In tests on mice the newly discovered betatrophin hormone causes a thirty-fold increase in insulin-producing beta cells. It is now believed that betatrophin could revolutionize the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Researchers at the prestigious Harvard University believe that betatrophin may even be capable of stopping type 2 diabetes in its tracks. ‘It could eventually mean that, instead of taking insulin injections three times a day, you might be able to take this hormone once a week or once a month, or in the best case, maybe once a year,’ they said. This would certainly be a big improvement on the several injections that are presently necessary each day to keep the condition under control.
In type 2 diabetes the cells in the pancreas fail to produce sufficient quantities of insulin—vital for turning sugar into energy—and the insulin that is produced does not work correctly.
At the onset, the condition may be successfully controlled by adhering to a stringent diet and exercise regime. As time progresses, however, many diabetes sufferers will find they need tablets or injections.
Rather than try to find an alternative to providing insulin, the Harvard researchers decided to search for a way to boost insulin production in the body. Betatrophin is the result.
Diabetes is more common now than ever before and the high blood sugar levels associated with the disease can have severe complications such as nerve and circulatory damage, blindness, and heart disease. Researcher, Professor Doug Melton, said that the discovery had left him so excited that he could hardly sleep, but stressed that further tests are necessary, meaning that it may be a decade before betatrophin reaches the market.
Friday, 26 April 2013
Tuesday, 23 April 2013
A Couple of Aspirin Could Be Powerful Allies in War Against Cancer
New research shows that daily doses of aspirin may reduce the reproductive speed of breast cancer cells.
Scientists from the University of Kansas have discovered that the humble aspirin can inhibit the growth of cancer tumors by limiting the speed at which the cancer cell can reproduce and tests on mice revealed that low doses of aspirin proved highly effective against two different strains of the disease.
One of the strains that appears to be vulnerable to the drug is responsible for 'triple negative' breast cancer—which affects one in five patients and is resistant to many forms of treatment.
The scientists also discovered that aspirin can boost the effectiveness of tamoxifen, which is widely used in the battle against the more common form of cancer.
The results of the research suggest that the reason behind the effectiveness of aspirin may be due to it interfering with ability of the tumors to generate aggressive stem cells.
Head scientist Professor Sushanta Banerjee presented the findings at the annual meeting of the American Society of Biochemistry, where he stated 'If you don't target the stemness," it is known you will not get any effect. It will relapse.'
Scientists from the University of Kansas have discovered that the humble aspirin can inhibit the growth of cancer tumors by limiting the speed at which the cancer cell can reproduce and tests on mice revealed that low doses of aspirin proved highly effective against two different strains of the disease.
One of the strains that appears to be vulnerable to the drug is responsible for 'triple negative' breast cancer—which affects one in five patients and is resistant to many forms of treatment.
The scientists also discovered that aspirin can boost the effectiveness of tamoxifen, which is widely used in the battle against the more common form of cancer.
The results of the research suggest that the reason behind the effectiveness of aspirin may be due to it interfering with ability of the tumors to generate aggressive stem cells.
Head scientist Professor Sushanta Banerjee presented the findings at the annual meeting of the American Society of Biochemistry, where he stated 'If you don't target the stemness," it is known you will not get any effect. It will relapse.'
Monday, 22 April 2013
Bigfoot on Ice, But Who is Responsible for the Recent Sasquatch Deaths?
Last month two young boys in Massachusetts found Bigfoot body parts decomposing in the woods. Two weeks ago a pair of Georgian hunters discovered a Sasquatch corpse deep in the woods. Who is targeting the Sasquatch—and why?
On the twenty-ninth of March two young boys discovered a Bigfoot foot decomposing in the woods and reported their discovery to the local police department. Police Chief Frank Alvihiera sent the gruesome find to the medical examiner, who has ascertained that, although it has five toes, the foot is not human.
Over in Georgia, Matthew Whitton and Rick Dyer—who run Bigfoot expeditions—claim that they found a dead bigfoot deep in the woods a couple of weeks ago and hauled the corpse home with them. Since then the men have been storing it in their freezer. Whitton and Dyer claim that the Bigfoot, which has reddish hair and weighs over 230kg, appears to be a cross between a human and an ape. The two main promise to provide further proof of their find—including DNA and further photographs—at a press conference, but they refuse to divulge the exact location where they found the body, in an effort to protect other bigfoot which they claim to have seen around the body.
Bigfoot sightings are not that rare, but evidence of this nature is, and if the decaying foot turns out to be real, and the corpse does as well, it raises several questions: what happened to the monsters? Could someone be targeting the Sasquatch
On the twenty-ninth of March two young boys discovered a Bigfoot foot decomposing in the woods and reported their discovery to the local police department. Police Chief Frank Alvihiera sent the gruesome find to the medical examiner, who has ascertained that, although it has five toes, the foot is not human.
Over in Georgia, Matthew Whitton and Rick Dyer—who run Bigfoot expeditions—claim that they found a dead bigfoot deep in the woods a couple of weeks ago and hauled the corpse home with them. Since then the men have been storing it in their freezer. Whitton and Dyer claim that the Bigfoot, which has reddish hair and weighs over 230kg, appears to be a cross between a human and an ape. The two main promise to provide further proof of their find—including DNA and further photographs—at a press conference, but they refuse to divulge the exact location where they found the body, in an effort to protect other bigfoot which they claim to have seen around the body.
Bigfoot sightings are not that rare, but evidence of this nature is, and if the decaying foot turns out to be real, and the corpse does as well, it raises several questions: what happened to the monsters? Could someone be targeting the Sasquatch
Sunday, 21 April 2013
Motherhood Forced on Panda at Edinburgh Zoo
Unwilling panda parent Tian Tian was artificially inseminated this morning by a team of experts, flown in from Germany.
Former childhood sweethearts, the Giant pandas, Tian Tian and Yuang Guang, were both bred in Sichuan, China and lived together until they reached maturity and where flown to Scotland in December 2011, where they were forced to live separate lives at Edinburgh zoo. The following spring, when Tian Tian came into season, zoo officials reunited the panda pair, and had high hopes of hearing the patter of little panda feet. That was over two years ago and, despite the zoo's every effort; Tian Tian has continued to resist the amorous advances of her would-be suitor.
In an effort to create the right mood Edinburgh Zoo spent £280,000 on the construction of a purpose built enclosure for the Tian Tian and Yuang Guang. They even incorporated a "Love Tunnel" into the design to provide the pandas with a little privacy for their special moment and, realizing that the piped in music and panda-cams may have interfered with the romance, the zoo turned them off.
Pandas only have a small 36-hour long period in which to breed, and it comes but once a year, so the zoo has taken drastic action of forcing artificial insemination on Tian Tian and if it is successful the reluctant mother could deliver her cub or cubs in late August or early September.
Former childhood sweethearts, the Giant pandas, Tian Tian and Yuang Guang, were both bred in Sichuan, China and lived together until they reached maturity and where flown to Scotland in December 2011, where they were forced to live separate lives at Edinburgh zoo. The following spring, when Tian Tian came into season, zoo officials reunited the panda pair, and had high hopes of hearing the patter of little panda feet. That was over two years ago and, despite the zoo's every effort; Tian Tian has continued to resist the amorous advances of her would-be suitor.
In an effort to create the right mood Edinburgh Zoo spent £280,000 on the construction of a purpose built enclosure for the Tian Tian and Yuang Guang. They even incorporated a "Love Tunnel" into the design to provide the pandas with a little privacy for their special moment and, realizing that the piped in music and panda-cams may have interfered with the romance, the zoo turned them off.
Pandas only have a small 36-hour long period in which to breed, and it comes but once a year, so the zoo has taken drastic action of forcing artificial insemination on Tian Tian and if it is successful the reluctant mother could deliver her cub or cubs in late August or early September.
I'm a Belieber!
Justin Bieber fans in Norway will do just about anything to get a concert ticket—and that includes converting to Islam.
Last year the Norwegian authorities were almost forced to declare a state of emergency when Oslo was inundated with thousands of youngsters, there for a free Justin Bieber concert. This year some Norwegian schools even went as far as rescheduling their midterm examinations to accommodate the needs of students with tickets to see the teen star perform. Bieber has a huge fan-base in Norway, but there are only so many tickets available and it would seem that some fans who missed out on a ticket will stop at nothing to get one. A recent stunt, organized by the Norwegian Comedy show 'Anne-Kat', proves this, but the stunt has angered many religious leaders.
The show is hosted by comedienne Anne-Katrine Hegna Haerland, who wanted to find out how far Beliebers would be willing to go to get a ticket, so free tickets were offered to Bieber fans in exchange for their converting to Islam. The girls had to remove their make-up, don hijabs, and recite what was reportedly and Islamic statement of belief. The Norwegian news website, Dagen, also reports the Beliebers were forced to insult their hero by saying, "Justin Bieber is unclean and probably gay."
The show has been heavily criticized for trivializing people's faith and Halyor Northug, Bishop of the Norwegian Lutheran Church, told Dagen that the stunt 'testifies to Hærland’s lack of understanding of how much faith means to a lot of people . . . . This is an example of an idea where irony and lack of respect turns into something tragic.'
Bieber's name has been in the news a lot lately, and after his controversial visit to Anne Frank's House, and his monkey troubles in Germany, he probably could have done without a stunt like this, but at least this time nobody can say it is his fault.
Last year the Norwegian authorities were almost forced to declare a state of emergency when Oslo was inundated with thousands of youngsters, there for a free Justin Bieber concert. This year some Norwegian schools even went as far as rescheduling their midterm examinations to accommodate the needs of students with tickets to see the teen star perform. Bieber has a huge fan-base in Norway, but there are only so many tickets available and it would seem that some fans who missed out on a ticket will stop at nothing to get one. A recent stunt, organized by the Norwegian Comedy show 'Anne-Kat', proves this, but the stunt has angered many religious leaders.
The show is hosted by comedienne Anne-Katrine Hegna Haerland, who wanted to find out how far Beliebers would be willing to go to get a ticket, so free tickets were offered to Bieber fans in exchange for their converting to Islam. The girls had to remove their make-up, don hijabs, and recite what was reportedly and Islamic statement of belief. The Norwegian news website, Dagen, also reports the Beliebers were forced to insult their hero by saying, "Justin Bieber is unclean and probably gay."
The show has been heavily criticized for trivializing people's faith and Halyor Northug, Bishop of the Norwegian Lutheran Church, told Dagen that the stunt 'testifies to Hærland’s lack of understanding of how much faith means to a lot of people . . . . This is an example of an idea where irony and lack of respect turns into something tragic.'
Bieber's name has been in the news a lot lately, and after his controversial visit to Anne Frank's House, and his monkey troubles in Germany, he probably could have done without a stunt like this, but at least this time nobody can say it is his fault.
Saturday, 20 April 2013
Magic Mushrooms Could Make Depression Vanish
About one in ten people in Britain suffer from depression and at least ten of them fail to respond to traditional treatment. New research conducted at the Imperial College, London; has shown that a psychedelic ingredient, found in magic mushrooms, can switch off the areas of the brain that are involved in depression.
The magic ingredient found in the mushrooms is called psilocybin, but the present laws in Britain prohibit the picking of the mushrooms and ban the manufacture of the drug.
President of the British Neuroscience Association, Professor David Nutt calls the restrictions "archaic" and is campaigning for a change in the law to allow him to conduct clinical trials of Psilocybin.
“Our approach is being limited by the baggage of drug laws, drug controls and the illegal status of these substances," says Nutt, who is now worried that scientists in Columbia, may beat him to the trial.
A spokesperson from the British Home Office insists that the present laws do not need to be changed, but a frustrated Nutt is adamant that his research should not continue to be hindered and it is high time for a change. If he continues to keep banging his head against beurocratic walls though, Nutt could well need a dose of psilocybin himself.
The magic ingredient found in the mushrooms is called psilocybin, but the present laws in Britain prohibit the picking of the mushrooms and ban the manufacture of the drug.
President of the British Neuroscience Association, Professor David Nutt calls the restrictions "archaic" and is campaigning for a change in the law to allow him to conduct clinical trials of Psilocybin.
“Our approach is being limited by the baggage of drug laws, drug controls and the illegal status of these substances," says Nutt, who is now worried that scientists in Columbia, may beat him to the trial.
A spokesperson from the British Home Office insists that the present laws do not need to be changed, but a frustrated Nutt is adamant that his research should not continue to be hindered and it is high time for a change. If he continues to keep banging his head against beurocratic walls though, Nutt could well need a dose of psilocybin himself.
Manchester is Coronary Capital of the UK, But Beetroot Could Be The Answer
New figures show that, for some people, eating beetroot could be a life or death decision!
The findings of a recent study, conducted by The British Heart Foundation, reveal that residents of Manchester are more likely to die from coronary heart disease than people who live elsewhere in the country.
For residents of the Chelsea and Kensington areas of London things are very different. They should feel their hearts beating with pride because they have the healthiest hearts in the nation. And with a death rate, from heart disease, of only 39 people out of 100,000; there is a significant difference between the London borough and the Tameside area of Manchester where there are a heart-stopping 132 deaths, caused by heart disease, per 100,000 people.
"These latest figures expose staggering inequalities in deaths from heart disease across the UK," states Professor Peter Weissberg (BHF medical director), "But it’s unacceptable that people continue to die from heart attacks, regardless of their postcode."
It is not all doom and gloom over at BHF headquarters though, because a report on their website reveals some interesting results from another study, recently published in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension. The study shows that eating more beetroot can significantly lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attacks or strokes.
The miraculous power of the beetroot is apparently due its high nitrate content. Nitrates occur naturally in the soil and vegetables such as beetroot, lettuce, fennel and cabbage, suck it up through their roots and then pass on the benefits when eaten. Tamworth residents can take heart in the news that just two beetroots a day can make all the difference.
The findings of a recent study, conducted by The British Heart Foundation, reveal that residents of Manchester are more likely to die from coronary heart disease than people who live elsewhere in the country.
For residents of the Chelsea and Kensington areas of London things are very different. They should feel their hearts beating with pride because they have the healthiest hearts in the nation. And with a death rate, from heart disease, of only 39 people out of 100,000; there is a significant difference between the London borough and the Tameside area of Manchester where there are a heart-stopping 132 deaths, caused by heart disease, per 100,000 people.
"These latest figures expose staggering inequalities in deaths from heart disease across the UK," states Professor Peter Weissberg (BHF medical director), "But it’s unacceptable that people continue to die from heart attacks, regardless of their postcode."
It is not all doom and gloom over at BHF headquarters though, because a report on their website reveals some interesting results from another study, recently published in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension. The study shows that eating more beetroot can significantly lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attacks or strokes.
The miraculous power of the beetroot is apparently due its high nitrate content. Nitrates occur naturally in the soil and vegetables such as beetroot, lettuce, fennel and cabbage, suck it up through their roots and then pass on the benefits when eaten. Tamworth residents can take heart in the news that just two beetroots a day can make all the difference.
Friday, 19 April 2013
Putting on Your Running Shoes Could Reduce Likelihood of Brain Damage
New findings reveal that regular exercise could help prevent the damage caused by alcohol.
Alcohol can be as bad for the brain matter as it is for the liver, but although attempts have been made to educate drinkers about safe levels of alcohol consumption 'binge-drinking' is on the rise. But a new study, conducted on sixty people with similar brain and clinical data, could offer hope to those who are as fanatical about keeping fit as they are about drinking.
Researchers at the University of California quizzed the participants about how much alcohol they consumed, their loss of control over drinking, and how much exercise they do. They then calculated the results to examine the relationship between exercise and drinking-related neurological damage.
The report, due to be published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, concludes that the extent of brain damage caused by heavy drinking is dependent on the amount of exercise the drinker gets; so it would seem that lacing up the pumps, pumping the arms, and pounding the pavement is, can be as good for the mind as it is for the body.
Alcohol can be as bad for the brain matter as it is for the liver, but although attempts have been made to educate drinkers about safe levels of alcohol consumption 'binge-drinking' is on the rise. But a new study, conducted on sixty people with similar brain and clinical data, could offer hope to those who are as fanatical about keeping fit as they are about drinking.
Researchers at the University of California quizzed the participants about how much alcohol they consumed, their loss of control over drinking, and how much exercise they do. They then calculated the results to examine the relationship between exercise and drinking-related neurological damage.
The report, due to be published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, concludes that the extent of brain damage caused by heavy drinking is dependent on the amount of exercise the drinker gets; so it would seem that lacing up the pumps, pumping the arms, and pounding the pavement is, can be as good for the mind as it is for the body.
Thursday, 18 April 2013
Justin Bieber Causes Outrage After Crazy Comment at Anne Frank House
Justin Bieber has been labeled insensitive after a tasteless comment left at Anne Frank's House.
Anne Frank's House is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Holland. Anne Frank wrote her famous diary while living in a hidden room of the house and in 2012 the house—now a museum— opened its doors to a record-breaking 1,152,888 people visitors.
Still on his World Tour, Justin Bieber arrived in Holland last week for a performance at Arnhem's GelreDome and took some time out to visit the house. Someone should have confiscated the teen star's pen though because his entry in the guestbook was not a hit with admirers of the wartime heroine—
"Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a Belieber."
The comment was posted on the Anne Frank House Facebook Page and caused an immediate outrage that soon spread to the social network, Twitter.
"Just saw what Justin Bieber wrote in the Anne Frank Museum guestbook. Absolutely disgusted," read one tweet.
A spokeswoman for the museum was more understanding about the Bieber comment—
"He's 19. It's a crazy life he's living, he didn't mean bad… and also it's nice that he made the effort, he didn't have to come."
She makes a fair point, but with many of his Twitter followers suspected to be fake, and his recent monkey troubles in Germany, Bieber certainly seems to be making news for all the wrong reasons lately.
Anne Frank's House is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Holland. Anne Frank wrote her famous diary while living in a hidden room of the house and in 2012 the house—now a museum— opened its doors to a record-breaking 1,152,888 people visitors.
Still on his World Tour, Justin Bieber arrived in Holland last week for a performance at Arnhem's GelreDome and took some time out to visit the house. Someone should have confiscated the teen star's pen though because his entry in the guestbook was not a hit with admirers of the wartime heroine—
"Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a Belieber."
The comment was posted on the Anne Frank House Facebook Page and caused an immediate outrage that soon spread to the social network, Twitter.
"Just saw what Justin Bieber wrote in the Anne Frank Museum guestbook. Absolutely disgusted," read one tweet.
A spokeswoman for the museum was more understanding about the Bieber comment—
"He's 19. It's a crazy life he's living, he didn't mean bad… and also it's nice that he made the effort, he didn't have to come."
She makes a fair point, but with many of his Twitter followers suspected to be fake, and his recent monkey troubles in Germany, Bieber certainly seems to be making news for all the wrong reasons lately.
Wednesday, 17 April 2013
New Biometric Scanning iPhone Could Collect Your Data Without Your Knowledge
Californian tech company, AOptix has developed a new tool for the iPhone 4 or 4S and the implications are quite worrying because the new tool is a biometric scanning device.
The term biometrics (or biometric authentication) refers to the process of identifying people by their characteristics or traits. Iris scanning devices are just one example of biometrics at work.
Although biometric technology can be very effective, and could be seen as the ultimate aid in verifying an identity; there have always been concerns about possible misuse of the technology and the gathered date. The thought of Big Brother watching you is frightening, but the possibility of Big Brother cataloguing your details and filing them away somewhere is terrifying. So the prospect of mobile phones with this technology is sure to be a very controversial issue.
The new tool is called the AOptix Stratus and it consists of an app and a wrap-around device that can be hooked onto an iPhone by using a 30-pin connector. The app can collect basic data such as facial images, voice recordings and GPS coordinates. The optional wrap-around device is necessary for higher-level work such as scanning irises and fingerprints. The app then sorts the collected data into profiles. After that a tap of the app is all that is required to send the information to a "network" via the phone's standard internet connection.
AOptix's new biometric app also has an automatic capture facility that first judges how close someone is, then makes any adjustments needed before collecting their data and filing it.
The app cost $3,000 000 to develop and the fact that the US Defense Department footed the bill, is possibly one of the most unnerving things about all of this.
The term biometrics (or biometric authentication) refers to the process of identifying people by their characteristics or traits. Iris scanning devices are just one example of biometrics at work.
Although biometric technology can be very effective, and could be seen as the ultimate aid in verifying an identity; there have always been concerns about possible misuse of the technology and the gathered date. The thought of Big Brother watching you is frightening, but the possibility of Big Brother cataloguing your details and filing them away somewhere is terrifying. So the prospect of mobile phones with this technology is sure to be a very controversial issue.
The new tool is called the AOptix Stratus and it consists of an app and a wrap-around device that can be hooked onto an iPhone by using a 30-pin connector. The app can collect basic data such as facial images, voice recordings and GPS coordinates. The optional wrap-around device is necessary for higher-level work such as scanning irises and fingerprints. The app then sorts the collected data into profiles. After that a tap of the app is all that is required to send the information to a "network" via the phone's standard internet connection.
AOptix's new biometric app also has an automatic capture facility that first judges how close someone is, then makes any adjustments needed before collecting their data and filing it.
The app cost $3,000 000 to develop and the fact that the US Defense Department footed the bill, is possibly one of the most unnerving things about all of this.
Tuesday, 16 April 2013
New App Could Spice Up Your Love Life
It's now easier than ever before to get hot and sticky with your tablet or mobile phone—and that is without resorting to making or receiving dirty phone calls.
The Kama Sutra has been spicing up love lives for over 2, 000 years; now it's gone digital thank to a new app that allows the reader to examine all 69 of the sexual positions more closely than ever before because the pictures have been replaced with holograms that can be spun through a full 360 degrees. Something like that should provide even the slowest of learners with all the ins and outs of even the most difficult positions.
The name of this sexy new app? The Karma Xcitra; and as if sexual tutoring by horny holograms is not good enough, the user can also customize the app by changing the skin and hair color of their tutors.
Hazel Cushion, managing director of Xcitra, stated that in the past couples have been confused by some of the more challenging positions in the Indian love manual have been baffling people for centuries. This could now be a thing of the past because "tapping the app" could open up a whole world of new possibilities. But with names like "Catherine Wheel" and "Prone Tiger" many people may prefer to stay remain in ignorance.
The Kama Sutra has been spicing up love lives for over 2, 000 years; now it's gone digital thank to a new app that allows the reader to examine all 69 of the sexual positions more closely than ever before because the pictures have been replaced with holograms that can be spun through a full 360 degrees. Something like that should provide even the slowest of learners with all the ins and outs of even the most difficult positions.
The name of this sexy new app? The Karma Xcitra; and as if sexual tutoring by horny holograms is not good enough, the user can also customize the app by changing the skin and hair color of their tutors.
Hazel Cushion, managing director of Xcitra, stated that in the past couples have been confused by some of the more challenging positions in the Indian love manual have been baffling people for centuries. This could now be a thing of the past because "tapping the app" could open up a whole world of new possibilities. But with names like "Catherine Wheel" and "Prone Tiger" many people may prefer to stay remain in ignorance.
Monday, 15 April 2013
Six of the Best -Elisabeth Shue Horror Movies
Elisabeth Shue got her big break in 1984, when she was cast as Ali Mills in The Karate Kid and, since her initial success; she has kept herself busy by starring in a variety of movies. Shue usually seems to prefer working on dramas, more often than not with a romantic element involved. But although she may have enjoyed a Cocktail with Tom Cruise, and has had her Adventures in Babysitting, she is a versatile actress who has proved to her fans, again and again, that she is also more than capable of taking a walk on the dark side by starring in several horror movies.
Shue's on-going flirtation with the horror genre began in 1986, when she teamed up with Terence Stamp in the British horror movie Link, but she did not return to the genre until four years later when she starred alongside Kevin Bacon in the dark sci-fi Hollow Man (2000). The movie earned an Oscar nomination for its special effects, but was slammed by critics and received a Rotten Tomato rating of just 27% after 113 reviews. The Rotten Tomato consensus: "Despite awesome special effects, Hollow Man falls short of other films directed by Paul Verhoeven. This flick over time degenerates into a typical horror film."
After Hollow Man Shue forsook horror movies for five years, but returned to the dark side in 2005 when she starred alongside Hollywood veteran, Robert De Niro, in Hide and Seek. The story revolves around a young girl whose supposed invisible friend turns out to be something much more dangerous. Shue plays single mom, Amy Irvin, who finds out the hard way that just because something is out of sight it does not mean that it is necessarily out of mind and, pays the price, when she befriends the troubled girl's father (De Niro).
Two Years later Shue starred in First Born (2007). The story of a woman who feels her sanity slipping away from her after the birth of her first child; First Born was labelled by some critics as a "Rosemary's Baby rip off" and received a predominantly negative reception, with some reviewers noting that Shue was the only thing that made the movie worth watching.
Piranha 3-D was released in 2010. Shue was cast as Sheriff Julie Forester n this 3-D comedy horror, loosely based on the 1978 B movie. The 3-D remake went down well with horror fans and the movie gained a more respectable 73% on the Rotten Tomatoes tomatometer, after 118 reviews.
Shue returned to safer roles after Piranha, but two years later the dark side exerted its pull once again and she agreed to play single-again-mom Sarah in Mark Tonderai's House at the End of the Street (2012); starring alongside Hollywood hottie Jennifer Lawrence.
House at the End of the Street was Shue's sixth, and final, horror movie—to this date—but if her past credits are anything to go by it probably will not be too long before the dark side exerts its pull once more and Elisabeth Shue is drawn into another horror movie.
Shue's on-going flirtation with the horror genre began in 1986, when she teamed up with Terence Stamp in the British horror movie Link, but she did not return to the genre until four years later when she starred alongside Kevin Bacon in the dark sci-fi Hollow Man (2000). The movie earned an Oscar nomination for its special effects, but was slammed by critics and received a Rotten Tomato rating of just 27% after 113 reviews. The Rotten Tomato consensus: "Despite awesome special effects, Hollow Man falls short of other films directed by Paul Verhoeven. This flick over time degenerates into a typical horror film."
After Hollow Man Shue forsook horror movies for five years, but returned to the dark side in 2005 when she starred alongside Hollywood veteran, Robert De Niro, in Hide and Seek. The story revolves around a young girl whose supposed invisible friend turns out to be something much more dangerous. Shue plays single mom, Amy Irvin, who finds out the hard way that just because something is out of sight it does not mean that it is necessarily out of mind and, pays the price, when she befriends the troubled girl's father (De Niro).
Two Years later Shue starred in First Born (2007). The story of a woman who feels her sanity slipping away from her after the birth of her first child; First Born was labelled by some critics as a "Rosemary's Baby rip off" and received a predominantly negative reception, with some reviewers noting that Shue was the only thing that made the movie worth watching.
Piranha 3-D was released in 2010. Shue was cast as Sheriff Julie Forester n this 3-D comedy horror, loosely based on the 1978 B movie. The 3-D remake went down well with horror fans and the movie gained a more respectable 73% on the Rotten Tomatoes tomatometer, after 118 reviews.
Shue returned to safer roles after Piranha, but two years later the dark side exerted its pull once again and she agreed to play single-again-mom Sarah in Mark Tonderai's House at the End of the Street (2012); starring alongside Hollywood hottie Jennifer Lawrence.
House at the End of the Street was Shue's sixth, and final, horror movie—to this date—but if her past credits are anything to go by it probably will not be too long before the dark side exerts its pull once more and Elisabeth Shue is drawn into another horror movie.
Sunday, 14 April 2013
Third Time Lucky For Kerry Katona?
Wedding bells are on the horizon for Kerry Katona, and the Atomic Kitten looks like the cat that got the cream.
Kerry Katona looks set to walk down the aisle for a third time after saying, "yes", to her boyfriend George Kay.
Speaking to The Sunday Mirror, Katona stated that she was, "Thrilled, but a bit overwhelmed by it all," and further stated that, "There were roses and champagne and George got down on one knee. It was the most romantic thing in the world. I am so happy." As with great lovers the world over, Kay popped the question at the most romantic location he could think of, which just happened to be—strange to say—The Blackpool Tower.
The ex-rugby leaguer, who was previously employed as Katona's bodyguard, arranged for the tower to be cleared of guests before he got down on one knee, but Katona's four children were there to witness the occasion.
It is believed that the loved-up pair have been dating for about 8 months, but the romance was kept under wraps until they went public last December.
Kerry Katona looks set to walk down the aisle for a third time after saying, "yes", to her boyfriend George Kay.
Speaking to The Sunday Mirror, Katona stated that she was, "Thrilled, but a bit overwhelmed by it all," and further stated that, "There were roses and champagne and George got down on one knee. It was the most romantic thing in the world. I am so happy." As with great lovers the world over, Kay popped the question at the most romantic location he could think of, which just happened to be—strange to say—The Blackpool Tower.
The ex-rugby leaguer, who was previously employed as Katona's bodyguard, arranged for the tower to be cleared of guests before he got down on one knee, but Katona's four children were there to witness the occasion.
It is believed that the loved-up pair have been dating for about 8 months, but the romance was kept under wraps until they went public last December.
Thursday, 11 April 2013
Justin Bieber v Lady Gaga: Twitter Battle Continues
When Justin Bieber knocked Lady Gaga from the twitter top spot, and was ordained the new King of Twitter, tweeting Bieber fans the world over were delighted. Now his reign as king may be cut short thanks to a new report that suggest half the singer's twitter followers could be fake.
The report was prepared by the social media statistics company SocialBakers and their investigation suggests that a massive 16.7 million of Bieber's 37 million Twitter fan base consisted of empty Twitter accounts. A further 2.6 million accounts were inactive—shocking news indeed and news that may get people in a tweet over the singer for all the wrong reasons.
If SocialBaker's finding prove to be correct the ousted Queen of Gaga will retake her throne and Bieber will fall back to second place. There is no shame in being second, especially to a lady like Gaga, but nobody would blame Bieber if he got into a Twitter Tantrum over it because the lad has been having a hard time of it lately. A month ago he arrived at London's O2 Arena two hours late and was booed the moment he set foot on stage. The star's relationship with the press has also taken a turn for the worse recently and, as if that isn’t bad enough, he fell foul of the German authorities last week, when he arrived in the country without the correct paperwork and customs officers were forced to confiscate his monkey. These days it seems to be all bad news for the Beebster, but he never stops smiling, and you have got to admire him for that.
The report was prepared by the social media statistics company SocialBakers and their investigation suggests that a massive 16.7 million of Bieber's 37 million Twitter fan base consisted of empty Twitter accounts. A further 2.6 million accounts were inactive—shocking news indeed and news that may get people in a tweet over the singer for all the wrong reasons.
If SocialBaker's finding prove to be correct the ousted Queen of Gaga will retake her throne and Bieber will fall back to second place. There is no shame in being second, especially to a lady like Gaga, but nobody would blame Bieber if he got into a Twitter Tantrum over it because the lad has been having a hard time of it lately. A month ago he arrived at London's O2 Arena two hours late and was booed the moment he set foot on stage. The star's relationship with the press has also taken a turn for the worse recently and, as if that isn’t bad enough, he fell foul of the German authorities last week, when he arrived in the country without the correct paperwork and customs officers were forced to confiscate his monkey. These days it seems to be all bad news for the Beebster, but he never stops smiling, and you have got to admire him for that.
Tuesday, 9 April 2013
It's Not a Fair Cop
These days it seems that people are prepared to sue at the drop of a hat, as garage owner Steve Jones discovered in August of last year, when a police officer turned up to investigate a break-in and put in a claim for compensation instead.
PC Kelly Jones (no relation) tripped on a kerb, while investigating a dimly lit area behind the garage. The matter is now in the hands of her solicitors, who claim that Mr Jones failed to ensure that the officer was 'reasonably safe', and are assisting the PC with her injuries—she hurt her left leg, her right wrist, and missed six weeks of duty.
This is not the first time the compensation culture cop has put in a claim either, earlier in the year she sued her own constabulary. On this occasion she was a passenger in a police car that was involved in a high speed chase and was hurt when the car left the road.
PC Kelly Jones (no relation) tripped on a kerb, while investigating a dimly lit area behind the garage. The matter is now in the hands of her solicitors, who claim that Mr Jones failed to ensure that the officer was 'reasonably safe', and are assisting the PC with her injuries—she hurt her left leg, her right wrist, and missed six weeks of duty.
This is not the first time the compensation culture cop has put in a claim either, earlier in the year she sued her own constabulary. On this occasion she was a passenger in a police car that was involved in a high speed chase and was hurt when the car left the road.
Monday, 8 April 2013
The Strange Tale of the British Cuppa
The history of the British cuppa is rather a strange tale to tell. When it was first imported it was sold for its supposed medicinal values and the price of a pound of tea was well beyond the means of the average worker, so it became a rich person's brew. Then when the price of tea finally did come down the amount of tax payable on it went up and the tea smuggling industry was born: A Nation of Tea Drinkers.
Sunday, 7 April 2013
Social Networks: How they Could Save Your Life
Social Networks like Facebook and Twitter began as a way of keeping in touch with friends and loved ones and soon became a part of everyday life. Since then the social networks have been exploited for other uses, such as internet marketing; now, thanks to a new bracelet, they may even save lives.
Designed for aid workers—who often work in dangerous areas—the Natalia Project Bracelet is an anti-kidnap device that can send out potentialy life-saving tweets, or contact Facebook, if the wearer finds themself in a hostage situation.
The bracelet is designed so that the wearer can activate it manually, should the need arise, but it is also capable of activating itself if someone tries to remove it by force. Once the bracelet is activated mobile phone technology, incorporated into the design, transmits a message to any nearby contacts and also to the headquarters of the Civil Rights Defenders, where the attack can then be verified and another message sent out via the social networking sites.
This is all very clever stuff, but before anyone can rush to rescue they need to establish the location of the hostage and, here again, the Natalia Bracelet comes into its own because it also transmits the wearer's real-time GPS location.
The bracelet has little to offer in the way of looks, but looks are not everything and what the bracelet lacks in aesthetics it more than makes up for in function and it is nice to see the social networks being utilized for such a positive use.
Designed for aid workers—who often work in dangerous areas—the Natalia Project Bracelet is an anti-kidnap device that can send out potentialy life-saving tweets, or contact Facebook, if the wearer finds themself in a hostage situation.
The bracelet is designed so that the wearer can activate it manually, should the need arise, but it is also capable of activating itself if someone tries to remove it by force. Once the bracelet is activated mobile phone technology, incorporated into the design, transmits a message to any nearby contacts and also to the headquarters of the Civil Rights Defenders, where the attack can then be verified and another message sent out via the social networking sites.
This is all very clever stuff, but before anyone can rush to rescue they need to establish the location of the hostage and, here again, the Natalia Bracelet comes into its own because it also transmits the wearer's real-time GPS location.
The bracelet has little to offer in the way of looks, but looks are not everything and what the bracelet lacks in aesthetics it more than makes up for in function and it is nice to see the social networks being utilized for such a positive use.
Write Articles Get Paid: Dead and Gone
I used to write the occasional article for
WriteArticlesGetPaid.com, and they always paid me when they said they would,
but the earnings were pretty poor so I haven't visited the site for quite a
while. Today I became curious about whether the site was still in business, so
I clicked through to see: dead and gone. Another online writing gig bites the
dust. I can't say that it will make much difference to me, but I am sure that
there are plenty of writers who will miss the site; especially writers who live
in third world countries, where $1 goes a lot further than here in the west.
Saturday, 6 April 2013
Dirty Money: Oxford University Boffins Come Clean
Those clever scientific people at Oxford University have spilled the beans and admitted all: they have been running tests on the coins and notes of the realm and the results do not look good. Yes indeed, the great British Coin has a dirty secret, and with up to 26, 000 bacteria on a single note, paper money is even worse.
Bearing in mind some of the places people hide their money, and the way it is passed about from hand to hand, it isn't really surprising that the filthy lucre lives up to its name. But this is not the first time that the pound has been put to the test and found to be a currency that is lacking in currency cleanliness. Earlier tests found bank notes that were harbouring a dodgy bacteria, called Klebsiella, that can cause reparatory infections and mess up your waterworks, which is not good at all because, with the National Health Service being the way it is, nobody want to spend ten or more hours sitting cross legged in accident and emergencies, gasping for breath and praying to God they remembered to lock the lid on their cash box.
Enterobacter is another money-loving bacteria that can cause a list of diseases as long as your arm, some of which may require rectal screening—and nobody wants that!
If you are shocked at the secret life that the British Pound has teeming all over it, you may be relieved to hear that it is not, by any means, the worst offender. The Swiss Franc harbours close to double the amount of bacteria of the British Pound, but the Danish Krone tops the list with a massive 40, 266 bacteria.
According to the old saying 'A fool and his money are soon parted', but with statistics like these, maybe the fool had the right idea all along. So next time you put your hand in your purse, or open your wallet, just remember a few more old sayings: 'Health is better than wealth' and 'Money is the root of all evil'; so 'Neither a lender, nor a borrower be' because 'Where there's muck there's brass' and 'You can't take it with you when you die'.
Bearing in mind some of the places people hide their money, and the way it is passed about from hand to hand, it isn't really surprising that the filthy lucre lives up to its name. But this is not the first time that the pound has been put to the test and found to be a currency that is lacking in currency cleanliness. Earlier tests found bank notes that were harbouring a dodgy bacteria, called Klebsiella, that can cause reparatory infections and mess up your waterworks, which is not good at all because, with the National Health Service being the way it is, nobody want to spend ten or more hours sitting cross legged in accident and emergencies, gasping for breath and praying to God they remembered to lock the lid on their cash box.
Enterobacter is another money-loving bacteria that can cause a list of diseases as long as your arm, some of which may require rectal screening—and nobody wants that!
If you are shocked at the secret life that the British Pound has teeming all over it, you may be relieved to hear that it is not, by any means, the worst offender. The Swiss Franc harbours close to double the amount of bacteria of the British Pound, but the Danish Krone tops the list with a massive 40, 266 bacteria.
According to the old saying 'A fool and his money are soon parted', but with statistics like these, maybe the fool had the right idea all along. So next time you put your hand in your purse, or open your wallet, just remember a few more old sayings: 'Health is better than wealth' and 'Money is the root of all evil'; so 'Neither a lender, nor a borrower be' because 'Where there's muck there's brass' and 'You can't take it with you when you die'.
Friday, 5 April 2013
Product Review: Helix Shredding Scissors
Helix's shredding scissors offer a cheap and simple
alternative to electric shredders. One of the main advantages of buying
shredding scissors is that they are a lot smaller than an electric shredder;
they take up no room on a desk or worktop and can easily fit into a drawer—try
doing that with an electric shredder. It is also easier to remove trapped paper
from between the blades of a pair of shredding scissors than it is from the
shredding mechanism of an electric shredder; and, in my experience, electric
shredders are more prone to this problem than shredding scissors.
There are, however, some disadvantages to using
shredding scissors. A pair of scissors is powered by the fingers and thumb of
the user and, due to the fact that they have multiple blades (5 in this case)
it takes a lot more effort to work the scissors; making it difficult to shred more
than one sheet at a time.
Even light office duties would probably be too
much work for Helix's shredding scissors, but, for occasional use in the home, they are
probably a much better option than an electric shredder; unless complete sheets
of paper need shredding on a regular basis. In most cases though, it is unnecessary
to shred a full sheet because it is only the sensitive information such as
names, addresses, and bank account details etc. that need to be removed; and
this is where these scissors really come into to their own. Just a few snips to
the area containing the personal details, followed by a few more snips across
the resulting cuts; reduces it all to tiny squares of paper that are so small
that they make confetti seem like big-stuff.
So, for large sheets or quantities of paper, an
electric shredder remains the better option; but, for light or occasional use
in the home, a pair of Helix Shredding Scissors are a cut above the competition.
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