Health and Wellbeing
A hangover cure that works
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May 22, 2006 The production, trade and consumption of alcohol dates beyond 10,000BC. The Sumerians, Egyptians and Babylonians produced and traded alcohol and the Romans and Ancient Greeks had wine Gods. Across the centuries, almost every culture has used alcohol medicinally, ritualistically and socially and in so doing, woven it inextricably into global society. We now consume more alcohol per person than ever before and at least 2.0 billion people drink it regularly. Which means the number of hangovers faced each day is also on the increase and why an effective hangover cure is the holy grail of “killer apps” – it is a “must have” product that no old wives tale has yet tackled successfully. As the word intoxication suggests, alcohol is actually a poison. That’s why we sometimes vomit when we drink it (to expel the poison), and why, if you drink enough of it, you will die. This new breed of hangover cure addresses the toxicity. The cure we tested and found to be remarkably effective is called Kampai, which is the Japanese equivalent to slainte, salute, prost, googy wawa (Zulu) and Cheerz, which is also the name for another clinically proven hangover cure we reported on but didn’t try. We tried Kampai and it works. We tried it every which way and it significantly reduces the after effects of a night on the town more than anything we’ve previously tried, though we invite any hangover cure peddlers to send us a box and we’ll report on them too. We think Cheerz and Kampai, or any other cures as good as they clearly are, should be stocked wherever customers are asked to “name their poison”, because now there’s an antidote, too.
WHO announces new standards for registration of ALL human medical research
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May 19, 2006 The World Health Organization (WHO) is urging research institutions and companies to register all medical studies that test treatments on human beings, including the earliest studies, whether they involve patients or healthy volunteers. As part of the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, a major initiative aimed at standardizing the way information on medical studies is made available to the public through a process called registration, WHO is also recommending that 20 key details be disclosed at the time studies are begun. The initiative seeks to respond to growing public demands for transparency regarding all studies applying interventions to human participants, known as clinical trials. Before making the recommendations announced today, the Registry Platform initiative consulted with all concerned stakeholders, including representatives from the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and device industries, patient and consumer groups, governments, medical journal editors, ethics committees, and academia over a period of nearly two years.
Automatic Chemical Agent Detector Alarm (ACADA)
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May 19, 2006 One can only imagine the horrors of finding out the hard way that one was in the vicinity, or indeed, the target of a chemical agent attack. Whilst it’s something most of us will never have to worry about, there are those in occupations where it’s a distinct possibility they might face such a scenario. Those people will be glad to have a GID-3 chemical agent detector in their vicinity. The ACADA is an advanced point-sampling, chemical warfare agent detection system that continuously monitors for the presence of nerve agents and blister chemicals using IMS (Ion Mobility Spectrometry) technology. It provides early warning of chemical attacks and can be remotely deployed, vehicle mounted or carried by soldiers.
Cerealtop – solving the everyday problems
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May 18, 2006 While there are any number of noble research pursuits, we have not yet solved some seriously basic problems with products we handle every day – like an effective seal on a cereal packet. It remains in most cases as an often large cardboard box (such as 750 g Maxi Packs) with a plastic inner pack, filled to the brim with crunchy stuff that doesn’t stay crunchy for long once it’s opened. Package design in cereals has not really evolved much. The lack of progress in the area has been such that you might consider the cereal producers have an interest in ensuring their product is consumed at its best or discarded. It is also without doubt that an effectively sealed cereal packet will keep its contents fresh much longer, so the Belgian-developed Cerealtop fills a much needed void in the market. Cerealtop is an adjustable cereal box lid (so it fits any box) with a dispenser flap.
The pillow that helps you get pregnant
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May 20, 2006 UPDATED Getting pregnant is one of those things that’s incredibly easy unless you actually want to – then Murphy’s Law ( the probability of an event occurring is inversely proportional to the desirability of that event) takes over and you need to stack all the odds in your favour. If that’s your aim (getting pregnant), then the Conception Curve might be handy. It’s a post-coital positioning pillow contoured to support a woman's hips, thighs and buttocks comfortably as gravity helps nature take its course.
Learning lab to train surgical teams of the future
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May 11, 2006 Surgical teams from the United States and around the world will learn advanced robotic and minimally invasive surgical techniques at a newly opened Surgical Learning Center at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan. Traditionally, surgeons train by operating on patients under the supervision of highly experienced doctors. At the center, new surgeons can test their skills before ever stepping into an operating room, enhancing patient safety. Experienced surgeons can increase their capabilities. In addition, the new center will allow surgeons, nurses, anesthetists, technologists and other operating room personnel to train as a team.
The World’s Largest Crossword Puzzle
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May 6, 2006 Use it or lose it is the message for brainpower, so next time you see someone doing a crossword, just bear in mind that mental agility exercises of all forms are good for the brain and they’re exercising an important part of the brain. Now, the retailers of this crossword puzzle are claiming this to be the world’s largest crossword puzzle. We can’t verify that but we’ll suspend disbelief that the world’s largest can be just 2.1 metres by 2.1 metres (49 square feet) – yes, it’s still big, but, … shouldn’t the world’s biggest be bigger? It has 91,000 squares and 28,000 clues and even the clue book runs 104 pages. At AUD$59.95 (US$46), it’s probably the ideal present for a crossword nutter, or someone intent on staving off Alzheimers.
Personal chemical warfare agent (CWA) detector
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April 26, 2006 It might be handy to have one of these in the cupboard for a rainy day – or a really smoggy day if the smog, heaven forbid, should ever contain chemical warfare agent. The ChemRAE is a portable chemical warfare agent (CWA) detector available as stand-alone or as a wireless component of the AreaRAE rapid deployment hazardous environment detection platform produced by RAE Systems
The four-wheel drive hybrid wheelchair
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April 20, 2006 Technology is beginning to yield many new and wonderous devices to make life better, safer and more fun, but few can compare to the life-enhancement offered by a new wheelchair which offers mobility-impaired and aged people an unprecedented level of freedom. It is comfortable, all-terrain and safe - a four-wheel drive wheelchair with hybrid motor and electronic assistance system has the immense potential to enable the physically disabled live more independent lives, to enable Octagenarians to bushwalk, and paraplegics . The innovative system even checks pulse rate and blood values and calls for help in emergencies.
Imitating Nature’s Scaffolding -scientists create artificial fibres that act as templates to grow new tissue
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April 19, 2006 A team of researchers at Singapore’s Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) have successfully created artificial fibres with nanometer-sized features that can be used to grow cells and tissue structures. These ‘fibrous scaffolds’ have been imbued with features of the natural extracellular matrix, the ground substance in which cells are embedded and a vital component in the engineering of human tissues.
Eyeglasses with adaptive focus
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April 15, 2006 The end is nigh for bifocals, and not a moment too soon. Optical scientists at the University of Arizona have developed new switchable, flat, liquid crystal diffractive eyeglass lenses that can adaptively change their focusing power. The new technology will open the way for a new generation of "smart" eyeglasses with built-in automatic focus. In the foreseeable future, with this technology, you won't change prescription eyeglasses but will have your eyes tested and the optician will dial in a new prescription into the specs you already own. Indeed, we can even see the possibility of geeks doing their own eye tests and creating superglasses designed to focus perfectly depending on what you’re looking at.
Glasses with built-in hearing aid
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April 11, 2006 A new and elegant hearing aid invisibly built into the arms of a pair of glasses will go on sale later this month in Holland. The Varibel hearing-glasses will offer hearing-impaired folk respite from the aesthetically unpleasing and technologically limited traditional hearing aid. In each leg of Varibel glasses frame there is a row of four tiny, interconnected microphones, which selectively intensify the sounds that come from the front, while dampening the surrounding noise. Tests have shown that the Varibel user can separate desired sounds from undesired background noise very effectively with the glasses’ technology, with the added bonus that natural sounds can still be heard.
StressEraser wins the Frost & Sullivan 2006 Technology Innovation Award
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March 28, 2006 Frost & Sullivan’s 2006 Technology Innovation Award has been won by Helicor for developing the breakthrough StressEraser device technology we wrote up last August. Intended for use by licensed psychological and psychiatric health care professionals, this handheld relaxation-training device is able to provide effective relief from chronic stress at the physiological, mental, and emotional level. Each year Frost & Sullivan presents this award to a company (or individual) that has carried out new research; which has resulted in innovation(s) that have or are expected to bring significant contributions to the industry in terms of adoption, change, and competitive posture. This award recognizes the quality and depth of a company’s research and development program as well as the vision and risk-taking that enabled it to undertake such an endeavor.
The world’s most advanced toothbrush
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March 27, 2006 More than two thirds of the world population uses a toothbrush, with half those users replacing their toothbrush at least once annually. No wonder then that the global toothbrush market is worth US$5 billion annually and there’s a constant search for an edge which might garner a few percentage points. Market leader Oral-B has been pushing the boundaries recently with its disposable battery-operated “manual” Pulsar and now it has gone several steps better with electric toothbrushes by adding a microprocessor and a bunch of extra functionality. As such, being the first toothbrush with a microprocessor, the Oral-B Triumph is arguably the world’s most advanced toothbrush.
GEL-BOT system provides energy AND hydration during endurance sports
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March 23, 2006 The GEL-BOT water bottle system for endurance athletes is clever. It’s a sports bottle that provides access to both water and energy gel in one container and is hence perfect for cycling, running, triathlon or any sport where peak performance requires extensive refuelling and hydration. Athletes worldwide agree on the effectiveness of energy gels, but the combination of cumbersome packaging and the immediate need for water makes them difficult to use during activity. With GEL-BOT, athletes can drink water and imbibe energy gel from one bottle. The gel is housed inside the ENERGY-CORE, a piston-like device attached to the water bottle cap that is filled with gel before activity. It’s just the thing to enhance the high-tech persona at the gym too! Amazingly, the same company produces an interesting waterbottle and coffee press combination, presumably for geeks and sports where you aren’t penalised for a high caffeine blood level.
Horseback Riding Machine for US market
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March 22, 2006 Twelve months ago, we wrote up the Joba Horseriding machine and created a massive rod for our own back. You see, the incredibly clever machine (extensive article and images here), like so many products developed, refined and tested on the Japanese domestic market, was not available beyond Japan’s shores – and we got hundreds of emails asking where it could be purchased outside Japan. The good news is that the renamed and further developed Joba had its US commercial debut at the International Health, Racquet and Sports Club Association annual convention yesterday as the Panasonic Core Trainer. The Core Trainer maximizes the strength of the core body's abdominal, oblique and low back muscles while minimizing joint stress, impact and aerobic demand. The killer app though, is that it is best suited for those who normally hate strenuous physical exercise – the user just “rides” the Core Trainer and gets fit without actually having to do anything. The machine brings many core health benefits, with tests in Japan showing that users begin burning far more calories after just three months using the machine. Compared to walking or swimming, the riding machine causes less physical stress to knees and other parts of the lower body. Logically, the Core Trainer will quickly become an essential component of any fitness club or home gym.
World's First Kitchen Garden Appliance – the self-watering, self-feeding, fully automated indoor garden
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March 12, 2006 The advantages of having a garden close at hand are numerous – salads are tastiest when fresh ingredients are used, and any chef will tell you that freshly picked herbs add something extra to any preparation. Which makes the AeroGarden particularly relevant to the millions of people who live in a city apartment and don’t have access to a garden plot. Billed as the world's first kitchen garden appliance, the AeroGarden allows anyone to conveniently and affordably grow herbs, lettuce, tomatoes and more, all year-round, on their kitchen countertop, without dirt, bugs, weeding or mess. The AeroGarden uses NASA-proven, high-yield aeroponic technology and built-in grow lights to create a self-watering, self-feeding, fully automated indoor garden that grows plants faster and healthier than plants grown in soil.
Multiquick all-in-one food preparation and preservation system
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March 9, 2006 We’ve all seen those formulaic television adverts espousing the cleverness of a revolutionary kitchen utensil that slices, dices and numerous accessories that offer so much more functionality. Unfortunately, the in-yer-face marketing style has given many such a clever invention a jaundiced look. Indeed, we had to put our prejudices aside to look at this item because it is the epitome of a “do everything really well” with a “but wait there’s more” killer app thrown in as a kicker. So we’ll be succinct and straight. The Braun Multiquick Fresh System is based around a high-performance, variable-speed, 400 watt, hand processor that chops, whisks, slices and dices. The system also comes with a FreshWare container that can go from the oven, to the microwave, to the freezer. The killer app though, is that the processor has a vacuum attachment and when you slot it into the hole in the container you can use it to remove the excess air. So it’s both a food preparation system and a food preservation system that will enable you to safely store food up to three times longer plus a range of other benefits which make it a genuine winner. We can’t think of any reason, given the price, why every kitchen couldn’t justify one of these!
How to get significantly smarter within a week
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March 8, 2006 Fifty years ago the methods of preparing for sporting contests were positively backward compared to the event-specific preparation of today which involves dietary, physical and mental conditioning. Compare almost any measurable aspect of any sport and you’ll see that human performance has improved out of sight. So it’s logical that if we apply the same principles to improving our training and diet to improve the mind, it’s only a matter of time before we get smarter. Tests conducted for a new BBC (UK) television program entitled Get Smarter in a Week suggest that by healthy eating, physical activity, sound sleep and stimulating your mind with mental exercises, (such as playing Sudoku, remembering telephone numbers and taking a shower with your eyes closed) we can all get smarter by up to 40 per cent within seven days, not to mention be more confident and have better decision-making skills.
Artificial limbs that walk naturally
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March 2, 2006 German scientists have developed a new type of prosthetic foot that imitates the natural walking motion so convincingly that you have to take a second look to realize its user is wearing a prosthesis. The foot is purely mechanical and entirely without elaborate electronics.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) - a breakthrough in brain science
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February 13, 2006 Everyone knows about brain scanning, but most of us have never heard of a new technology called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Non invasive and painless, it can temporarily inactivate an area of the human brain to let brain scientists study the effect. Twenty years ago we began the scientific dream of peering into the human brain while it is working. Brain scanning devices such as fMRI and PET scans can pinpoint precisely which brain regions are active as people respond to stimuli (including brands and advertisements) or as they go about making decisions (including brand choices). It is fascinating to see just what areas of the brain light up in response to a stimulus or a particular decision task but still we have to ask, what exactly can we conclude from this? Because an area of the brain lights up doesn’t mean that it is causal in that behaviour or decision. After all, ice cream sales correlate with drownings but they don’t cause them. You cannot conclude causality from correlation because there is no way of knowing if some other, unaccounted-for variable (like weather) may be involved. To sort out causality you need to be able to do experimentation.
Drug-Free Solution from for insomnia sufferers
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February 12, 2006 Approximately 30 million Americans suffer from chronic insomnia. Many of these people do not seek help for their sleep problems, while others rely on medications to help them sleep. Unfortunately, most of these approaches are not long-term solutions. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) released a State-of-the-Science statement concluding that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective long-term treatments for chronic insomnia. In the past, insomnia sufferers have not had the option of behavioral therapy in the comfort of their homes. A new product called SleepKey is designed to bridge this gap by delivering CBT as a self-help modality.
The programmable vibrator for long-distance lovers
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February 9, 2006 Je Joue is the world's first programmable vibrator - a non-penetrative vibrator controlled by digital files called Grooves, which instruct its soft massage pad to move in an infinitely variable number of patterns, creating a foreplay-like experience. Accordingly, long-distance lovers can now email their partners a sensual Valentine's Day treat - their own personal 'pleasure programme'. During the development process of JeJoue, the product was tested by 150 women – 90% said they would buy one, 75% said it was better than any other toy, and 24% said it was better than their partner.
Potential HIV-AIDS cure - drug found to kill multiple HIV strains
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February 9, 2006 Vanderbilt University, Brigham Young University and Ceragenix Pharmaceuticals have announced that one of a family of compounds, called Ceragenins (or CSAs) shows potent virucidal activity in in vitro laboratory tests against multiple strains of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS. CSAs were invented by Dr. Paul D. Savage of Brigham Young University's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and exclusively licensed to Ceragenix. In data previously presented by Dr. Savage and other researchers, CSAs have been shown to have broad spectrum antibacterial activity. Dr. Derya Unutmaz, Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, tested several CSAs in his laboratory for their ability to kill HIV directly and whilst cautious, acknowledged that CSAs could be the breakthrough technology to combat HIV/AIDS researchers the world has been waiting for.
New Invention “Powers” TVs with exercise.
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January 31, 2006 We’re not sure if this is a good idea, or akin to signing up for a tour of duty with a society of flagellant monks. The EnterTrainer Cardio-TV-Trainer is a wireless device that converts any exercise machine and TV, video game or stereo into an interactive workout system. The EnterTrainer combines a wireless heart monitor and a universal remote control and maintains the correct volume for the device you wish to watch/play/listen to when your heart is working in the target zone you have set. Too low or too high and the volume is lowered until you get your heart pumping in the right zone again. At US99 it’s not all that expensive compared to most wrist-worn heart rate monitors but then again, they can be used to monitor your heart rate anywhere whereas this is location-specific. For some people, the Entertrainer will be very useful, but most will probably find it a little one-dimensional and we figure it’ll get used for a while and unhooked so you can use the game console, telly or stereo in its normal mode … and maybe never get hooked up again. The company is also set to release an “iTrainer” Cardio Training Headphones for use with iPods. In our mind, the idea behind compelling and usable exer-tainment devices is to enrol and reward the participant, not to punish. But if you have an overweight child who watches too much telly, it might be ideal. See what we mean … oh no, not another wicked thought.
Little Miss Muffett was right!
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January 31, 2006 … and we all thought it was just a silly Fairy Tale but Little Miss Muffett’s “curds and whey” might have been just the thing for her to eat if she was about to take on a spider. Researchers at the United States Air Force Research Laboratory’s Human Effectiveness Directorate (AFRL/HE) have partnered with GNC Corporation to determine if a specialized form of whey protein — a pure, natural, high-quality protein derived from cow’s milk during the process of making cheese — can help warfighters stay strong and alert during fatigue-inducing missions. Whey protein is popular in the physical fitness world as a supplement to boost muscle growth. It contains essential amino acids that the human body needs on a daily basis. Whey protein also contains high concentrations of numerous amino acids, which tests show enhance the process of muscle protein synthesis and muscle building. In its purest form, as whey protein isolates, it contains little to no fat, lactose or cholesterol.
Innovative Hand-Held Insulin Device Effectively Controls Diabetes and Provides Reliable and Easy to Use Insulin Dosing
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January 28, 2006 Pfizer’s Exubera (insulin human [rDNA origin]) Inhalation Powder has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Exubera was found in clinical trials to be as effective as short-acting insulin injections, and to significantly improve blood sugar control when added to diabetes pills. Exubera, which is expected to be available for patients by mid-year, is the first inhaled form of insulin and the first insulin option in the United States that does not need to be administered by injection. Pfizer is naturally hailing the new drug form as a breakthrough.
FIRCLE: software for managing the family
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January 25, 2006 Any business school will tell you that “failing to plan” equates to “planning to fail.” We wholeheartedly accept this in business and our understanding of the science of business has come further in the last three decades than it did in the previous three millennia thanks to the computer’s myriad gifts being multiplied by the global network; the ability to collaborate, access and share information and to measure, analyse and improve systems. So why don’t we use computers to measure and improve our family lives? We’ve previously written about personal life-coaching software named Life Balance and EasyChild’s behaviour modification software system designed to monitor, assess and encourage children to succeed in life. Now there’s a new system which incorporates some of both of these products and much more for computerising and managing the family – it’s called Fircle and it’s an internet-based system containing a shared family calendar, children’s allowance and chore management, family rules (set your own and set penalties for transgressions), a family address book, personal journals, family voting on topics of your choice, ToDo lists and so much more. So much in fact, that it scared us …
Boomers fuel growth of technology-based home healthcare solutions
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January 21, 2006 The baby boomers are heading for senior citizenship and the most populous generation in history is about to give life to yet new markets. The news this week that giant Dutch technology company Philips has purchased 'personal emergency response' company Lifeline is an indication of the growing importance of technology-based home healthcare solutions as the boomers seek to prolong their independence. Lifeline has over 30 years' experience of monitoring seniors living independently at home and has a broad presence in the North American market with a turnover of US$150 million growing at 15%. In addition to the strong growth offered by the underlying market, the new business will draw on Philips' strengths in technology and innovation to create new products and services in an area it has been studying and developing for many years. These new offerings will have a clear consumer focus that differentiates them from 'traditional' healthcare services paid for by insurers. Longer term, Lifeline will serve as a platform for a broader array of home healthcare solutions, such as Motiva, Philips pioneering interactive healthcare system.
New product reduces discoloration of dark under-eye circles
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January 20, 2006 The desire to look and feel your best is universal, but with the baby boomer generation now entering senior citizen status, it is flexing its purchasing power on products that promise to reduce wrinkles, plump the lips, and "turn back the hands of time," and the professional skin care market is forecast to remain one of the fastest-growing sectors of the cosmetics and toiletries industry for some time. Interestingly, even with all of the anti-aging beauty products on the market, there has been one problem area that has persisted until now - dark under-eye circles. Now there’s a product that claims to fade these dark circles by using a series of natural enzymes that break down the blood around the tender under-eye area. Over time, Hydroxatone Revive aids in preventing blood leakage as it helps to strengthen the weakened capillaries while simultaneously reducing wrinkles, resulting in noticeably younger looking eyes.
Gizmo of the Week: the US$44.40 wheelchair
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January 19, 2006 It is estimated that there are more than 100 million people in the world who need a wheelchair but cannot afford one. Mechanical engineer Don Schoendorfer had a secure, highly-paid job when he decided he could make a difference during his short stay on the planet, forsaking his job and embarking on a quest to help all those people. Don’s goal is to distribute 20 million of the pictured wheelchairs by the year 2010. Don set up the Free Wheelchair Mission in California in 2001 as non-profit organization committed to providing the gift of mobility to the physically disabled poor in developing countries and has just manufactured its 100,000th wheelchair. The central seat is a plastic garden chair – the use of existing parts enables the wheelchair to be manufactured in China, shipped in knockdown form via container, assembled and delivered to needy people all over the world for a total factory-to-field price of US$44.40. The Free Wheelchair Mission creatively partners with like-minded international humanitarian and indigenous organizations and it also accepts donations. Just think how much difference US$44.40 can make to the life of one human being.
Personal cooling kits for extreme climatic conditions
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January 2, 2006 The human body is a remarkable thing, as is evidenced by its ability to adapt to less than ideal conditions. The temperature in the cockpit of a Formula 1 racing car sometimes reaches 120 degrees Fahrenheit, with the driver required to drive consistently within the 99th percentile of perfection for up to 90 minutes under this overwhelming heat stress whilst racing wheel-to-wheel, experiencing enormous G-forces and constantly processing large amounts of additional information. Now consider the equivalent stresses experienced by combat soldiers in Iraq. HMMWV crews in IRAQ are experiencing temperatures as much as 10 degrees more than this, for up to 12 hours at a time, while people are trying to kill them. The problem has been exacerbated in recent times by additional armour fitted to the HMMWV and has resulted in the rapid development of personal cooling kits. Each HMMWV cooling kit consists of four water-filled vests known as, Air Warrior Microclimatic Cooling Garments (MCGs). The vests fit over a soldier’s normal body armor and are connected via hoses to a vehicles’ on-board air conditioning system. One wonders if Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen and Michael Schumacher might be able to squeese an extra tenth of a second here and there if they were fitted with such parephenalia.
The airbag jacket for motorcycling, horseriding and power sports.
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March 17, 2006 Motorcyclists have long been the most vulnerable road users because they do not have an effective barrier between themselves and other objects in an accident. A flurry of activity in motorcycle protective gear could change things. Honda recently showed its first air-bag on a motorcycle and manufacturers are developing a cross between the airbag and a protective jacket designed to protect the motorcycle rider's neck and spine in the event of an accident. One of the first to market with the new design is Hit-Air which sells a range of jackets and vests featuring airbag technology designed to keep riders safe and comfortable in a wide range of driving and climatic conditions. The jackets are already in use by police departments in Brazil, Italy, Japan and Spain and appear to offer significantly greater protection than a normal jacket. The inflatable vests are finding application in many other potentially dangerous activities such as horseriding and power sports.
Razorba - the shaver for backs!
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December 13, 2005 Stand in front of the mirror when you get up tomorrow morning and you’ll notice more than a few reminders that man descended from the apes – an unhealthy disposition when threatened and a liberal sprinkling of hair are the most obvious. Males of the species range from growing hair on their heads to hair all over their body and personal grooming preferences often necessitate shaving some or all of this hair regularly. We’ve already covered the shaver designed specifically for shaving heads, and now there’s an equally ingenious shaving accessory for shaving your back – until now, everybody has had to employ the indulgence ofa friend to successfully shave their inaccessible regions. Now you need just slip their favourite razor into the Razorba and shave yourself. All of the alternatives have major drawbacks - chemicals (costs, needs volunteer, potential skin irritation), laser treatment (costs muchos, requires appointment), waxing (costs, hurts muchos) are the sum total of ways man has used technology to combat this age-old problem. So you can see why Razorba should be commended for a job well done!
New hangover cure could change the culture
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December 9, 2005 The launch of a promising new hangover cure in Las Vegas next week marks an interesting time to reflect on man’s relationship with alcohol. Cheerz is a safe, natural nutrition supplement that has been clinically proven to combat hangover symptoms such as headaches and nausea by bolstering the body's ability to process acetaldehyde, alcohol's most toxic metabolite. The world per capita consumption of alcohol is higher than ever, having begun at the dawn of civilisation, with the Celts, Ancient Greeks, the Norse, Sumerians, Egyptians, Romans and Babylonians all producing, trading and consuming alcoholic drinks. The Romans and ancient Greeks both worshipped Gods of wine – Dionysus and Bacchus respectively. In different cultures, alcohol and its effects have been used medically, ritualistically and socially in many different ways to calm feuds, give courage in battle, seal pacts, celebrate festivals, and seduce lovers. The world has two billion alcohol drinkers of which 76.3 million have diagnosed alcohol use disorders. The global burden of alcohol consumption, is immense - causing 3.2% of deaths and 4.0% of the Disability-Adjusted Life Years lost along with widespread social, mental and emotional consequences. These are reflected, for example, as absenteeism or abuse in workplaces and in relationships. We attempted to estimate the number of hangovers and reduced productivity in the world each day and gave up – it’s a lot. Which all adds up to … bloody good idea! The vast majority are social drinkers who can now enjoy the desirable effects without the unhealthy toxicity. So if bartenders are going to ask customers to name their poison, maybe they should offer the antidote, too.
