No Cure For It

Apparently guns no longer make enough noise when fired so the use of Tannerite has become popular. When shooting targets it causes the target to explode,but what about the people who refuse to follow the safety guidelines which specify not to use more than a pound,stand at least 100 yards from target and to never use with metal targets. A Georgia man decided it would be fun to put 3 pounds of Tannerite under his lawn mower,stand 25 yards away and blast it with a semiautomatic rifle. He lost a leg for his troubles but I would venture a guess that the fact he lost only a leg was pretty lucky. Did I mention he made a video of his stupidity?

Coming to a Town Near You!

Actually today's title is more than likely a lie,but then again stranger things happen on a daily basis. I'm talking about a Las Vegas business named Hangover Heaven. The business is located on a tour bus and is equipped with EMTs who hook up the hungover to IVs of saline and vitamins to get them back on their feet as soon as possible so they can resume spending money and partying. The goal of the business is to arrive at the caller's hotel within an hour,then for $90 they have you back to normal in another hour,or for the deluxe service you can be treated with two bags of saline in your hotel room for $150. Needless to say they don't treat pregnant women as they shouldn't be drinking to begin with. There is a similar business in Boulder,CO where they come to your apartment,pass out bottles of Gatorade,make breakfast burritos and clean up the party mess for $20 per roommate...that sounds like a deal!

A Pig in a Poke

Strange as it seems to me there is an online store (Something Store) where a person can pay $10 and receive a surprise. I guess it would be a perfect fit for a shopaholic/gambler,or anyone who had the desire to buy themselves gifts that they had no idea what they might be getting. The way it works is you pay your $10 and in return you get something worth at least that much,but you could also get a watch,a Kindle,jewelry,electronic equipment,rare books,and various other items. All items are new,not used or refurbished and no illegal goods are on offer. I don't know how anyone else feels about this,but there is something about it that reeks of desperation to me,but maybe it's more about a sense of adventure?

What's Good for the Goose

Today's post comes as no surprise to me. My family kept geese when I was a child and they can be mean plus if they get a hold of you their tomia (what passes for bird teeth) can inflict quite a decent bite,at least for a young child. A man in China climbed a wall and poisoned two police dogs while trying to break  into a police station to steal a motorbike but was foiled on his getaway by a flock of geese who raised an alarm and beat at him with their wings until an officer responded to the ruckus. That incident led police to employ flocks of geese in problem areas with good results,not to mention they are lower maintenance than dogs and if they are like ducks they also enjoy eating slugs.
 

Birth Control?

It seems odd that Japan would invent a virtual reality sex suit when they have been worrying about their declining population,but maybe they just can't help themselves when it comes to technology? So far the suit has only been designed with men in mind. It consist of a headset which delivers visuals, a body suit with sensors that simulate touching,and a machine that provides movement and breast like additions to complete the sensation of a real sex partner. Maybe it's just me but I don't think this will stimulate their shrinking population.

Pure as the Driven Poo

In case any of you were wondering where the tanners I mentioned in yesterday's post procured the feces for the tanning process they bought it from a pure collector. Kind of makes a person wonder if there is a modern day market for dog feces when you see so many people walking their dogs with poop bags in hand. The pure collectors walked the cities in search of sh*t and when they found an exceptionally large quantity, more than their pure collector bag could accommodate,they filled their pockets with the precious pure. I suppose at least some of you are wondering at this point why it was called pure,the only guess I found on that topic was that during the Victorian era they were very careful about offensive language so someone with a warped sense of humor decided poop would be euphemistically referred to as pure.

Yes sir,yes sir,two bags full!

Tanning

Some of you may be groaning with the thought of more talk about vacation, but not to worry,that is not the kind of tanning I'm talking about today. Do you love the smell of leather? It is right up toward the top of my list of good smells which is odd considering the process to make the leather is far from pleasant smelling. Historically tanneries were situated well out of populated areas as the process involves urine to remove the hair and fat from the hides (I think most people know urine is used for making leather) then dog,cat or pigeon feces is mixed with water and worked either by hand or with the feet (kind of like stomping grapes for wine) into the leather which is what makes the finished product supple. Though there are modern versions of the tanning process which involve chemicals a leather aficionado prefers the old tried and true tanning method. So why does the finished product smell so good? No idea!

A Pick Me Up

It's not often when a new product excites me as they usually turn out to be just like every other item already on the market and frankly as consumers we don't need more poor products to chose from. This item is made by Pacific Shaving Company based in San Francisco, CA ...wait for it...caffeinated shaving cream! First off it is not meant to replace your morning coffee though a certain amount of caffeine is absorbed through the skin,it is more about the fact that caffeine is an antioxidant and vasoconstrictor so as a shaver you can say goodbye to razor rash. Even though I don't shave I enjoy knowing that there are companies who are striving to produce natural products so as consumers we can get away from the chemically saturated personal care items. There is also an after shave available which I assume must smell like coffee which is also a welcome change from some of the over-powering scents out there.

Not Loco

On my recent trip I read in the in flight magazine that Loco Moco wasn't an authentic Hawaiian dish. This might not seem like big news to some of you but Loco Moco is part of the  Hawaii experience and is uniquely part of their cuisine. Personally I think it qualifies as it was invented on the Big Island around 1949 by one of two places, Cafe 100 or Lincoln Grill. According to the story a group of teenagers wanted something other than American or Asian food for breakfast and in an attempt to fill the kids up they came up with a mountain of rice,burger patty,gravy and two eggs to top it off. The name comes from the nickname (Loco) of the first boy to try the concoction and the word moco because it rhymed with Loco. I don't think I took a picture of my Loco Moco this time but I may have one from my last trip,if so it will be the first one pictured below.

Crappy Job?

Fair warning for anyone out there who thinks their job is the worst job possible,I believe today's post could change a person's mind. The job in question is Groom of the Stool. A brief job description includes cleaning and polishing the commode for whoever was the reigning monarch plus carrying the same when traveling was in order,and even though some opinions vary most agree that wiping the royal backside was also part of the duties. Oddly the position was usually held by sons of noblemen or members of the gentry. Some of the job benefits were good pay,lodging in the palaces,and the first crack (pun intended!) at the royals used clothing and bedding. The position was finally abolished in 1901. I came across a list of other less than savory jobs which I feel the need to include in future posts,though I will try not to make it tiresome.

The Original Going Postal

Nothing against postal workers in general as any given career has its share of folks marching to a different drummer but this particular postal worker went the distance with his obsession. Ferdinand Cheval began work with the postal service in 1867,one day on his route he tripped over a stone which he picked up and admired for its unusual form. From that day on he started picking up stones everyday on his route,at first he put them in his pockets to carry them but eventually he needed a bag to carry them and soon after that he started using a wheelbarrow. When he returned home he would work into the wee hours by the light of an oil lamp building his Ideal Palace. After 33 year of collecting stones and building with them in the evenings he completed his work at age 70 and opened it to the public. The completed structure was 85 feet long and 30 feet high. A person would have to be really dedicated to their project to push a wheelbarrow full of stones on a delivery route...that or a little bit postal.
 

Subtly Lost

If nothing else the designer who made the Intimacy 2.0 dress demonstrated his ability to combine clothing and technology, but the end result leaves me asking "why".  Maybe I'm just old school and think attraction should be left to pheromones and other biological senses not a dress that becomes transparent when a person's heart rate increases,plus how do the sensors know the difference between the heart rate increase due to fear or revulsion? Picture if you will coming upon the scene of an accident and looking down to find yourself basically naked. The dress is a combination of smart fabrics,leather and opaque e-foils. The smart fabrics become transparent when electrified by the heart rate.  I would give this product an A for creativity but a D for functionality.
 

Killer Bloody Mary

This is a fairly complicated recipe so pay close attention. First you need someone named Mary with a lifelong history of spontaneous normal to severe nosebleeds. Next you need an airport setting with lots of people. Mix in a nice young man from SAS airlines on his break who stopped to offer aid,add a dash of off duty medics and just about when the bleeding is under control throw in three airport police on Segways and don't forget to have someone call the fire dept.! I'm not joking this really happened to me yesterday and believe it or not it gets worse. The security detail wants information before offering aid or anything else so while I'm attempting to answer their questions my nose starts bleeding again...enter the fire dept who proceed with filling out forms asking the same questions that the security people had just asked (yes they are still milling around the scene but don't offer to share the information). Somewhere along the way someone decided I had fallen down and they want to know where else I'm injured,so I explain again it's a nosebleed I get them frequently. Finally with their paperwork satisfied the give me 4 gauze pads and some alcohol wipes,insist I must ride to my gate in a wheelchair and leave. Still by my side is the nice SAS guy who goes even further beyond the call of duty and waits with me until the wheelchair escort arrives. Thankfully I already had my boarding pass and was TSA prechecked otherwise I wouldn't have made my flight as the whole questioning ordeal took over an hour. But hey,I'm home and feeling fine!

Copy Cops

I don't know about everyone else but I hate seeing people attempting to drive while yakking on their cell phones,and for some reason it seems to be the least competent drivers who think they can handle the distraction. Needless to say I laughed and laughed when I read about hobocops. They are policemen posing as homeless people to catch the cell phone users since the homeless for the most part have become part of the scenery.
I'm keeping today's post short so I can finish up some various tasks around here as I will be taking a break for about a week. With any luck I will come back with a load of fresh fodder to keep us all mentally well fed into the summer.

Entertainment?

Maybe I've lost my sense of adventure but then again I can't say as though I ever considered being kidnapped something I just couldn't wait to happen. That is exactly what a small company in Eastern France offers for a mere $1,300. The basic package consists of being seized by strangers,bound,gagged,hauled off in a car and kept in the dark for four hours. If the basic package doesn't suit your dream kidnapping you can get a deluxe package which also offers boat chases,helicopter escapes and being kept for a longer period of time. Apparently the company gets a couple of orders every day mostly from executive types who are addicted to adrenaline. In addition to kidnapping they offer other scenarios including: leading a manhunt for a fugitive,drug smuggling,being tracked by a bounty hunter,attending your own funeral and spending a night in the morgue.

Gimme a M

In most of the world's major languages the word for mother starts with an M. Most people think of Mother's Day as a fairly recent holiday,in the US it was officially designated as a holiday in 1914 by Woodrow Wilson,but mothers were honored long before that date. In Greek mythology spring festivals were held to honor the maternal goddess Rhea.Romans celebrated with a 3 day festival dedicated to a mother goddess in 250 B.C. Mothering Sunday took place in the 1600s in England where mothers were honored with flowers. In current times over 122 million phone calls are made to moms on Mother's Day and approximately $14 billion is spent on moms. To all of the mothers reading this today I would like to wish you Happy Mother's Day.

Good or Gross

Seems odd to have two posts back to back relating to hygiene,but that is exactly what is happening. When I first read about the Japanese ear cleaning parlors I thought it was kind of gross but as I read on I began to question that assumption. First off earwax is necessary for ear health, without it the ear has no protection from foreign objects,plus earwax offers antiviral/antibacterial properties for optimum ear health. So why bother having it cleaned out? Because too much wax can cause hearing impairments and infections,so there is a need for just the right amount to be present. Enter the ear cleaning parlor where for $32 a person can get just the right amount of cleaning in around 30 minutes,or if you are looking for a more intense treatment you can have an ear wash,neck and shoulder massage,ear acupressure and a cleaning for $100 which takes a little over an hour.  They claim it is very relaxing and good for overall health. One more thing...the tools you see in the photos may not look like something you want stuck in your ear,but from what I read they are way better than a Q-tip health wise.

Pesky Nose Hair?

I am beginning to believe there really is an app for everything no matter if it is useful or not. This particular app is some what of a joke,or at least that was my take on it,of course I could be all wet,it wouldn't be the first time. The service is called Chololi and it is to inform friends and acquaintances that their nose hair needs attention. I guess it is for those people who can't tell a potentially embarrassing problem to someone face to face. I can't really say when the last time was that I noticed someone with excessive nose hair,but then again I don't get out much! Would anyone really use this?