Chinese build 'baby box' where parents can dump their unwanted newborn children because of the country's one-child policy
Nanjing Welfare Home built box for parents to leave unwanted children
Parents drop babies at the building before staff come and collect them
Hoped it will stop people leaving children to die in parks and on the streets
China has a one-baby policy that was introduced in 1979
Chinese authorities have built a 'baby abandonment' building where parents can anonymously leave their unwanted children.
The building, located in Nanjing, eastern China, will provide a safe place for parents to leave their children - who will then be cared for at a nearby welfare home, according to reports.
The space - coined a 'baby box' by local media - will be electronically monitored so that when a baby is left an alarm will go off.
Staff the nearby Nanjing Welfare Home - located five minutes away - will then come to collect the child.
The building is air-conditioned and has humidity monitors. It includes an incubator, a bed and a thermometer.
There will be no CCTV - so the parents will be totally anonymous, a report on Shanghaiist has claimed.
Staff at the Nanjing Welfare Home hope the building will stop parents from leaving their children in parks or on the streets - where they often freeze to death.
Many feel forced to leave their children due to the government's population control one child policy - introduced in 1979.
The news come as the city of Shenzhen has reportedly applied to the Guangdong provincial authorities to pilot such a facility next year.
Critics of the scheme have said it will encourage irresponsible parents to abandon their offspring.
Zhu Hong, the centre's spokesman said: 'We do this for the sake of the babies lives.
'The parents might have to abandon them for unthinkable reasons. But the children are innocent and need to be protected.'
So far this year the home has received 160 babies.
In August, a horrific image of a newborn baby drowned in a river caused outrage in China after it emerged on local social networking sites.
The picture - taken from a river bank in south east China - apparently shows a dead infant wearing a romper suit and a nappy several days after the newborn had been abandoned in the water.
The photo has appalled Chinese internet users who have set up an online search for clues to the baby's identity.
China has a one-baby policy, introduced in 1979 to keep the country's population under control, which restricts urban couples to having just one child.
Despite egalitarian policies in China, many families hope to have a son to provide for them in their old age.
As a result the country has a higher rate of female infanticide and lower ration of female to male births.
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Selasa, 10 Desember 2013
Buy & Sell Real Babies
Nigeria frees 16 girls, women in 'baby factory' raid
Nigeria frees 16 girls, women in baby factory raid AFP Nigeria frees 16 girls, women in 'baby factory' raid
Lagos - Nigerian police said on Wednesday that they raided a home and freed 16 pregnant girls and young women allegedly being forced to have babies to be sold.
"We carried out a raid on a residence in Owerri following an intelligence report and rescued 16 expectant mothers," Imo State police spokeswoman Joy Elomoko told AFP.
"The girls were between 14 and 19 years old and in different stages of pregnancy."
The male owner of the home, who was arrested, had registered it as a non-governmental organisation promoting women's and children's issues, Elomoko added.
An unlicensed automatic pump action shotgun was also recovered during the raid.
Elomoko said the rescued women and girls told officers that they were each offered 100,000 naira (632 dollars, 466 euros) to sell their babies after delivery.
An investigation was also under way over a case of a missing baby from the illegal home.
"We found out that the suspect could not explain the whereabouts of a baby that was recently delivered in the home," the spokeswoman said.
"We are suspecting that the baby might have been sold for (black magic) rituals," she said, adding that the suspect would be taken to court after police investigation.
Nigerian security agents have uncovered a series of alleged baby factories in recent years, notably in the southeastern part of the country.
Last month, six pregnant teenage girls were freed in a raid on an illegal clinic in the oil city of Port Harcourt.
Human trafficking is widespread in west Africa, where children are bought from their families to work in plantations, mines and factories or as domestic help.
Others are sold into prostitution, and less commonly they are tortured or sacrificed in black magic rituals.
Nigeria frees 16 girls, women in baby factory raid AFP Nigeria frees 16 girls, women in 'baby factory' raid
Lagos - Nigerian police said on Wednesday that they raided a home and freed 16 pregnant girls and young women allegedly being forced to have babies to be sold.
"We carried out a raid on a residence in Owerri following an intelligence report and rescued 16 expectant mothers," Imo State police spokeswoman Joy Elomoko told AFP.
"The girls were between 14 and 19 years old and in different stages of pregnancy."
The male owner of the home, who was arrested, had registered it as a non-governmental organisation promoting women's and children's issues, Elomoko added.
An unlicensed automatic pump action shotgun was also recovered during the raid.
Elomoko said the rescued women and girls told officers that they were each offered 100,000 naira (632 dollars, 466 euros) to sell their babies after delivery.
An investigation was also under way over a case of a missing baby from the illegal home.
"We found out that the suspect could not explain the whereabouts of a baby that was recently delivered in the home," the spokeswoman said.
"We are suspecting that the baby might have been sold for (black magic) rituals," she said, adding that the suspect would be taken to court after police investigation.
Nigerian security agents have uncovered a series of alleged baby factories in recent years, notably in the southeastern part of the country.
Last month, six pregnant teenage girls were freed in a raid on an illegal clinic in the oil city of Port Harcourt.
Human trafficking is widespread in west Africa, where children are bought from their families to work in plantations, mines and factories or as domestic help.
Others are sold into prostitution, and less commonly they are tortured or sacrificed in black magic rituals.
Senin, 09 Desember 2013
More intelligent than Albert Einstein
More intelligent than Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking... the schoolgirl, 11, with an IQ of 162
She is 11 years old and enjoys swimming and playing the recorder. But while Victoria Cowie insists she is just like any other girl her age, in one respect she is very different.
The schoolgirl has just been admitted to Mensa after scoring 162 in an IQ test – better than the 160 thought to have been achieved by Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking and Bill Gates.
The result puts her in the top 1 per cent of the British population in terms of intelligence.
Victoria, who has been offered scholarships to four prestigious fee-paying schools, said: ‘When I got the results, I was really surprised.
‘It’s quite daunting to be compared to great minds, but it feels good also to be thought of as that clever.
‘I really enjoy puzzles and working things out and I think I’ll go on to study sciences, especially biology, when I’m older.’
Victoria took the adult admission tests for Mensa, the society for people with a high IQ.
As well as surpassing brilliant scientists and Microsoft founder Mr Gates, her score gives her a higher IQ than Sigmund Freud, who is thought to have had an IQ of 156, Napoleon Bonaparte, with 145, and Hillary Clinton, with 140.
Only those with an IQ of 148 and above – the top 2 per cent of the population – qualify for Mensa. The average IQ is 100.
Victoria, an only child, said she hadn’t yet told her friends about her astonishing results.
She said: ‘I really enjoy science and doing experiments, but I also love acting and dancing and playing musical instruments.
‘I do theatre workshops and loads of sports like swimming and I really enjoy creative subjects.
‘But my favourite subject is biology and I want to be a vet when I’m older because I love animals and I don’t mind blood and things like that.’ Victoria’s parents, who live in Claverley, near Wolverhampton, and run a health and safety consultancy, said they had always known their daughter was bright, but had not quite realised she was at genius level.
Her mother Alison, 44, said she was proud of her daughter. ‘When she was at nursery she had the reading ability of a child twice her age and she won science awards at school,’ Mrs Cowie added.
‘We always knew she was clever – she was always in the top sets and her teachers always praised her – but we never quite thought she’d be in Mensa.
BIG BRAIN: WHO VICTORIA BEATS FOR IQ
Napoleon - 145
Stephen Hawking - 160
Albert Einstein - 160
Bill Gates - 160
Sigmund Freud - 156
Arnold Schwarzenegger - 135
Madonna - 140
Quentin Tarantino - 160
Hillary Clinton - 140
Bill Clinton - 135
Nicole Kidman - 132
She is 11 years old and enjoys swimming and playing the recorder. But while Victoria Cowie insists she is just like any other girl her age, in one respect she is very different.
The schoolgirl has just been admitted to Mensa after scoring 162 in an IQ test – better than the 160 thought to have been achieved by Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking and Bill Gates.
The result puts her in the top 1 per cent of the British population in terms of intelligence.
Victoria, who has been offered scholarships to four prestigious fee-paying schools, said: ‘When I got the results, I was really surprised.
‘It’s quite daunting to be compared to great minds, but it feels good also to be thought of as that clever.
‘I really enjoy puzzles and working things out and I think I’ll go on to study sciences, especially biology, when I’m older.’
Victoria took the adult admission tests for Mensa, the society for people with a high IQ.
As well as surpassing brilliant scientists and Microsoft founder Mr Gates, her score gives her a higher IQ than Sigmund Freud, who is thought to have had an IQ of 156, Napoleon Bonaparte, with 145, and Hillary Clinton, with 140.
Only those with an IQ of 148 and above – the top 2 per cent of the population – qualify for Mensa. The average IQ is 100.
Victoria, an only child, said she hadn’t yet told her friends about her astonishing results.
She said: ‘I really enjoy science and doing experiments, but I also love acting and dancing and playing musical instruments.
‘I do theatre workshops and loads of sports like swimming and I really enjoy creative subjects.
‘But my favourite subject is biology and I want to be a vet when I’m older because I love animals and I don’t mind blood and things like that.’ Victoria’s parents, who live in Claverley, near Wolverhampton, and run a health and safety consultancy, said they had always known their daughter was bright, but had not quite realised she was at genius level.
Her mother Alison, 44, said she was proud of her daughter. ‘When she was at nursery she had the reading ability of a child twice her age and she won science awards at school,’ Mrs Cowie added.
‘We always knew she was clever – she was always in the top sets and her teachers always praised her – but we never quite thought she’d be in Mensa.
BIG BRAIN: WHO VICTORIA BEATS FOR IQ
Napoleon - 145
Stephen Hawking - 160
Albert Einstein - 160
Bill Gates - 160
Sigmund Freud - 156
Arnold Schwarzenegger - 135
Madonna - 140
Quentin Tarantino - 160
Hillary Clinton - 140
Bill Clinton - 135
Nicole Kidman - 132
Jumat, 06 Desember 2013
The Differences Between Men's and Women's Brains
How Men's Brains Are Wired Differently Than Women's
Male brains have more connections within hemispheres to optimize motor skills, whereas female brains are more connected between hemispheres to combine analytical and intuitive thinking.
Brain networks showing significantly increased intra-hemispheric connectivity in males (Upper) and inter-hemispheric connectivity in females (Lower). Intra-hemispheric connections are shown in blue, and inter- hemispheric connections are shownImage: agini Verma et al, University of Pennsylvania
Men aren't from Mars and women aren't from Venus, but their brains really are wired differently, a new study suggests.
The research, which involved imaging the brains of nearly 1,000 adolescents, found that male brains had more connections within hemispheres, whereas female brainswere more connected between hemispheres. The results, which apply to the population as a whole and not individuals, suggest that male brains may be optimized for motor skills, and female brains may be optimized for combining analytical and intuitive thinking.
"On average, men connect front to back [parts of the brain] more strongly than women," whereas "women have stronger connections left to right," said study leader Ragini Verma, an associate professor of radiology at the University of Pennsylvania medical school. But Verma cautioned against making sweeping generalizations about men and women based on the results.
Previous studies have found behavioral differences between men and women. For example, women may have better verbal memory and social cognition, whereas men may have better motor and spatial skills, on average. Brain imaging studies have shown that women have a higher percentage of gray matter, the computational tissue of the brain, while men have a higher percentage of white matter, the connective cables of the brain. But few studies have shown that men's and women's brains areconnected differently.
In the study, researchers scanned the brains of 949 young people ages 8 to 22 (428 males and 521 females), using a form of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) known as diffusion tensor imaging, which maps the diffusion of water molecules within brain tissue. The researchers analyzed the participants as a single group, and as three separate groups split up by age.
As a whole, the young men had stronger connections within cerebral hemispheres while the young women had stronger connections between hemispheres, the study, detailed today (Dec. 2) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found. However, the cerebellum, a part of the brain below the cerebrum that plays a role in coordinating muscle movement, showed the opposite pattern, with males having stronger connections between hemispheres.
Roughly speaking, the back of the brain handles perception and the front of the brain handles action; the left hemisphere of the brain is the seat of logical thinking, while the right side of the brain begets intuitive thinking. The findings lend support to the view that males may excel at motor skills, while women may be better at integrating analysis and intuitive thinking.
"It is fascinating that we can see some of functional differences in men and women structurally," Verma told LiveScience. However, the results do not apply to individual men and women, she said. "Every individual could have part of both men and women in them," she said, referring to the connectivity patterns her team observed.
When the researchers compared the young people by age group, they saw the most pronounced brain differences among adolescents (13.4 to 17 years old), suggesting the sexes begin to diverge in the teen years. Males and females showed the greatest differences in inter-hemisphere brain connectivity during this time, with females having more connections between hemispheres primarily in the frontal lobe. These differences got smaller with age, with older females showing more widely distributed connections throughout the brain rather than just in the frontal lobe.
Currently, scientists can't quantify how much an individual has male- or female-like patterns of brain connectivity. Another lingering question is whether the structural differences result in differences in brain function, or whether differences in function result in structural changes.
The findings could also help scientists understand why certain diseases, such as autism, are more prevalent in males, Verma said.
Male brains have more connections within hemispheres to optimize motor skills, whereas female brains are more connected between hemispheres to combine analytical and intuitive thinking.
Brain networks showing significantly increased intra-hemispheric connectivity in males (Upper) and inter-hemispheric connectivity in females (Lower). Intra-hemispheric connections are shown in blue, and inter- hemispheric connections are shownImage: agini Verma et al, University of Pennsylvania
Men aren't from Mars and women aren't from Venus, but their brains really are wired differently, a new study suggests.
The research, which involved imaging the brains of nearly 1,000 adolescents, found that male brains had more connections within hemispheres, whereas female brainswere more connected between hemispheres. The results, which apply to the population as a whole and not individuals, suggest that male brains may be optimized for motor skills, and female brains may be optimized for combining analytical and intuitive thinking.
"On average, men connect front to back [parts of the brain] more strongly than women," whereas "women have stronger connections left to right," said study leader Ragini Verma, an associate professor of radiology at the University of Pennsylvania medical school. But Verma cautioned against making sweeping generalizations about men and women based on the results.
Previous studies have found behavioral differences between men and women. For example, women may have better verbal memory and social cognition, whereas men may have better motor and spatial skills, on average. Brain imaging studies have shown that women have a higher percentage of gray matter, the computational tissue of the brain, while men have a higher percentage of white matter, the connective cables of the brain. But few studies have shown that men's and women's brains areconnected differently.
In the study, researchers scanned the brains of 949 young people ages 8 to 22 (428 males and 521 females), using a form of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) known as diffusion tensor imaging, which maps the diffusion of water molecules within brain tissue. The researchers analyzed the participants as a single group, and as three separate groups split up by age.
As a whole, the young men had stronger connections within cerebral hemispheres while the young women had stronger connections between hemispheres, the study, detailed today (Dec. 2) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found. However, the cerebellum, a part of the brain below the cerebrum that plays a role in coordinating muscle movement, showed the opposite pattern, with males having stronger connections between hemispheres.
Roughly speaking, the back of the brain handles perception and the front of the brain handles action; the left hemisphere of the brain is the seat of logical thinking, while the right side of the brain begets intuitive thinking. The findings lend support to the view that males may excel at motor skills, while women may be better at integrating analysis and intuitive thinking.
"It is fascinating that we can see some of functional differences in men and women structurally," Verma told LiveScience. However, the results do not apply to individual men and women, she said. "Every individual could have part of both men and women in them," she said, referring to the connectivity patterns her team observed.
When the researchers compared the young people by age group, they saw the most pronounced brain differences among adolescents (13.4 to 17 years old), suggesting the sexes begin to diverge in the teen years. Males and females showed the greatest differences in inter-hemisphere brain connectivity during this time, with females having more connections between hemispheres primarily in the frontal lobe. These differences got smaller with age, with older females showing more widely distributed connections throughout the brain rather than just in the frontal lobe.
Currently, scientists can't quantify how much an individual has male- or female-like patterns of brain connectivity. Another lingering question is whether the structural differences result in differences in brain function, or whether differences in function result in structural changes.
The findings could also help scientists understand why certain diseases, such as autism, are more prevalent in males, Verma said.
Kamis, 25 April 2013
A £1 House in U.K.
Homes in Stoke-on-Trent which can be bought for just £1
More than 600 people are interested in buying rundown homes in Stoke-on-Trent for £1 each, the city council has said.
Thirty-five derelict homes, mainly two-bedroom terraced properties, will initially be sold off in the Cobridge area, with a further 89 to follow.
Under the £3m project, the local authority is offering loans of up to £30,000 to help complete essential repairs on the houses.
Applications opened for potential buyers on Monday.
People have until 12 May to apply for one.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council said the initial 35 homes would be randomly allocated to the successful applicants.
The majority are two-bedroom, but there are also a few three-bedroom houses and possibly some flats.
Anyone applying must have lived in the city for the past three years.
Other criteria they must satisfy include:
A joint income of £18,000 to £25,000 a year – £30,000 maximum if they have children
Applicants must have been employed for the past two years
They must not own another property
They must have the right to live permanently in the UK
The new house must be their main home for at least five years
‘Community spirit’
Anyone taking out the £30,000 loan would have to pay it back within 10 years at an interest rate of 3% above the Bank of England base rate, which currently stands at 0.5%.
If the house is sold within 10 years, a proportion of any profit must be paid to the council on a sliding scale.
In return for buying the properties, people will be required to renovate them and bring them back into use.
Councillor Janine Bridges, responsible for housing, said the scheme would “see a rundown area of the city transformed”.
She added: “The project will not only benefit the residents who are currently living next door to properties that have been vacant for some time, it will also give families moving into the homes the chance to take their first step on the property ladder.”
The council said it hoped to “build a community spirit” in the area and create “thriving neighbourhoods”.
However, Steph Dunn-Fox, from Stoke-on-Trent-based estate agents findahomeonline.co.uk, said Cobridge was presently an unattractive area for home buyers and was “full of empty homes”.
She said: “I think it’s a great idea in principle and they’re probably thinking it’ll appeal most to first-time buyers.
“It’s the sort of area and offer that could appeal to property developers, but they’re excluded from this.
“It’s difficult – unless you’re from the area, who wants to live on a rundown street, carry out a lot of work and know you have to stay there for at least five years?”
She said she could see a typical terrace house redeveloped in a good condition reaching a maximum of £55,000 to £60,000 on the market.
Last month, Liverpool City Council said more than 2,000 people had been in touch about buying 20 homes there during the week they were on offer for £1.
More than 600 people are interested in buying rundown homes in Stoke-on-Trent for £1 each, the city council has said.
Thirty-five derelict homes, mainly two-bedroom terraced properties, will initially be sold off in the Cobridge area, with a further 89 to follow.
Under the £3m project, the local authority is offering loans of up to £30,000 to help complete essential repairs on the houses.
Applications opened for potential buyers on Monday.
People have until 12 May to apply for one.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council said the initial 35 homes would be randomly allocated to the successful applicants.
The majority are two-bedroom, but there are also a few three-bedroom houses and possibly some flats.
Anyone applying must have lived in the city for the past three years.
Other criteria they must satisfy include:
A joint income of £18,000 to £25,000 a year – £30,000 maximum if they have children
Applicants must have been employed for the past two years
They must not own another property
They must have the right to live permanently in the UK
The new house must be their main home for at least five years
‘Community spirit’
Anyone taking out the £30,000 loan would have to pay it back within 10 years at an interest rate of 3% above the Bank of England base rate, which currently stands at 0.5%.
If the house is sold within 10 years, a proportion of any profit must be paid to the council on a sliding scale.
In return for buying the properties, people will be required to renovate them and bring them back into use.
Councillor Janine Bridges, responsible for housing, said the scheme would “see a rundown area of the city transformed”.
She added: “The project will not only benefit the residents who are currently living next door to properties that have been vacant for some time, it will also give families moving into the homes the chance to take their first step on the property ladder.”
The council said it hoped to “build a community spirit” in the area and create “thriving neighbourhoods”.
However, Steph Dunn-Fox, from Stoke-on-Trent-based estate agents findahomeonline.co.uk, said Cobridge was presently an unattractive area for home buyers and was “full of empty homes”.
She said: “I think it’s a great idea in principle and they’re probably thinking it’ll appeal most to first-time buyers.
“It’s the sort of area and offer that could appeal to property developers, but they’re excluded from this.
“It’s difficult – unless you’re from the area, who wants to live on a rundown street, carry out a lot of work and know you have to stay there for at least five years?”
She said she could see a typical terrace house redeveloped in a good condition reaching a maximum of £55,000 to £60,000 on the market.
Last month, Liverpool City Council said more than 2,000 people had been in touch about buying 20 homes there during the week they were on offer for £1.
Orgasm Without Hands
The Hands-Free Orgasm
Is getting off without contact really possible?
Orgasms can be mysterious, mind-blowing, lengthy, elusive or—as we just learned—hands-free.
From Em & Lo comes the tale of a college freshman who attends a "How To Have A Genderless Orgasm" workshop in lieu of his art history class. Led by Barbara Carrellas, author of Urban Tantra: Sacred Sex for the Twenty-first Century, the students go through breathing, muscle-contracting and chakra-balancing exercises to reach climax.
"When the instructor gives the command, we’re to breathe 30 quick breaths in unison — it’s an individual exercise, yet we’re working as a group to achieve "orgasm." Heavy breathing, chests heaving, students moaning. Even the normally taciturn ones are sighing audibly. A tingling sensation starts in my lower belly and seems to travel up into my head (like, the head head, where my brain is). The music becomes a loud and powerful tribal chant. People begin to curl over into the fetal position. Climax is achieved!"
Orgasm without sex or masturbation? The mind is a powerful beast, indeed. As the blogger describes, the sensation wasn't exactly like the orgasms he's experienced before: "If this is an orgasm, it’s the strangest one I have ever had. (I’m not entirely convinced)." But, the post-climax serenity he experiences is unlike anything he's ever felt. True to Tantra, the goal of the "genderless orgasm" (for men) is not ejaculation but harnessing and getting pleasure from the body-connecting-with-Earth energy.
Extending or enhancing orgasm seems to be on many a short list; and using the power of the mind and breathing exercises, a G-spot shot or—gulp—Orajel and two condoms, are just some of the ways people are doing it.
Is getting off without contact really possible?
Orgasms can be mysterious, mind-blowing, lengthy, elusive or—as we just learned—hands-free.
From Em & Lo comes the tale of a college freshman who attends a "How To Have A Genderless Orgasm" workshop in lieu of his art history class. Led by Barbara Carrellas, author of Urban Tantra: Sacred Sex for the Twenty-first Century, the students go through breathing, muscle-contracting and chakra-balancing exercises to reach climax.
"When the instructor gives the command, we’re to breathe 30 quick breaths in unison — it’s an individual exercise, yet we’re working as a group to achieve "orgasm." Heavy breathing, chests heaving, students moaning. Even the normally taciturn ones are sighing audibly. A tingling sensation starts in my lower belly and seems to travel up into my head (like, the head head, where my brain is). The music becomes a loud and powerful tribal chant. People begin to curl over into the fetal position. Climax is achieved!"
Orgasm without sex or masturbation? The mind is a powerful beast, indeed. As the blogger describes, the sensation wasn't exactly like the orgasms he's experienced before: "If this is an orgasm, it’s the strangest one I have ever had. (I’m not entirely convinced)." But, the post-climax serenity he experiences is unlike anything he's ever felt. True to Tantra, the goal of the "genderless orgasm" (for men) is not ejaculation but harnessing and getting pleasure from the body-connecting-with-Earth energy.
Extending or enhancing orgasm seems to be on many a short list; and using the power of the mind and breathing exercises, a G-spot shot or—gulp—Orajel and two condoms, are just some of the ways people are doing it.
Rabu, 24 April 2013
The Bulgarian Mystery
Belogradchik, Bulgaria - The Belogradchik Rocks and the Belogradchik Fortress
Danube River Cruise Shore Excursion from the Viking Neptune
The Belogradchik Rocks (Bulgarian: Белоградчишки скали, Belogradchishki skali) are a group of strange shaped sandstone and conglomerate rock formations located on the western slopes of the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina) near the town of Belogradchik in northwest Bulgaria. The rocks vary in color from primarily red to yellow; some of the rocks reach up to 200 m in height. Many rocks have fantastic shapes and are associated with interesting legends. They are often named for people or objects they are thought to resemble. The Belogradchik Rocks have been declared a Natural Landmark by the Bulgarian government and are a major tourist attraction in the region.
The Belogradchik Rocks (also spelled Belogradshick or Belogradschik) are one of the natural wonders of Bulgaria. These huge reddish limestone and sandstone rocks tower over the small town of Belogradchik and form part of the walls of the Belogradchik Fortress, which was first built by the Romans about 100 AD.
Danube River cruises in eastern Europe often include a half-day at Belogradchik from Vidin so that passengers can stroll the streets of the town and climb the numerous steps and ladders to the top of the Belogradchik Rock formations. The view from the top is spectacular, and knowing that many of the old steps date back to Roman times makes the walk even more interesting. Those who have mobility problems can still enjoy the Belogradchik rocks and fortress from very near where the coach parks at the entrance to the Belogradchik Fortress.
At first glance, one might think these photos were from the Southwestern part of the USA, until the Roman walls and Bulgarian signage are sighted!
Danube River Cruise Shore Excursion from the Viking Neptune
The Belogradchik Rocks (Bulgarian: Белоградчишки скали, Belogradchishki skali) are a group of strange shaped sandstone and conglomerate rock formations located on the western slopes of the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina) near the town of Belogradchik in northwest Bulgaria. The rocks vary in color from primarily red to yellow; some of the rocks reach up to 200 m in height. Many rocks have fantastic shapes and are associated with interesting legends. They are often named for people or objects they are thought to resemble. The Belogradchik Rocks have been declared a Natural Landmark by the Bulgarian government and are a major tourist attraction in the region.
The Belogradchik Rocks (also spelled Belogradshick or Belogradschik) are one of the natural wonders of Bulgaria. These huge reddish limestone and sandstone rocks tower over the small town of Belogradchik and form part of the walls of the Belogradchik Fortress, which was first built by the Romans about 100 AD.
Danube River cruises in eastern Europe often include a half-day at Belogradchik from Vidin so that passengers can stroll the streets of the town and climb the numerous steps and ladders to the top of the Belogradchik Rock formations. The view from the top is spectacular, and knowing that many of the old steps date back to Roman times makes the walk even more interesting. Those who have mobility problems can still enjoy the Belogradchik rocks and fortress from very near where the coach parks at the entrance to the Belogradchik Fortress.
At first glance, one might think these photos were from the Southwestern part of the USA, until the Roman walls and Bulgarian signage are sighted!
Deported for Being Too Handsome
Crime of Passion: Three Men Forcibly Deported from Saudi Arabia for Being “Too Handsome”
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Photographer, actor and poet Omar Borkan Al Gala from Dubai was one of the men kicked out of Saudi Arabia because he is ridiculously good looking. Saudi Arabian men feared that these men will steal their wives' hearts if they let them stay in the country ;) According to Arabic language Elaph newspaper, the UAE nationals were taking part in a heritage event in the capital Riyadh on Sunday when they were thrown out by Saudi’s religious police.
TV Emirates reported recently that three United Arab Emirates nationals were deported from Saudi Arabia for the crime of being “too handsome.”
This is certainly an uncommon criminal accusation, but one that we can relate to (some of our writers are banned in 26 countries for the opposite reason).
The three men were manning a booth representing the UAE at a cultural event in the Saudi capital city of Riyadh when the Saudi Mutaween (“religious police”) stormed the UAE booth and carried the men off, with women in the crowd presumably fainting left and right due to their sheer handsomeness.
Apparently, the Mutaween feared that women attending the event were likely to “fall in love” with the three men, prompting the arrest and forced deportation.
We can only assume that Brad Pitt is banned entirely from entering the country and that his face is covered by mosaic in all of his films in the Middle Eastern nation.
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TV Emirates reported recently that three United Arab Emirates nationals were deported from Saudi Arabia for the crime of being “too handsome.”
This is certainly an uncommon criminal accusation, but one that we can relate to (some of our writers are banned in 26 countries for the opposite reason).
The three men were manning a booth representing the UAE at a cultural event in the Saudi capital city of Riyadh when the Saudi Mutaween (“religious police”) stormed the UAE booth and carried the men off, with women in the crowd presumably fainting left and right due to their sheer handsomeness.
Apparently, the Mutaween feared that women attending the event were likely to “fall in love” with the three men, prompting the arrest and forced deportation.
We can only assume that Brad Pitt is banned entirely from entering the country and that his face is covered by mosaic in all of his films in the Middle Eastern nation.
Selasa, 23 April 2013
The World's Deadliest Prison
Locked Up Abroad Gulag Style! Inside The Unbelievably Harsh Conditions Of Russia’s Labor Camps
Going to the bathroom outside when it’s -4 degrees. Only seeing your children two to four times a year. Bathing just once a week. And vying with dozens of other prisoners one hour a week to use one of two phone booths to call home.
This is just a little insight into the harsh reality of life inside Russian’s modern day labor camps, known under Stalin as gulags.
And these are the conditions that two members of the band Pussy Riot will face when they arrive at two of Russia’s most notorious penal facilities.
In August, a judge convicted Maria Alyokhina, 24, and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, of “hooliganism” for performing in a Moscow cathedral.
As the news previously reported, both received a two-year sentence and this week they were put on trains to separate camps in the remote areas of Mordovia and Perm.
Svetlana Bakhmina, a lawyer who spent four years in one such camp after being convicted of embezzlement, reveals the harsh realities of life as
an inmate.
“From the moment you stepped into the train, you were no longer recognized as an equal human being – the system treats you as a second-class person,” she tells the Daily Beast.
“They make you jump out of a prison vehicle into the train’s door. You fly with all your bags over about [a] 3 feet gap while guards with dogs stand on the ground watching you.”
Tolokonnikova will serve her time in the Mordovia colony FGU IK-14 that was once Bakhmina’s home. According to the lawyer, the train journey takes about two days and two nights.
Kept in crowded cages, she says the women are only allowed to use the bathroom twice. The rest of the time they have to improvise.
Bakhmina told BBC News that the facility is like a “tough, Soviet-style camp.” She said: “The inmates were all housed in two big army-style barracks – there were anywhere between 50 and 100 people in each one.
“The barracks were built in the Soviet times – I guess in the 1920s.”
While each barrack is furnished with rows of bunk beds, a nightstand and a stool, the bathroom facilities are dire.
She says: “There is also a toilet but you cannot use it as there is no central sewage system. We used to go outside to the so-called ‘hole’, sometimes when it was -20C [-4 degrees] in the winter.”
Woken at 6 a.m. the women have to exercise outside – even in freezing conditions – before doing their daily chores.
Both Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova are moms of young children but communication with loved ones will be limited according to insiders. Inmates can only see their families two to four times a year during three-day visits.
Meanwhile each unit is only given an hour a week to call home. Bakhmina remembers vying with dozens of women to use one of two phone booths to talk to her young sons.
The picture the lawyer presents is a gloomy one – of being locked up with murderers and facing a constant threat of violence.
She says: “The administration was very strict with us – rumors of beatings circled around the colony, although I didn’t witness any personally.
“More often there were fights between the inmates themselves.”
Perhaps the biggest threat the inmates face is a psychological one.
Bakhmina says: “There was no torture…but anyone disobeying the prison rules would be punished by getting sent to ‘shiza’ [Russian abbreviation for ‘schizophrenia’] – a solitary cell.”
Going to the bathroom outside when it’s -4 degrees. Only seeing your children two to four times a year. Bathing just once a week. And vying with dozens of other prisoners one hour a week to use one of two phone booths to call home.
This is just a little insight into the harsh reality of life inside Russian’s modern day labor camps, known under Stalin as gulags.
And these are the conditions that two members of the band Pussy Riot will face when they arrive at two of Russia’s most notorious penal facilities.
In August, a judge convicted Maria Alyokhina, 24, and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, of “hooliganism” for performing in a Moscow cathedral.
As the news previously reported, both received a two-year sentence and this week they were put on trains to separate camps in the remote areas of Mordovia and Perm.
Svetlana Bakhmina, a lawyer who spent four years in one such camp after being convicted of embezzlement, reveals the harsh realities of life as
an inmate.
“From the moment you stepped into the train, you were no longer recognized as an equal human being – the system treats you as a second-class person,” she tells the Daily Beast.
“They make you jump out of a prison vehicle into the train’s door. You fly with all your bags over about [a] 3 feet gap while guards with dogs stand on the ground watching you.”
Tolokonnikova will serve her time in the Mordovia colony FGU IK-14 that was once Bakhmina’s home. According to the lawyer, the train journey takes about two days and two nights.
Kept in crowded cages, she says the women are only allowed to use the bathroom twice. The rest of the time they have to improvise.
Bakhmina told BBC News that the facility is like a “tough, Soviet-style camp.” She said: “The inmates were all housed in two big army-style barracks – there were anywhere between 50 and 100 people in each one.
“The barracks were built in the Soviet times – I guess in the 1920s.”
While each barrack is furnished with rows of bunk beds, a nightstand and a stool, the bathroom facilities are dire.
She says: “There is also a toilet but you cannot use it as there is no central sewage system. We used to go outside to the so-called ‘hole’, sometimes when it was -20C [-4 degrees] in the winter.”
Woken at 6 a.m. the women have to exercise outside – even in freezing conditions – before doing their daily chores.
Both Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova are moms of young children but communication with loved ones will be limited according to insiders. Inmates can only see their families two to four times a year during three-day visits.
Meanwhile each unit is only given an hour a week to call home. Bakhmina remembers vying with dozens of women to use one of two phone booths to talk to her young sons.
The picture the lawyer presents is a gloomy one – of being locked up with murderers and facing a constant threat of violence.
She says: “The administration was very strict with us – rumors of beatings circled around the colony, although I didn’t witness any personally.
“More often there were fights between the inmates themselves.”
Perhaps the biggest threat the inmates face is a psychological one.
Bakhmina says: “There was no torture…but anyone disobeying the prison rules would be punished by getting sent to ‘shiza’ [Russian abbreviation for ‘schizophrenia’] – a solitary cell.”
Bollywood Sex And Nudity
India's censored kisses to be shown for the first time
A new film festival is to showcase for the first time scenes from Bollywood movies deemed too racy for Indian viewers, including the first attempt at an on-screen kiss, organisers say.
The "Cut-Uncut" festival in New Delhi will feature unedited versions of films which fell foul of the all-powerful Indian censor board that continues to vet movies before their release.
Portrayals of sex, nudity, social unrest and violence can still be kept out of movie halls under India's strict laws that were first drafted in 1952 and later amended in 1983.
In the year of Bollywood's 100-year anniversary, "Cut-Uncut" is being organised by the ministry of information and broadcasting to demonstrate its more open-minded approach, a ministry official said.
"We want to be more liberal, stop enforcing the old rules and instead recognise artistic endeavor," said an official in the ministry, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity.
Until recently, "long kissing scenes, nudity and visuals depicting acts of rebellion against the government" were all censored, he explained.
"With changing times, we want to have a fresh approach. Our aim is to change the old set of censor laws soon."
The festival beginning April 25 will open with a screening of the 1933 classic "Karma" starring Himanshu Rai and Devika Rani, whose onscreen kiss was considered the first in a Bollywood film and was deleted at the time.
A 2004 documentary called the Final Solution, which looks at the highly sensitive subject of Hindu-Muslim religious rioting, will also be shown after it was banned for being "highly provocative."
These days Bollywood is awash with sexually suggestive material and scantily-clad leading ladies, but sex remains a taboo and films showing kissing scenes are given an "adult" certificate limiting them to viewers over 18.
The most popular films remain so-called "masala movies", a mix of violence, romance and comedy for mainstream audiences, but there are more and more filmmakers working to reproduce the gritty reality of India on celluloid.
Star director Dibakar Banerjee ran into trouble last year with the censor board over his film "Shanghai".
He had to delete two scenes depicting violence in the political thriller, including a high-caste character murdering a low-caste victim.
"I hated the idea of deleting the most powerful scenes from my movie but, well, I had to chop them otherwise the movie would have never seen the light of day," he said.
"Censorship has the power to kill the spirit of a film. It's high time the government stops dictating what Indians should be watching," he added.
A new film festival is to showcase for the first time scenes from Bollywood movies deemed too racy for Indian viewers, including the first attempt at an on-screen kiss, organisers say.
The "Cut-Uncut" festival in New Delhi will feature unedited versions of films which fell foul of the all-powerful Indian censor board that continues to vet movies before their release.
Portrayals of sex, nudity, social unrest and violence can still be kept out of movie halls under India's strict laws that were first drafted in 1952 and later amended in 1983.
In the year of Bollywood's 100-year anniversary, "Cut-Uncut" is being organised by the ministry of information and broadcasting to demonstrate its more open-minded approach, a ministry official said.
"We want to be more liberal, stop enforcing the old rules and instead recognise artistic endeavor," said an official in the ministry, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity.
Until recently, "long kissing scenes, nudity and visuals depicting acts of rebellion against the government" were all censored, he explained.
"With changing times, we want to have a fresh approach. Our aim is to change the old set of censor laws soon."
The festival beginning April 25 will open with a screening of the 1933 classic "Karma" starring Himanshu Rai and Devika Rani, whose onscreen kiss was considered the first in a Bollywood film and was deleted at the time.
A 2004 documentary called the Final Solution, which looks at the highly sensitive subject of Hindu-Muslim religious rioting, will also be shown after it was banned for being "highly provocative."
These days Bollywood is awash with sexually suggestive material and scantily-clad leading ladies, but sex remains a taboo and films showing kissing scenes are given an "adult" certificate limiting them to viewers over 18.
The most popular films remain so-called "masala movies", a mix of violence, romance and comedy for mainstream audiences, but there are more and more filmmakers working to reproduce the gritty reality of India on celluloid.
Star director Dibakar Banerjee ran into trouble last year with the censor board over his film "Shanghai".
He had to delete two scenes depicting violence in the political thriller, including a high-caste character murdering a low-caste victim.
"I hated the idea of deleting the most powerful scenes from my movie but, well, I had to chop them otherwise the movie would have never seen the light of day," he said.
"Censorship has the power to kill the spirit of a film. It's high time the government stops dictating what Indians should be watching," he added.
The Secrets Why Women Should Masturbate More Often
4 Reasons Why Women Should Masturbate More Often
How touching yourself can help your relationship.
While masturbation is a valuable and needed part of a healthy sexuality, it's often the silent party of an individual's sexuality — the part people are often ashamed of. So, I am here to break down some masturbation myths for you. It's too bad that our society encourages shame and guilt about masturbation. However, despite the hush-hush attitude most of us have adopted about the subject, most men do masturbate and will acknowledge it openly amongst their male peers. What A Male Orgasm Feels Like
When it comes to masturbation, women are different. A significantly larger portion of women either don't masturbate or deny it. Well, ladies, here is some information about why masturbation may be good not only for you, but also for your relationships. Here are four reasons why you should masturbate. Happy Ending Massage for Women: One Woman's Tale
1. Masturbation helps us get to know our bodies and our minds. By masturbating, we learn about what turns us on. Mentally, we can tune in to our fantasies to understand the types of things that turn us on during masturbation. While masturbating, do we fantasize about being dominated or being watched? These are clues which help us understand what makes us tick, and in turn, we can begin to understand how to get our needs met by a partner.
Individuals who are having issues with arousal or orgasm can benefit greatly from masturbation and self love, getting to know your body techniques. Ladies, if you are having trouble masturbating, I also suggest experimenting with some toys. Using a vibrator, for example, is a common way for women to learn to achieve orgasm. Investing in a vibrator may be something you want to add into your sexual repertoire. Getting familiar with your body through the use of a vibrator is also a good way to gauge what you like, and can be a fun and exciting thing to introduce to partner sex, as well. The Secret Benefits Of Using A Vibrator [VIDEO]
2. Masturbation has health benefits. Masturbation can relieve tension and stress and can help with the inability to sleep. There is evidence that the chemicals released during orgasm can heal depression. Also, there is a study that suggests that women who masturbate are more likely to be concerned with their sexual health and visit the gynecologist more often. I'm not sure if this last one is altogether true, but I can see the correlation since women who masturbate may be more in-tune with their bodies, and thus, visit the gynecologist more often.
. Indulging in yourself can make you a sexier person. The concept being that a sexually active woman need not masturbate is actually a fallacy. Sex with a partner is great and masturbation is great, too. Why deprive yourself of one because you have the other? It just doesn't make sense. Would you deprive yourself of cake just because you had ice cream? Nope, I didn't think so. In Italy, they eat pizza before they eat pasta. Get my drift? A little indulgence in developing your sexual repertoire will make you a sexier person all around too.
4. Mutual masturbation in partner sex play is great. Mutual masturbation takes the focus away from the need to please each other and can help couples recognize the value of self-pleasure and self-care within a relationship. Not to mention, it helps us get to know each other just a little bit better. Knowing what you like and how to please yourself will make you a better lover, but can be a turn on to a partner, as well. Masturbation is also a great way to avoid risk or worry about pregnancies and STDs. Judge Gives Woman OK To Masturbate At Work
So, go ahead and get to know yourself a little better! Ditch your clothes, take a bath, look at yourself naked in the mirror, put on something sexy and/or just go ahead and touch yourself. You'll be glad you did.
While masturbation is a valuable and needed part of a healthy sexuality, it's often the silent party of an individual's sexuality — the part people are often ashamed of. So, I am here to break down some masturbation myths for you. It's too bad that our society encourages shame and guilt about masturbation. However, despite the hush-hush attitude most of us have adopted about the subject, most men do masturbate and will acknowledge it openly amongst their male peers. What A Male Orgasm Feels Like
When it comes to masturbation, women are different. A significantly larger portion of women either don't masturbate or deny it. Well, ladies, here is some information about why masturbation may be good not only for you, but also for your relationships. Here are four reasons why you should masturbate. Happy Ending Massage for Women: One Woman's Tale
1. Masturbation helps us get to know our bodies and our minds. By masturbating, we learn about what turns us on. Mentally, we can tune in to our fantasies to understand the types of things that turn us on during masturbation. While masturbating, do we fantasize about being dominated or being watched? These are clues which help us understand what makes us tick, and in turn, we can begin to understand how to get our needs met by a partner.
Individuals who are having issues with arousal or orgasm can benefit greatly from masturbation and self love, getting to know your body techniques. Ladies, if you are having trouble masturbating, I also suggest experimenting with some toys. Using a vibrator, for example, is a common way for women to learn to achieve orgasm. Investing in a vibrator may be something you want to add into your sexual repertoire. Getting familiar with your body through the use of a vibrator is also a good way to gauge what you like, and can be a fun and exciting thing to introduce to partner sex, as well. The Secret Benefits Of Using A Vibrator [VIDEO]
2. Masturbation has health benefits. Masturbation can relieve tension and stress and can help with the inability to sleep. There is evidence that the chemicals released during orgasm can heal depression. Also, there is a study that suggests that women who masturbate are more likely to be concerned with their sexual health and visit the gynecologist more often. I'm not sure if this last one is altogether true, but I can see the correlation since women who masturbate may be more in-tune with their bodies, and thus, visit the gynecologist more often.
. Indulging in yourself can make you a sexier person. The concept being that a sexually active woman need not masturbate is actually a fallacy. Sex with a partner is great and masturbation is great, too. Why deprive yourself of one because you have the other? It just doesn't make sense. Would you deprive yourself of cake just because you had ice cream? Nope, I didn't think so. In Italy, they eat pizza before they eat pasta. Get my drift? A little indulgence in developing your sexual repertoire will make you a sexier person all around too.
4. Mutual masturbation in partner sex play is great. Mutual masturbation takes the focus away from the need to please each other and can help couples recognize the value of self-pleasure and self-care within a relationship. Not to mention, it helps us get to know each other just a little bit better. Knowing what you like and how to please yourself will make you a better lover, but can be a turn on to a partner, as well. Masturbation is also a great way to avoid risk or worry about pregnancies and STDs. Judge Gives Woman OK To Masturbate At Work
So, go ahead and get to know yourself a little better! Ditch your clothes, take a bath, look at yourself naked in the mirror, put on something sexy and/or just go ahead and touch yourself. You'll be glad you did.
The Best FBI Agent
Moment FBI agent struggled to climb over gate... just before men behind him open it and walk through
No obstacles: This FBI agent appeared to struggle for a few seconds while trying to climb over this gate outside a New Jersey home that appeared to be locked shut
Fail: Local news crews zoomed in on the moment, capturing his climb and triumphant jump to the other side, split seconds before it opened up behind him
All in: Immediately after the agent pops over and confidently begins marching toward the home the gate springs open and the other agents join him
A blood-pumping raid by the FBI on a New Jersey home turned into the butt of hundreds of online jokes when an agent's dramatic climb over a gate proved far more embarrassing than necessary.
As seen on local news coverage the man struggled to hop over the gate, only for the gate to be easily and instantly flung open by the other agents behind him.
Those entering behind him appeared to have been waiting for him to finish the entire time.
The man gives no turn-around recognition to them, or the gate, but continues marching strong toward the house.
The video appeared in a local NBC news broadcast before it was posted to YouTube by entertained viewers heard snickering in the background.
It's since received more than 600,000 views and more than 1,100 comments.
'This is something I would expect to see in comedy movies. lol,' one YouTube viewer wrote.
'Climbs over fence like a noob. Walks away like a boss,' another wrote.
'Well it's nice to know the FBI can come into our property whenever they feel like it,' another wrote of the agent’s scaling abilities.
No obstacles: This FBI agent appeared to struggle for a few seconds while trying to climb over this gate outside a New Jersey home that appeared to be locked shut
Fail: Local news crews zoomed in on the moment, capturing his climb and triumphant jump to the other side, split seconds before it opened up behind him
A blood-pumping raid by the FBI on a New Jersey home turned into the butt of hundreds of online jokes when an agent's dramatic climb over a gate proved far more embarrassing than necessary.
As seen on local news coverage the man struggled to hop over the gate, only for the gate to be easily and instantly flung open by the other agents behind him.
Those entering behind him appeared to have been waiting for him to finish the entire time.
The man gives no turn-around recognition to them, or the gate, but continues marching strong toward the house.
The video appeared in a local NBC news broadcast before it was posted to YouTube by entertained viewers heard snickering in the background.
It's since received more than 600,000 views and more than 1,100 comments.
'This is something I would expect to see in comedy movies. lol,' one YouTube viewer wrote.
'Climbs over fence like a noob. Walks away like a boss,' another wrote.
'Well it's nice to know the FBI can come into our property whenever they feel like it,' another wrote of the agent’s scaling abilities.
The Federal Top Secrets How To Control Things Through Mind
Cool! Samsung Discover How to Control Gadgets Through the Mind
Samsung researchers collaborate with the University of Texas to create a gadget that can be controlled by the mind. As an experiment, they use a tablet Galaxy Note 10.1.
Innovation is key to the success of technology producers, and that the attempt made Samsung through their new findings. These findings are also expected to change the user experience when using a smartphone or tablet PC.
As a first step, Samsung wants to make an application that allows users to connect with gadgetnya through mind waves. Through this aplilkasi users can play songs, change tracks, open the app, turn off and turn on the tablet, as well as several other functions.
This experiment was successfully carried out by using the wave mind reader. Shaped like a hat, but there EGG electrodes are used to translate the commands of the mind to be executed on the tablet.
"Finding new ways to interact with the gadget is the main objective of this project. Few years ago only a small button that is the only way to control the phone, but now users can use voice, touch, movement, and eye movements to interact with mobile devices, "said Insoo Kim, Samsung engineers who mengagas the project.
Until now the application is still being perfected, and not known about when these innovations can be used by the wider community.
Samsung researchers collaborate with the University of Texas to create a gadget that can be controlled by the mind. As an experiment, they use a tablet Galaxy Note 10.1.
Innovation is key to the success of technology producers, and that the attempt made Samsung through their new findings. These findings are also expected to change the user experience when using a smartphone or tablet PC.
As a first step, Samsung wants to make an application that allows users to connect with gadgetnya through mind waves. Through this aplilkasi users can play songs, change tracks, open the app, turn off and turn on the tablet, as well as several other functions.
This experiment was successfully carried out by using the wave mind reader. Shaped like a hat, but there EGG electrodes are used to translate the commands of the mind to be executed on the tablet.
"Finding new ways to interact with the gadget is the main objective of this project. Few years ago only a small button that is the only way to control the phone, but now users can use voice, touch, movement, and eye movements to interact with mobile devices, "said Insoo Kim, Samsung engineers who mengagas the project.
Until now the application is still being perfected, and not known about when these innovations can be used by the wider community.
The Sex Secrets How To Become Vivid Stars
Farrah Abraham Brings Her Dad & Daughter to Sex Tape Negotiation
Question: Where is the last place on Earth you should bring your dad and your kid?
Answer: Your sex tape negotiation. Ewwwwwwwwwww!!!!!
But that's exactly what "Teen Mom" star Farrah Abraham did on Sunday when she hit up the offices of Vivid Entertainment to negotiate a possible deal for her sex tape.
Farrah told our photog she is negotiating with two other companies and that she is considering Vivid's offer. She said she only brought her father along "for support" ... but when you check out the video, you can tell how uncomfortable he is about the whole thing.
Our photog also spoke to Vivid honcho Steve Hirsch after the meeting ... and even he thought bringing a young child to a porn office was a bad idea.
At least someone is the voice of reason.
Answer: Your sex tape negotiation. Ewwwwwwwwwww!!!!!
But that's exactly what "Teen Mom" star Farrah Abraham did on Sunday when she hit up the offices of Vivid Entertainment to negotiate a possible deal for her sex tape.
Farrah told our photog she is negotiating with two other companies and that she is considering Vivid's offer. She said she only brought her father along "for support" ... but when you check out the video, you can tell how uncomfortable he is about the whole thing.
Our photog also spoke to Vivid honcho Steve Hirsch after the meeting ... and even he thought bringing a young child to a porn office was a bad idea.
At least someone is the voice of reason.
A Worm In Human Eye
Is There A Worm In Your Eye?
When it comes to worms we perceive that it only affects our stomach. If you eat too many sweets, you get worms and then you have to take de-worming medications. However, it is not as simple as that. The fatal tapeworm can also affect your brain and entire central nervous system. Besides, have you ever heard of an eye worm; a worm that infects the eyes?
The dangerous Loa loa worm is one such pest that attacks the eyes. There has been a lot of talk about the Loa loa worm lately, especially after a 20cm long worm was surgically removed from a person's eyes. Dr. Ashley Thomas Mulamoottil, the doctor who recorded this unique surgery says "this is the seventh worm that he has removed in the last one decade and it is also the longest."
Spread Of Loa loa Filariasis "The worm Loa loa was originally found in Africa and has now reached Asia. The mangrove fly or deer fly is believed to be the carrier of this worm. The eggs of the worm enters the human body through small wounds inflicted by the fly. The death of the worm inside the body could be fatal as it could contaminate the blood. The disease is known as microfilariasis or Loa loa infestation (Loiasis)", says Dr. Mulamoottil. Treatment For Loa Loa Worm: The patient can either be put on chemotherapy or the worm can be surgically removed from the eyes. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine yet developed for Loa loa Filariasis. However, if it is detected in time, it is curable.
These are some interesting facts about this strange African eye worm that can grow up to 20cm long.
When it comes to worms we perceive that it only affects our stomach. If you eat too many sweets, you get worms and then you have to take de-worming medications. However, it is not as simple as that. The fatal tapeworm can also affect your brain and entire central nervous system. Besides, have you ever heard of an eye worm; a worm that infects the eyes?
The dangerous Loa loa worm is one such pest that attacks the eyes. There has been a lot of talk about the Loa loa worm lately, especially after a 20cm long worm was surgically removed from a person's eyes. Dr. Ashley Thomas Mulamoottil, the doctor who recorded this unique surgery says "this is the seventh worm that he has removed in the last one decade and it is also the longest."
Spread Of Loa loa Filariasis "The worm Loa loa was originally found in Africa and has now reached Asia. The mangrove fly or deer fly is believed to be the carrier of this worm. The eggs of the worm enters the human body through small wounds inflicted by the fly. The death of the worm inside the body could be fatal as it could contaminate the blood. The disease is known as microfilariasis or Loa loa infestation (Loiasis)", says Dr. Mulamoottil. Treatment For Loa Loa Worm: The patient can either be put on chemotherapy or the worm can be surgically removed from the eyes. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine yet developed for Loa loa Filariasis. However, if it is detected in time, it is curable.
These are some interesting facts about this strange African eye worm that can grow up to 20cm long.
This Tree Can Sing !
Singing Ringing Tree
One of the most iconic artworks in Lancashire, the fascinating ‘Singing Ringing Tree’ at Crown Point high on the moors above Burnley is one of four Panopticons, part of a project across East Lancashire led by Mid Pennine Arts.
Designed by architects Tonkin-Liu the sculpture resembles a windblown tree; it is constructed from scaffolding poles welded together in concentric circles, the pipes having been tuned to emit a melodious hum as the wind blows through them.
The splendid views over the town to the hills beyond make a visit for a closer inspection of this amazing artwork an absolute must. The sculpture is only a short walk from the carpark and picnic area but if you enjoy longer walks then the best route is the Wayside Arts Trail from Towneley Park; follow its carved Lancashire oak marker posts and bricks including a brick kiln by artist Julie Miles to take a closer look at this incredible landmark.
It is obvious that there is something about Burnley that is attractive to award-winning architects Mike Tonkin and Anna Liu because they have now returned to design Burnley’s latest public artwork the Rain Bow Gate. Located at the heart of Burnley’s new Knowledge quarter, the design is a bow structure that integrates glass prisms to capture light and create rainbows, evoking a sence of wonder.
One of the most iconic artworks in Lancashire, the fascinating ‘Singing Ringing Tree’ at Crown Point high on the moors above Burnley is one of four Panopticons, part of a project across East Lancashire led by Mid Pennine Arts.
Designed by architects Tonkin-Liu the sculpture resembles a windblown tree; it is constructed from scaffolding poles welded together in concentric circles, the pipes having been tuned to emit a melodious hum as the wind blows through them.
The splendid views over the town to the hills beyond make a visit for a closer inspection of this amazing artwork an absolute must. The sculpture is only a short walk from the carpark and picnic area but if you enjoy longer walks then the best route is the Wayside Arts Trail from Towneley Park; follow its carved Lancashire oak marker posts and bricks including a brick kiln by artist Julie Miles to take a closer look at this incredible landmark.
It is obvious that there is something about Burnley that is attractive to award-winning architects Mike Tonkin and Anna Liu because they have now returned to design Burnley’s latest public artwork the Rain Bow Gate. Located at the heart of Burnley’s new Knowledge quarter, the design is a bow structure that integrates glass prisms to capture light and create rainbows, evoking a sence of wonder.
The Reasons Why You Shoul Never Bring Condoms To States
'Detained for carrying condoms, sexy undies'
A WOMAN claims she was detained by US border officials three times in two weeks and accused of being a sex worker for having condoms and "racy underwear" in her luggage.
University of British Columbia graduate Clay Nikiforuk (a pseudonym) wrote an article for the Huffington Post about the "baffling" series of events that occurred as she travelled through the US with a married man.
"What do you do when you're detained by powerful officials, everything you say is presumed deceptive, arbitrary 'evidence' is held against you, and you're treated like a moral deviant? And what if it's 2013, you're a woman, and the "evidence" is that you possess condoms?" asked Nikiforuk in a book on the sociology of sexual assault.
Nikiforuk said she was first held by border guards in Vermont in March, where her bag was searched "at least five times". She had approximately eight condoms in her suitcase and underwear.
"I could not help but notice how often my lingerie and 'sexy underwear' were mentioned, how often the condoms they found were looked upon scathingly, and how most of the four male officers' questions pertained to both," she said.
"I was like, 'Yeah, some girls like shoes, I like nice underwear', and then realised it was really not funny. They were taking it very seriously… and looking at my condoms and counting them.
"I was baffled as to why this was any of their business and unsure of what their objective was."
She was eventually granted a limited two-week visa, but she'd missed her bus and plane by that time so had to wait until the next morning to continue her journey.
Two weeks later she alleged Montreal Airport officials took her into a back office and interrogated her about the man she was travelling with.
During the questioning she admitted the man was married and she was planning on sharing a hotel bed with him. Nikiforuk was forced to tell the official that the man's wife "doesn't want to know the details, but she knows" about their affair.
"The next thing I knew he was searching my bags, pulling out condoms and waving them in my face," she said.
"He said: 'I could have you charged with being a working girl! The proof is right here'."
She was asked: "How much is he paying you to go on this trip?". When she answered that she wasn't being paid, she was told off for participating in adultery and let go.
Next came Miami, where she claims she was detained, interrogated, fingerprinted, patted down and "yelled at" for eight hours and asked: "Are you looking to be sexually assaulted?" when she told the official she was writing a book on the sociology of sexual assault.
She has filed a complaint over the incident, claiming she was the victim of a sexist double standard.
US immigration lawyer Steve Goldstein told Canada's Metro News that he's never heard of someone being denied entry to the US because they were carrying condoms.
US Customs and Border Patrol told news.com.au they cannot comment due to privacy laws
"Due to privacy laws, US Customs and Border Protection is prohibited from discussing specific cases or individuals," a US Customs and Border Patrol spokesperson said. "CBP strives to treat all travellers with respect and in a professional manner, preserving the civil rights and civil liberties of all people with whom the officers and agents interact while maintaining the focus of our mission to protect all citizens and visitors in the United States.
"CBP stresses honour and integrity in every aspect of our mission, and the overwhelming majority of CBP employees and officers perform their duties with honor and distinction, working tirelessly every day to keep our country safe."
A WOMAN claims she was detained by US border officials three times in two weeks and accused of being a sex worker for having condoms and "racy underwear" in her luggage.
University of British Columbia graduate Clay Nikiforuk (a pseudonym) wrote an article for the Huffington Post about the "baffling" series of events that occurred as she travelled through the US with a married man.
"What do you do when you're detained by powerful officials, everything you say is presumed deceptive, arbitrary 'evidence' is held against you, and you're treated like a moral deviant? And what if it's 2013, you're a woman, and the "evidence" is that you possess condoms?" asked Nikiforuk in a book on the sociology of sexual assault.
Nikiforuk said she was first held by border guards in Vermont in March, where her bag was searched "at least five times". She had approximately eight condoms in her suitcase and underwear.
"I could not help but notice how often my lingerie and 'sexy underwear' were mentioned, how often the condoms they found were looked upon scathingly, and how most of the four male officers' questions pertained to both," she said.
"I was like, 'Yeah, some girls like shoes, I like nice underwear', and then realised it was really not funny. They were taking it very seriously… and looking at my condoms and counting them.
"I was baffled as to why this was any of their business and unsure of what their objective was."
She was eventually granted a limited two-week visa, but she'd missed her bus and plane by that time so had to wait until the next morning to continue her journey.
Two weeks later she alleged Montreal Airport officials took her into a back office and interrogated her about the man she was travelling with.
During the questioning she admitted the man was married and she was planning on sharing a hotel bed with him. Nikiforuk was forced to tell the official that the man's wife "doesn't want to know the details, but she knows" about their affair.
"The next thing I knew he was searching my bags, pulling out condoms and waving them in my face," she said.
"He said: 'I could have you charged with being a working girl! The proof is right here'."
She was asked: "How much is he paying you to go on this trip?". When she answered that she wasn't being paid, she was told off for participating in adultery and let go.
Next came Miami, where she claims she was detained, interrogated, fingerprinted, patted down and "yelled at" for eight hours and asked: "Are you looking to be sexually assaulted?" when she told the official she was writing a book on the sociology of sexual assault.
She has filed a complaint over the incident, claiming she was the victim of a sexist double standard.
US immigration lawyer Steve Goldstein told Canada's Metro News that he's never heard of someone being denied entry to the US because they were carrying condoms.
US Customs and Border Patrol told news.com.au they cannot comment due to privacy laws
"Due to privacy laws, US Customs and Border Protection is prohibited from discussing specific cases or individuals," a US Customs and Border Patrol spokesperson said. "CBP strives to treat all travellers with respect and in a professional manner, preserving the civil rights and civil liberties of all people with whom the officers and agents interact while maintaining the focus of our mission to protect all citizens and visitors in the United States.
"CBP stresses honour and integrity in every aspect of our mission, and the overwhelming majority of CBP employees and officers perform their duties with honor and distinction, working tirelessly every day to keep our country safe."
The Secrets How To Do Cinnamon Challenge Safely!
Doctors warn teens about taking the 'cinnamon challenge' in new report
CHICAGO – Don't take the cinnamon challenge. That's the advice from doctors in a new report about a dangerous prank depicted in popular YouTube videos but which has led to hospitalizations and a surge in calls to U.S. poison centers.
The fad involves daring someone to swallow a spoonful of ground cinnamon in 60 seconds without water. But the spice is caustic, and trying to gulp it down can cause choking, throat irritation, breathing trouble and even collapsed lungs, the report said.
Published online Monday in Pediatrics, the report said at least 30 teens nationwide needed medical attention after taking the challenge last year.
'Orange burst of dragon breath'
The number of poison control center calls about teens doing the prank "has increased dramatically," from 51 in 2011 to 222 last year, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers.
"People with asthma or other respiratory conditions are at greater risk of having this result in shortness of breath and trouble breathing," according to an alert posted on the association's website.
Thousands of YouTube videos depict kids attempting the challenge, resulting in an "orange burst of dragon breath" spewing out of their mouths and sometimes hysterical laughter from friends watching the stunt, said report co-author Dr. Steven E. Lipshultz, a pediatrics professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Cinnamon is made from tree bark and contains cellulose fibers that don't easily break down. Animal research suggests that when cinnamon gets into the lungs, it can cause scarring, Lipshultz said.
'It's not cool, and it's dangerous'
Dr. Stephen Pont, a spokesman for the American Academy of Pediatrics and an Austin, Texas pediatrician, said the report is "a call to arms to parents and doctors to be aware of things like the cinnamon challenge" and to pay attention to what their kids are viewing online.
Related: Michigan teen hospitalized after attempting 'cinnamon challenge'
An Ypsilanti, Mich., teen who was hospitalized for a collapsed lung after trying the cinnamon challenge heartily supports the new advice and started her own website -- http://nocinnamonchallenge.com -- telling teens to "just say no" to the fad.
Dejah Reed, 16, said she took the challenge four times -- the final time was in February last year with a friend who didn't want to try it alone.
"I was laughing very hard, and I coughed it out, and I inhaled it into my lungs," she said. "I couldn't breathe."
Her father, Fred Reed, said he arrived home soon after to find Dejah "a pale bluish color. It was very terrifying. I threw her over my shoulder" and drove to a nearby emergency room.
Dejah was hospitalized for four days and went home with an inhaler and said she still has to use it when she gets short of breath from running or talking too fast. Her dad said she'd never had asthma or breathing problems before.
Dejah said she'd read about the challenge on Facebook and other social networking sites and "thought it would be cool" to try.
Now she knows "it's not cool and it's dangerous."
CHICAGO – Don't take the cinnamon challenge. That's the advice from doctors in a new report about a dangerous prank depicted in popular YouTube videos but which has led to hospitalizations and a surge in calls to U.S. poison centers.
The fad involves daring someone to swallow a spoonful of ground cinnamon in 60 seconds without water. But the spice is caustic, and trying to gulp it down can cause choking, throat irritation, breathing trouble and even collapsed lungs, the report said.
Published online Monday in Pediatrics, the report said at least 30 teens nationwide needed medical attention after taking the challenge last year.
'Orange burst of dragon breath'
The number of poison control center calls about teens doing the prank "has increased dramatically," from 51 in 2011 to 222 last year, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers.
"People with asthma or other respiratory conditions are at greater risk of having this result in shortness of breath and trouble breathing," according to an alert posted on the association's website.
Thousands of YouTube videos depict kids attempting the challenge, resulting in an "orange burst of dragon breath" spewing out of their mouths and sometimes hysterical laughter from friends watching the stunt, said report co-author Dr. Steven E. Lipshultz, a pediatrics professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Cinnamon is made from tree bark and contains cellulose fibers that don't easily break down. Animal research suggests that when cinnamon gets into the lungs, it can cause scarring, Lipshultz said.
'It's not cool, and it's dangerous'
Dr. Stephen Pont, a spokesman for the American Academy of Pediatrics and an Austin, Texas pediatrician, said the report is "a call to arms to parents and doctors to be aware of things like the cinnamon challenge" and to pay attention to what their kids are viewing online.
Related: Michigan teen hospitalized after attempting 'cinnamon challenge'
An Ypsilanti, Mich., teen who was hospitalized for a collapsed lung after trying the cinnamon challenge heartily supports the new advice and started her own website -- http://nocinnamonchallenge.com -- telling teens to "just say no" to the fad.
Dejah Reed, 16, said she took the challenge four times -- the final time was in February last year with a friend who didn't want to try it alone.
"I was laughing very hard, and I coughed it out, and I inhaled it into my lungs," she said. "I couldn't breathe."
Her father, Fred Reed, said he arrived home soon after to find Dejah "a pale bluish color. It was very terrifying. I threw her over my shoulder" and drove to a nearby emergency room.
Dejah was hospitalized for four days and went home with an inhaler and said she still has to use it when she gets short of breath from running or talking too fast. Her dad said she'd never had asthma or breathing problems before.
Dejah said she'd read about the challenge on Facebook and other social networking sites and "thought it would be cool" to try.
Now she knows "it's not cool and it's dangerous."
How To Suicide in MARS ! Wanted Volunteers!
I'm Sending Four People to Mars for the Rest of Their Lives
Space travel has always been tainted with a few big, unavoidable problems for me. The first is that I spent all three years of my university career occasionally learning what Foucault thinks about reality television, rather than anything vaguely scientific that would teach me how to launch myself through earth's atmosphere without dying immediately. The second is that everything is just so staggeringly, unfathomably far away. The half hour commute to work is bad enough; three days to get to a pretty nondescript floating hunk of rock just seems pointless and like a massive waste of time that could be spent not crowded up in a little shuttle hurtling through the sky.
Although, I suppose if there was an exciting prospect at the end of the journey I wouldn't mind so much. Like a new, ready-made home for me to spend the rest of my years, for example. Dutch entrepreneur Bas Lansdorp is going to be furnishing those exact dreams with his Mars One project, which aims to build a liveable settlement on Mars, before sending four humans to live there for the rest of their lives in 2023, followed by more batches of people as the years go on, living there for the REST of their lives.
Besides that minor detail, his project is remarkable in that it aims to raise the majority of its funding through creating the biggest media spectacle the world has ever known – covering every stage of the project and allowing viewers to vote on who gets to take the trip – rather than relying on governments and having to deal with any kind of political interference. I met Bas for a drink to talk about his plans.
VICE: So tell me what sparked this whole idea of sending people to live the rest of their lives on Mars.
Bas Lansdorp: I was originally inspired around 15 years ago when the first rover landed on Mars. I basically thought it'd be much cooler if humans were walking up on Mars, rather than the machine. I always wanted to go myself and knew I didn't stand a chance if I went through the normal NASA or European Space Agency (ESA) procedures, but I kind of forgot about the idea when I started studying mechanical engineering. Then, a few years later, someone told me that the Americans were planning a one-way trip to Mars – which is so much more feasible than a return mission – so I decided to drop everything and go for it.
What were you doing at the time?
I was working at a company, but I sold half my shares to get things going. Then John de Mol, the inventor of Big Brother, told me I could finance the project through the media, so I thought 'I really have to take this chance now.' I mean, it's extremely complex, but I have to take the risk and do it.
Yeah, it's interesting that you're planning on funding the whole project with media money.
Well, we have other revenue ideas, of course, but yeah – we need to finance a lot of things before we can send any humans out to Mars and creating a media spectacle is a good way to do that. I'll just add that it's not my main goal to create a media spectacle, though. There are much easier ways of doing that than sending humans on a one-way mission to Mars.
Ha, yeah I assume there probably are. How much is it going to cost?
It's going to be £3.8 billion to set it up, then another £630 million for each one of the four astronauts. I initially thought that number was unrealistically high, but the International Olympic Committee had a revenue of one or two billion pounds for one three-week-long event, so that's half a billion a week, which makes our numbers not look too bad.
Literally everybody who has access to internet or TV will watch it and, by that time, nearly four billion people will have the internet, so imagine being the brand that sponsors an event like that. You'll immediately have the biggest name on the planet. It's a lot of money, but I'm very entrepreneurial and also very down to earth, so I wouldn't do it if I didn't believe it was possible.
Cool. So what's the process? What's being sent up first?
We've got a demonstration mission in 2016 to show the technology that we've purchased, which is where we'll send a communications satellite to Mars, then, in 2018, we'll send a rover up to find the best location for the settlement.
What factors determine a good place for a settlement?
It's got to be north enough to have a good amount of water crystals in the soil and south enough for the solar panels to be effective. It's gonna be on the northern hemisphere because the seasons are less extreme there. But it's also got to be as low as possible in altitude, because Mars has a very thin atmosphere and the lower down you go, the more time you'll have to slow down and land safely.
And everything is going to be ready built for the humans' arrival, right?
Yeah, everything will land in big pre-built components that will be assembled by the rovers. There'll be two capsules for the life support system, two capsules for the living units and two capsules with supplies.
Nice. Is it right that the astronauts are being picked with a lottery system?
No, that was just something some news show said. The way we're doing it is to have our experts determine who's suitable from those who apply, then we'll ask the audience who they want to send to Mars. The people picked will be the world's first ambassadors to Mars, so it's important that the general public have their say.
What would be your perfect candidate?
Well, when I started, I thought we'd need doctors and engineers, but the most important thing is actually the person's personality. You need someone who's capable of sitting in a very small vehicle for the seven month journey, then able to cope mentally with leaving earth behind. The medical and engineering aspects are obviously very important, too, but we'll train them in those for the eight years before they leave, so it's the personality that's the most crucial thing.
What happens if two of the astronauts have a baby, or something?
Well, that's not the goal. We're putting people up there, but they'll be largely responsible for their own actions. Because of the time difference between Earth and Mars, it's not like we'll be able to say, "Pick up that rock" or guide them through stuff in realtime, so they'll have to be responsible.
And any responsible person knows that Mars – with only three other people for company – probably isn't the ideal place to have a baby. The means to get a baby into the world will be there, though, and the long-term goal is create an outpost where that could happen – maybe when there's 20 or 30 people there.
So you eventually want to start a whole new Martian society?
Yeah, that should be the goal. We want to establish a small self-supporting society on Mars that doesn’t need the Earth anymore. Although, it's such long-term planning that it's not really something you can keep under control, so we'll have to see.
Do you want to go and live on Mars eventually?
I wanted to. I talked to our medical director, Norbert Craft, though, and he said I don't have the patience or the calmness to cope. I'm the architect and the entrepreneur, not the right person to actually go on the mission, but I will be extremely, extremely jealous when the first four people leave.
One of my friends put his name down for it. He's always wanted to live in the remote Scottish wilderness, so I suppose Mars would be an even better alternative.
Oh, cool. We just got a bid from an investor, so we're getting really close to signing contracts with our suppliers. When that happens, we think we'll be far enough along to start selecting astronauts.
Nice, I'll let him know. Lastly, what's your personal mission with this? Scientific discovery? Moving the human race forward? Or just leaving your mark on the universe?
Somewhere in the middle, I suppose. I’m interested in the science – I mean, imagine if we found life on Mars. We don't know how much life there is in the universe, let alone on our neighbouring planet. And who knows – it could even bring us closer to understanding the history of the solar system and where we all come from. Of course, the prospect of putting humanity on a different planet is also just breathtaking. It seemed incomprehensible to me before, so my biggest motivation at the moment is to achieve sending the first ever people to Mars.
Space travel has always been tainted with a few big, unavoidable problems for me. The first is that I spent all three years of my university career occasionally learning what Foucault thinks about reality television, rather than anything vaguely scientific that would teach me how to launch myself through earth's atmosphere without dying immediately. The second is that everything is just so staggeringly, unfathomably far away. The half hour commute to work is bad enough; three days to get to a pretty nondescript floating hunk of rock just seems pointless and like a massive waste of time that could be spent not crowded up in a little shuttle hurtling through the sky.
Although, I suppose if there was an exciting prospect at the end of the journey I wouldn't mind so much. Like a new, ready-made home for me to spend the rest of my years, for example. Dutch entrepreneur Bas Lansdorp is going to be furnishing those exact dreams with his Mars One project, which aims to build a liveable settlement on Mars, before sending four humans to live there for the rest of their lives in 2023, followed by more batches of people as the years go on, living there for the REST of their lives.
Besides that minor detail, his project is remarkable in that it aims to raise the majority of its funding through creating the biggest media spectacle the world has ever known – covering every stage of the project and allowing viewers to vote on who gets to take the trip – rather than relying on governments and having to deal with any kind of political interference. I met Bas for a drink to talk about his plans.
VICE: So tell me what sparked this whole idea of sending people to live the rest of their lives on Mars.
Bas Lansdorp: I was originally inspired around 15 years ago when the first rover landed on Mars. I basically thought it'd be much cooler if humans were walking up on Mars, rather than the machine. I always wanted to go myself and knew I didn't stand a chance if I went through the normal NASA or European Space Agency (ESA) procedures, but I kind of forgot about the idea when I started studying mechanical engineering. Then, a few years later, someone told me that the Americans were planning a one-way trip to Mars – which is so much more feasible than a return mission – so I decided to drop everything and go for it.
What were you doing at the time?
I was working at a company, but I sold half my shares to get things going. Then John de Mol, the inventor of Big Brother, told me I could finance the project through the media, so I thought 'I really have to take this chance now.' I mean, it's extremely complex, but I have to take the risk and do it.
Yeah, it's interesting that you're planning on funding the whole project with media money.
Well, we have other revenue ideas, of course, but yeah – we need to finance a lot of things before we can send any humans out to Mars and creating a media spectacle is a good way to do that. I'll just add that it's not my main goal to create a media spectacle, though. There are much easier ways of doing that than sending humans on a one-way mission to Mars.
Ha, yeah I assume there probably are. How much is it going to cost?
It's going to be £3.8 billion to set it up, then another £630 million for each one of the four astronauts. I initially thought that number was unrealistically high, but the International Olympic Committee had a revenue of one or two billion pounds for one three-week-long event, so that's half a billion a week, which makes our numbers not look too bad.
Literally everybody who has access to internet or TV will watch it and, by that time, nearly four billion people will have the internet, so imagine being the brand that sponsors an event like that. You'll immediately have the biggest name on the planet. It's a lot of money, but I'm very entrepreneurial and also very down to earth, so I wouldn't do it if I didn't believe it was possible.
Cool. So what's the process? What's being sent up first?
We've got a demonstration mission in 2016 to show the technology that we've purchased, which is where we'll send a communications satellite to Mars, then, in 2018, we'll send a rover up to find the best location for the settlement.
What factors determine a good place for a settlement?
It's got to be north enough to have a good amount of water crystals in the soil and south enough for the solar panels to be effective. It's gonna be on the northern hemisphere because the seasons are less extreme there. But it's also got to be as low as possible in altitude, because Mars has a very thin atmosphere and the lower down you go, the more time you'll have to slow down and land safely.
And everything is going to be ready built for the humans' arrival, right?
Yeah, everything will land in big pre-built components that will be assembled by the rovers. There'll be two capsules for the life support system, two capsules for the living units and two capsules with supplies.
Nice. Is it right that the astronauts are being picked with a lottery system?
No, that was just something some news show said. The way we're doing it is to have our experts determine who's suitable from those who apply, then we'll ask the audience who they want to send to Mars. The people picked will be the world's first ambassadors to Mars, so it's important that the general public have their say.
What would be your perfect candidate?
Well, when I started, I thought we'd need doctors and engineers, but the most important thing is actually the person's personality. You need someone who's capable of sitting in a very small vehicle for the seven month journey, then able to cope mentally with leaving earth behind. The medical and engineering aspects are obviously very important, too, but we'll train them in those for the eight years before they leave, so it's the personality that's the most crucial thing.
What happens if two of the astronauts have a baby, or something?
Well, that's not the goal. We're putting people up there, but they'll be largely responsible for their own actions. Because of the time difference between Earth and Mars, it's not like we'll be able to say, "Pick up that rock" or guide them through stuff in realtime, so they'll have to be responsible.
And any responsible person knows that Mars – with only three other people for company – probably isn't the ideal place to have a baby. The means to get a baby into the world will be there, though, and the long-term goal is create an outpost where that could happen – maybe when there's 20 or 30 people there.
So you eventually want to start a whole new Martian society?
Yeah, that should be the goal. We want to establish a small self-supporting society on Mars that doesn’t need the Earth anymore. Although, it's such long-term planning that it's not really something you can keep under control, so we'll have to see.
Do you want to go and live on Mars eventually?
I wanted to. I talked to our medical director, Norbert Craft, though, and he said I don't have the patience or the calmness to cope. I'm the architect and the entrepreneur, not the right person to actually go on the mission, but I will be extremely, extremely jealous when the first four people leave.
One of my friends put his name down for it. He's always wanted to live in the remote Scottish wilderness, so I suppose Mars would be an even better alternative.
Oh, cool. We just got a bid from an investor, so we're getting really close to signing contracts with our suppliers. When that happens, we think we'll be far enough along to start selecting astronauts.
Nice, I'll let him know. Lastly, what's your personal mission with this? Scientific discovery? Moving the human race forward? Or just leaving your mark on the universe?
Somewhere in the middle, I suppose. I’m interested in the science – I mean, imagine if we found life on Mars. We don't know how much life there is in the universe, let alone on our neighbouring planet. And who knows – it could even bring us closer to understanding the history of the solar system and where we all come from. Of course, the prospect of putting humanity on a different planet is also just breathtaking. It seemed incomprehensible to me before, so my biggest motivation at the moment is to achieve sending the first ever people to Mars.
The Top Secrets How To Slim Down Forever
Dead student's family call for clampdown on slimming drug
Sarah Houston, 23, died after taking banned dinitrophenol (DNP), which she ordered online, alongside antidepressants
Sarah Houston was studying medicine at the University of Leeds at the time of her death last September. Photograph: Christopher Thomond
A coroner and the family of a medical student suffering from bulimia who died after taking a banned weight-loss drug bought online have called for a change in the law to further tighten the distribution of the substance, which has been blamed for other deaths.
Dr Graham Mould, a forensic toxicologist, told an inquest into the death of Sarah Houston, 23, that a combination of dinitrophenol (DNP), which is banned from human consumption but is used as a chemical pesticide, and antidepressants may have been fatal.
DNP, which was first used to treat obesity in the 1930s but was banned as a food substance due to its dangerous side effects, continues to be used as a slimming aid by bodybuilders around the world. It was linked to 62 deaths in a study published last year in the Journal of Medical Toxicity.
The University of Leeds medical student, who comes from a family of doctors, is believed to have been taking the drug secretly alongside a prescribed antidepressant Fluoxetine. Houston was found dead in her bedroom by a flatmate.
The inquest in Wakefield heard she had complained of feeling hot and unwell and had been breathing heavily on the evening before she died in September last year.
Mould said there was no evidence of an overdose. "We don't know how long Sarah had been taking DNP but it may have accumulated in her system," he said. "It increases the body's metabolic rate. The side effects can be overheating and breathlessness caused by an increased heart rate and this seems to be consistent with how Sarah was feeling that evening.
"The side effects of DNP were clearly present and it's possible that Fluoxetine may have exacerbated the affect of DNP. At a very high dose, Fluoxetine can have a similar affect to DNP and so one can speculate that the two drugs together might have speeded up the affect."
Mould pointed out that the Food Standards Agency had previously issued a report warning the public not to take DNP.
Coroner David Hinchliff said: "The only way to combat the use of DNP is to bring to the attention of the public how dangerous a substance it is.
"This is not a one-off case and it needs bringing to the public's attention."
Outside court, Houston's family said she was not depressed at the time she died and her health had improved leading up to her death. In a statement, they said that it was incomprehensible that DNP could be purchased over the internet and called on the government to take steps to ensure that no other family suffered in the same way in future.
"It's going to be a slow process, but hopefully approaching the Home Office to begin with will be the right step and hopefully it will be made illegal," said Sarah's father, Geoff Houston. "For those who are selling it, if you have any ounce of decency you must stop."
The coroner recorded a verdict of death by misadventure.
Sarah Houston, 23, died after taking banned dinitrophenol (DNP), which she ordered online, alongside antidepressants
A coroner and the family of a medical student suffering from bulimia who died after taking a banned weight-loss drug bought online have called for a change in the law to further tighten the distribution of the substance, which has been blamed for other deaths.
Dr Graham Mould, a forensic toxicologist, told an inquest into the death of Sarah Houston, 23, that a combination of dinitrophenol (DNP), which is banned from human consumption but is used as a chemical pesticide, and antidepressants may have been fatal.
DNP, which was first used to treat obesity in the 1930s but was banned as a food substance due to its dangerous side effects, continues to be used as a slimming aid by bodybuilders around the world. It was linked to 62 deaths in a study published last year in the Journal of Medical Toxicity.
The University of Leeds medical student, who comes from a family of doctors, is believed to have been taking the drug secretly alongside a prescribed antidepressant Fluoxetine. Houston was found dead in her bedroom by a flatmate.
The inquest in Wakefield heard she had complained of feeling hot and unwell and had been breathing heavily on the evening before she died in September last year.
Mould said there was no evidence of an overdose. "We don't know how long Sarah had been taking DNP but it may have accumulated in her system," he said. "It increases the body's metabolic rate. The side effects can be overheating and breathlessness caused by an increased heart rate and this seems to be consistent with how Sarah was feeling that evening.
"The side effects of DNP were clearly present and it's possible that Fluoxetine may have exacerbated the affect of DNP. At a very high dose, Fluoxetine can have a similar affect to DNP and so one can speculate that the two drugs together might have speeded up the affect."
Mould pointed out that the Food Standards Agency had previously issued a report warning the public not to take DNP.
Coroner David Hinchliff said: "The only way to combat the use of DNP is to bring to the attention of the public how dangerous a substance it is.
"This is not a one-off case and it needs bringing to the public's attention."
Outside court, Houston's family said she was not depressed at the time she died and her health had improved leading up to her death. In a statement, they said that it was incomprehensible that DNP could be purchased over the internet and called on the government to take steps to ensure that no other family suffered in the same way in future.
"It's going to be a slow process, but hopefully approaching the Home Office to begin with will be the right step and hopefully it will be made illegal," said Sarah's father, Geoff Houston. "For those who are selling it, if you have any ounce of decency you must stop."
The coroner recorded a verdict of death by misadventure.
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