the Posterous blog. While the prize may be miniscule, it could turn into something more if enough people follow the project and want the U.S. currency to change. Who knows? Maybe Jack Nicholson, Barbie or Superman will be the new face for American currency. Check out some of the entries below to make your decision.

shill_currencyof_dreams

By Sandra Hill

rera-ten-sm

By Lou Rera

100red

By Casey Moore

1

By Boris Bencic

money

By David Muller

us_10dollar

By Bhavika Parekh

tim_milne_marbles

By Tim Milne

mckennaseefeldt

By McKenna Seefeldt

kelseydunigan

By Kelsey Dunigan

20_obverse_final

By Michael Tyznik

currency_michellehaft

By Michelle Haft

Submissions are quite appropriately due July 4, 2009. You can submit your ideas through e-mail to DollarsNoSense@ThinkCreateBelieve.com. There aren’t exactly any rules to what the designs can be, but inappropriate ones can be disqualified.

5/26/09

Some of the Fish Oil (Omega 3 fatty acids) Benefits


1. Less Pain and Inflammation.
Omega 3 fatty acids, particularly EPA, have a very positive effect on your inflammatory response. Through several mechanisms, they regulate your body's inflammation cycle, which prevents and relieves painful conditions like arthritis, prostatitis, cystitis and anything else ending in "itis."

2. Cardiovascular Health.
Omega 3 fatty acids have also been proven to work wonders for your heart and the miles and miles of arteries and veins that make up your cardiovascular system. They help to lower cholesterol, tryglicerides, LDLs and blood pressure, while at the same time increasing good HDL cholesterol. This adds years to your life expectancy.

3. Protection from Stroke and Heart Attack.
When plaque builds up on arterial walls and then breaks loose, it causes what's known as a thrombosis, which is a fancy way of saying clot. If a clot gets stuck in the brain, it causes a stroke and when it plugs an artery, it causes a heart attack. Research shows omega 3 fatty acids break up clots before they can cause any damage.

4. Better Brain Function and Higher Intelligence.
Pregnant and nursing mothers can have a great impact on the intelligence and happiness of their babies by supplementing with fish oil. For adults, omega 3 improves memory, recall, reasoning and focus. You'll swear you're getting younger and smarter.

5. Less Depression and Psychosis.
Making you smarter is not all omega 3 does for your brain. Psychiatry department researchers at the University of Sheffield, along with many other research studies, found that omega 3 fish oil supplements "alleviate" the symptoms of depression, bipolar and psychosis (Journal of Affective Disorder Vol. 48(2-3);149- 55).

6. Lower Incidence of Childhood Disorders.
Just to show how fish oil fatty acids leave nobody out, studies show that children (and adults) with ADD and ADHD experience a greatly improved quality of life. And those with dyslexia, dyspraxia and compulsive disorders have gotten a new lease on life thanks to omega 3 oils.

7. Reduction of Breast, Colon and Prostate Cancer. And finally, omega 3 fish oil has been shown to help prevent three of the most common forms of cancer – breast, colon and prostate. Science tells us that omega 3s accomplish this in three ways. They stop the alteration from a normal healthy cell to a cancerous mass, inhibiting unwanted cellular growth and causing apoptosis, or cellular death, of cancer cells.
From: Ashraf


(Also some more facts about Omega 3-6-9 Benefits !)

You see these supplements in health food stores all the time. In one bottle you get three types of essential fatty acids. We have been hearing about how important Omega-3 fatty acids are and since Omega-6 and Omega-9 fatty acids are essential too, these products look the product manufacturers' gift to your health. They are not.
You do not likely need any more Omega-6 fatty acids in your life if you eat at all like the western world. Follow a very good diet but when you go out to eat, have tortillas or bread or food cooked in vegetable oil. You get a good dose of Omega-6 oils in those instances. Even the beef we eat has Omega-6 fatty acids in it (though not as much as a bunch of corn chips would). Vegetable oils and grains are high in Omega-6 fatty acids. It seems odd to buy the fat at a health food store.
Omega-9 fatty acids are important too, but what you should do to get your Omega-9s is to add some salads to your diet each week and make your own salad dressing with olive oil. You will benefit from the antioxidants in the oil and from the Omega-9 fatty acids. You will also get to eat dinner.
Pass on the Omega 3 6 9 supplement. Look for an Omega-3 supplement that includes EPA and DHA. This will likely be a fish oil supplement of some sort. Such a supplement will help you fight depression (depression and Omega 3s), improve your cardiovascular health, and fight other degenerative diseases. I will post a cheat sheet in the next couple of weeks on how to shop for such a product.