Info Freaking

I used to be Kosheen fan… well… actually I still like some of their remixes (that other DJ remix), because live they sound like shit. They really do. Go to their concert and you will know what I am talking about…

They came to Banja Luka, Bosnia, July 23rd 2009 … We were all excited because our city is going to host Kosheen on Demo Fest (btw - great festival guys - Respect!) … few days later I was reading in newspapers what were Kosheen’s  demands for coming to Demo Fest. 

They demanded:
- complete English Breakfast (ok, I understand - you want to eat greasy eggs, bacon and beans… enjoy - if that’s possible… ) 
- tortillas (ok, no problem…)
- guacamole (anyway Banja Luka is famous for avocado … sigh… dear Kosheen - even though it is possible to make guacamole, guacamole you will be eating in Banja Luka is shitty because avocado that comes here is .. well… shitty…so, enjoy your guacamole…)
- few other sauces    
- oxtail soup (what can I say about that????? I just hope you got canned version :))))
- pork pie (there are many pies that are actually traditional Bosnian food, they are called “sirnica” (made with young cheese, “burek” (made with minced meat), “zeljanica” (made with cabbage or spinach, or some other versions), “krompirusa” (made with potatoes) etc. - and there are sooo many versions here… they actually wanted traditional British food… WTF? … you could at least try something Bosnian) 
- champaign „veuve clicquot ponsardin” (price varies from $80.00 - $140.00…)
and
- jalapeno (they are chili peppers grown here, but not freaking jalapeno - it’s a f***** Mexican chili pepper)     

I am soooo disappointed of those so-called stars … I mean it’s ok to demand stuff like no meat if you are a vegan or I don’t know what… but wanting jalapeno in Bosnia is like wanting “vlasicki sir” in London or freaking Brussels! 

Well… dear Kosheen - I hoped you have enjoyed all the specialties you wanted…

Summer is coming to the Northern Hemisphere. Most of people spend a lot of sunny days outdoors hiking, walking through the forest or sitting in the parks. Most of them don’t know that danger lurks anywhere in the tall grass and shrubs. Although it cannot be seen, it doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous.
One of the biggest threats to our health is tiny, almost invisible parasite called – the tick.

What is tick?

Tick is the common name for the small arachnids in superfamily Ixodoidea. Ticks are ectoparasites (i.e. external parasites), living by hematophagy on the blood of mammals, birds, and occasionally reptiles and amphibians. Ticks are dangerous because they are vectors of a number of diseases, such as Lyme disease, Q fever or Colorado tick fever.
Ticks’ color is usually black, brown, reddish or tan. While they’re young ticks have six legs, and the mature ticks have eight legs. They vary in size and appearance depending on the species (about 900 known species).
A tick attaches itself to its host by inserting its mouth into the skin, and it’s almost impossible to remove it.
However, there is a way, but you first have to find a tick on your skin.

Symptoms

As said, ticks usually vary in size, from the size of a pinhead to almost the size of a thumbtack. You will usually see them as dark spots on your skin. Perform the check naked, because ticks can be stuck anywhere on your body, from head to toes.
However, some ticks are so small it is hard to see them. So you’ll have to pay attention to other signs, such as symptoms of a skin infection which may include:

• Pain, swelling, redness, or warmth on the skin
• Red streaks leading from the area of bite forming an ‘eye’
• Pus draining from the area of bite (in more serious cases of infection)
• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpit, or groin (in more serious cases of infection)
• Fever or chills (in more serious cases of infection)

If you couldn’t find tick, or bite spot, visit your doctor who can perform tick removal and take care of infection.

How to Remove Tick

In case you find tick on your skin, perform following:

• Use fine-tipped tweezers to remove a tick. If you don’t have tweezers, do not handle the tick with bare hands. Put on gloves or cover your hands with tissue paper, then remove tick with your fingers.
• Grab the tick as close to its mouth as you can. Mouth is the part that is stuck in your skin, while the body of the tick will be above your skin.
• Try not to grab the tick around its bloated belly. If you squeeze it, you could push infected fluid from the tick into your body.
• Gently pull the tick straight out until its mouth lets go of your skin.
• Dispose of the tick immediately by burning it or by squishing it using a tissue and then flushing it down the toilet. If you’re concerned that tick might have been infected, put it in a jar filled with rubbing alcohol or freeze it in a plastic bag and save it for later identification in case you get sick.

After you removed the tick, wash the area of the tick bite with a lot of warm water and soap. Be sure to wash your hands with soap and water as well.

Do Not

• Twist or “unscrew” the tick, because this may separate the tick’s head from its body and cause the mouth parts to remain in the skin
• Squeeze, crush, or puncture the body of the tick because its fluids may be infected, containing bacteria of some of the mentioned diseases
• Use old wives’ recipes such as petroleum jelly, nail polish, gasoline, or rubbing alcohol trying to smother a tick that is stuck to your skin
• Burn the tick while it is stuck to your skin

Both smothering and burning a tick could make it release fluid into your body and increase your chance of infection.

If you have a rash, headache, joint pain, fever, or flu-like symptoms even after you’ve removed tick, this could mean you have an illness related to a tick bite. Any of these symptoms, or symptoms of a skin infection, should be taken seriously and reason to visit your doctor immediately.

For the centuries people invent various things. Most of them are made with purpose to help and simplify the life. However, some of them – although they could still have their purpose – are utterly and unexplainable weirdly made.
Here is the small list of 10 really weird products from the last few years.

USB Eye Massager

Since USB ports started to supply power to whatever is connected via them, they’ve spawned a gazillion of useless USB-powered gadgets. One of the strangest I’ve encountered is this ‘toy’ made for eye relaxation after the many hours spent in front of the computer.
Small hand with two fingers sticking up vibrates at either a high or low speed, supposedly relaxing the areas around your eyes. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather keep them away.

http://www.sundayo.com/htm/product.asp?id=450

Rubik’s Cube Mp3

Similar to the Rubik’s Cube, each layer of this weird but interesting MP3 player has a specific function such as play, pause, forward or back. Also, to turn it off you must complete the cube.

http://www.yankodesign.com/2007/01/17/rubik-cube-mp3-player-by-hee-yong/

Nose Picker


Are you lazy enough to use this instead of your own finger? And is that real finger on the holder?

http://www.medgadget.com/archives/2007/02/the_nose_picker.html

Boob Radio

This is the breast… I mean the best radio ever. By twisting the left nipple you adjust volume and the right you tune the station. And in the same time, you enjoy the view.

http://www.gobaz.com/prodpage.asp?ProdID=6664

Musical Condom

You can throw away all your Barry White CDs. You don’t need them anymore thanks to Grigoriy Chausovskiy, inventor of the musical condom.
A miniature loudspeaker and motion sensor implanted in the condom’s upper cuff provides a range of musical tones during sex. Music volume depends on intensity of love-making and tone varies based on the sexual position.
That’s right, just lay and play.

http://www.thestar.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3458374

Das Keyboard

Das Keyboard is made for advanced users only. Beginners or average users might not like the idea that this keyboard comes without any printed key. That’s right. It’s completely blank, forcing users to learn ‘blind’ typing… In very unconventional way.

http://www.daskeyboard.com/

USB Hamster Wheel

If you don’t have a room for real pet, this might be great substitution. All you have to do is to plug it in USB and load program from CD. As you start typing, the hamster will start running, spinning the hamster wheel. The faster you type, the faster he runs.

http://www.iwantoneofthose.com/new-arrivals/usb-hamster-wheel/index.html

Aquariass - Aquarium toilet

There are a lot of weird toilet inventions, but this is probably one of the best. Instead of toilet cistern, you have an aquarium. You’ll probably have to get new set of fishes each time you flush your toilet.
I just don’t know what PETA would say on Aquariass.

http://www.elsewareinc.com/products/aq.htm

Smallest HD TV

Behold the smallest HDTV on the world. It’s called Lilliput and it’s only 1.8 Inches big (?).
However, I don’t really see point, except if you want to make your cockroaches happy.

http://lilliput-sz.diytrade.com/

Bacon Floss

Tired of mint smell coming from your mouth? How about to spice it up a bit with a favorite taste of crispy bacon? By using Bacon Floss, waxed floss flavored like crispy fried bacon, you could make the boring process of flossing a little more fun.

http://www.fredflare.com/customer/product.php?productid=3756&cat=255

We all were scared by watching Exorcist, Psycho, Halloween and other well known masterpieces of horror. But, there are often forgotten underrated and underappreciated gems that deals decent amount of shock and scare as much as famous horror titles.
Here is the compiled list of 13 underappreciated scary movies.

The Sentinel (1977)

The main problem with The Sentinel was its release date. If audience saw it before Exorcist, released in 1973, this movie about beautiful model and strange occurrences in her wonderful new apartment in Brooklyn Heights, would probably be one of the best horror movies ever. But, released 4 years later, it was just another movie that was recycling the same subject, and that was probably the reason it was underrated. Besides being extra creepy, The Sentinel is also prominent because of its great cast even in small roles: Ava Gardner, Martin Balsam, Jerry Orbach, Christopher Walken, Tom Berenger, Jeff Goldblum, etc.
Clip below consists of two scenes from the movie (not the scariest one – we left that one to you)

The Sentinel

Exorcist III (1990)

Sequel to probably the scariest movie ever – Exorcist – got mostly negative reviews from the critics, inducing a 13-year hiatus. In 1990, William Peter Blatty, the writer of Exorcist, made a movie based on his novel “Legion”. Exorcist III couldn’t repeat the success of the original movie, but it provided generally creepy atmosphere, including one of the scariest scenes ever seen in horror movies (see the clip below).

Exorcist III - Nurse Station scene

The Changeling (1980)

Another movie that starred George Scott but 10 years earlier was “The Changeling”. For today’s standards (gore and blood) this movie probably wouldn’t be scary so much. But, with its spooky atmosphere, The Changeling is one of the best ghost stories ever told.

The Changeling trailer

Suspiria (1977)

Called the one of the top 25 scariest movies of all time by Entertainment Weekly, this movie cannot be underrated. But besides truly horror literate fans, how many new ‘horror freaks’ actually know anything about Suspiria and Dario Argento?
Plot is quite simple: a young American dancer travels to Europe to join a famous ballet school, only to discover the school is merely a front for a much more sinister organization. Add vivid colors, atmospheric music and some of the most brutal killings seen on screen to that and you have a winner.

Suspiria - First death scene

In The Mouth of Madness (1994)

John Carpenter made some of the most popular horror movies such as “Halloween”, “The Thing” or “Fog”, but In the Mouth of Madness, based on H.P. Lovecraft work is one of his underrated gems.

In the Mouth of Madness trailer

Visiting Hours (1980)

Michael Ironside was really creepy in Scanners. In this Canadian slasher he’s even creepier. Critics bashed Visiting Hours, but this story about journalist stalked by the killer in the hospital is one of the most underrated horror movies in 80’s.

Visiting Hours TV spot

Session 9 (2001)

Situated in abandoned Danvers hospital, this unjustly overlooked movie, starring David Caruso and Peter Mullan, is one of the best atmospheric horrors in this decade. Asbestos abatement crew takes the job at abandoned hospital, but the things went wrong from the first day.

Session 9

Dog Soldiers (2002)

Neil Marshall is better known for his “Descent” movie, but prior to that, he made one of the best werewolf movies. Dog Soldiers is scary, entertaining, gory and funny, but went underappreciated.

Dog Soldiers trailer

Candyman (1992)

With great cast, script and some nice cinematography, it is real wonder how this movie didn’t get attention it deserved. Clive Barker’s story based on urban legend about Candyman, was a box-office hit at the time, but has since fallen off fans’ radar somehow.

Candyman trailer

Death Line AKA Raw Meat (US release) (1972)

Back in 1892, an unfinished tunnel collapsed, cutting off a clutch of men and women laborers. Survivors were left to die, but somehow they didn’t. After years of underground dwelling, the last descendants of the tribe have come up for food.
This forgotten UK classic, starred Donald Pleasance and Christopher Lee is one of the best horror movies, and personally one of my favorites.

Death Line AKA Raw Meat

Black Christmas (1974)

Yes, Halloween is classic and probably my favorite horror movie, but considering the fact that Black Christmas was released 4 years before John Carpenter’s masterpiece, and it was first horror that introduced ‘killer view’, makes this flick a granddad of slasher movies. Extremely creepy and scary.

Black Christmas

Not the whole movie, but…

The best beginning:

When A Stranger Calls (1979)

The first 20 minutes of this movie, where babysitter finds where phone calls are coming from, is probably the most chilling opening ever that outshines the rest of the movie.

When A Stranger Calls

The best ending:

Sleepaway Camp (1980)

Sleepaway Camp had cheesy acting, bad script and probably the best ending in horror movies history. Image and sound when the killer is revealed will chill you to the bone and cut in your memory long after watching (see the clip).

Sleepaway Camp - final scene

Recycling is the process in which a product is taken at the end of its useful life and used whole  or just its parts to make a new product.
The internationally recognized symbol for recycling includes three arrows moving in a triangle. Each arrow represents a different part of the recycling process, from collection to re-manufacture to resale.
Let’s explain THE RECYCLING PROCESS now.
The first step requires collecting recyclable materials from recycling collection bins. These bins usually have the recycling symbol on them. Separating different materials is an important step for recycling. If the recyclable materials are not separated, they will be sent to the landfill with other trash.
Processing the recyclable materials involves sorting the materials into groups, cleaning them and getting them ready to be sold to manufacturers who will turn the materials into new products.
Manufacturing is the second step in the recycling process. Newspapers, paper towels, office paper, plastic bottles and aluminum cans are not only made of recycled materials, but they can also be recycled again.
The last step, but certainly not the least, involves selling the recycled products. When consumers purchase products that have been made with post consumer material, the recycling process has been completed and can then be repeated.
Recycling is important because it reduces the waste sent to landfills but also requires less energy for making new products out of recycled ones.
•    The The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) estimates that 75% of our waste can be recycled, which goes well beyond what actually ends up in recycling bins
•    Incinerating 10,000 tons of waste creates one job; landfilling 10,000 tons of waste creates six jobs; recycling 10,000 tons of waste creates 36 jobs.
•    According to the U.S. EPA statistics, recycling diverted 68 million tons of material away from landfills and incinerators in 2001, up from 34 million tons in 1990.
•    Recycling aluminum cans at the curb not only covers the cost of collecting and re-processing aluminum, but also helps subsidize the collection of other recyclables.
Recycling prevents hazardous materials and chemicals such as lead and mercury from ending up in landfills, which further contaminates soil and leach into our drinking water and it also keeps valuable material such as aluminum and paper out of landfills, so this material can be reused in other forms instead of being wasted.
To prevent hazardous materials from getting into water, it is essential to recycle lots of products, including those that you might not initially think of recycling. This includes batteries, electronics, motor oil, paint and any product that has “Caution” or “Warning” on the label.
To sum up, recycling:
•    protects and expands U.S. manufacturing jobs and increases U.S. competitiveness.
•    reduces the need for landfilling and incineration.
•    prevents pollution caused by the manufacturing of products from virgin materials.
•    saves energy
•    decreases emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change.
•    conserves natural resources such as timber, water, and minerals, which are used for making new products.
•    helps sustain the environment for future generations by conserving important raw materials

If you’re not already recycling, read further about how easy it is and how you can actually MAKE A DIFFERENCE

•    Make some space in your kitchen and your bathroom for a recycling bin. Bathroom is often the forgotten area of the home where lots of recyclable items can be collected.
•    Call your garbage company and request a recycling bin for curbside pickup.
•    Identify which material can be recycled.  It is best to start with the easiest, largest volume of material, normally paper and cardboard.
•    When separating different materials, remove lids from containers and empty the liquids
•    Store newspapers in paper grocery bags, when it’s full, place it on top of full recycling bin
•    Collect all the empty batteries on the side and then throw them in the appropriate bins.
•    When making a clear out, take unwanted stuff to a local charity shop or sell it on the market instead of throwing it away.
•    When looking to buy some new furniture, it would be wise to get some recycled furniture or even swap unwanted. Check out local antique shops, furniture reclaim yards or junk shops, or makeover an old quality piece of furniture with a lick of paint rather than buy new - the results can look great.
•    Old wooden light fittings just need a coat of paint to make them fit in with your homes design. Paint them up, maybe change the shade and fit them with an energy saving bulb.

Where will this collected waste go and what will it be done with it?
If you haven’t sorted your waste into separate materials, your recycling will go to a materials recycling facility to be sorted. The sorted materials are sold to reprocessing companies who turn them back into raw materials; these are then used to make new products.
Aluminium cans are shredded, melted down, and the molten aluminium poured into moulds to make ingots. These are then sold to companies who make new products such as car and plane parts, or maybe the can containing your next drink!
Glass is crushed and added to the mix of raw materials that make up new glass containers. The materials are melted in a furnace, and then moulded or blown to make new bottles and jars. Glass is also used to make unusual stuff - it’s an ingredient used to make new bricks and  a filtration media for swimming pools.
Sorted plastics can be shredded, washed, melted and moulded into new products such as new bottles, garden furniture or fleece jackets.
When paper gets to the recycled paper mill it is added to water and turned into pulp. It is screened, cleaned and where required, de-inked until it is suitable for making new paper products such as newsprint, cardboard, packaging, tissue and office items.
Steel is a brilliant product to recycle, as it can be reprocessed again and again. Steel cans are melted down in a furnace and combined with other raw materials like molten iron. The hot steel is then cast into solid slabs which can be rolled into foil to make new cans.
Here is an additional instructions on what’s good and what’s bad to recycle.
Good for recycling:
•    Unbroken glass containers - clear is the most valuable although glass is normally color sorted. Only bottle glass is acceptable. Ceramics contaminate glass. Lids go with metal.
•    Clean dry newspapers and newspaper inserts
•    Mixed paper: junk mail, magazines, photocopies, computer printouts, cereal/shoe boxes, etc. Do not recycle dirty or food stained paper. Paper fiber can be recycled about 7 times before it gets too small. Plastic window envelopes are ok.
•    Empty metal cans, caps, lids, bands and foil
•    Scrap aluminum such as lawn chairs, window frames and pots
•    Grocery bags, most clear plastic bags especially if marked #2 or #4 but NOT plastic types #3, #4, #5, #6 and ESPECIALLYy #7. Caps are usually a different type from the bottle - toss if unmarked.
•    Motor oil and tires.
•    Automotive batteries, sealed lead/gel-cell batteries, rechargeable batteries (cordless phone, camcorder, shaver, portable appliance, computer, etc.)
•    Laser/Ink printer cartridges
•    Household toxics (paints, oils, solvents, pesticides, cleaners)
•    Computers, eyeglasses, household goods

Bad for recycling
•    Ceramics, pyrex, tablware, windows, lightbulbs, mirrors. Broken glass is hard to sort.
•    Rubber bands, plastic bags, product samples, water, dirt, mold or other contamination.
•    Full cans, spray cans unless instructed, cans with paint or hazardous waste.
•    Stickers, napkins, tissues, waxed paper, milk cartons, carbon paper, laminated paper (fast food wraps, some food bags, drink boxes, foil), neon paper, thermal fax paper. Any wet or food stained paper.