On the matter of re-using goods to save planet Earth, this website is quite hilarious. This into That (http://www.thisintothat.com/) has it down to a perfect formula. Have a browse through its pages and you’ll see a marvellous array of whimsical everyday objects.

According to the owner, the books are harvested from markets. After which moisture content is determined and eliminated through the process of curing. This is done in order to prevent shrinkage. In some of the books, the paper has been replaced by lumber, which makes the whole thing quite sturdy and rugged whilst preserving a rather old fashioned look about it.

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We want people to be more honest…but this is just crazy. Heart Attack Grill (http://www.heartattackgrill.com/) flaunts the fact their burgers…you guessed it…can give you heart attacks! Their motto, “…Taste Worth Dying For…”.

Want a burger? Then try the Single Bypass Burger. And if that doesn’t do it, they also have the Double, Triple and Quadruple Bypass Burgers. What about a side of French Fries. Ok, tuck into the Flatliner Fries which is ‘deep fried in pure lard’ no less!

I was browsing their online menu and although I think that after one bite my body would go into spasms and I’d just collapse there clasping my chest my one hand and a burger with the other…I’ll admit that I’m tempted to try them out.

The waitresses are dressed (rather skimpily) as nurses, which is probably a good thing because if it’s the last thing you’ll ever see, it may as well be eye candy. Which makes me wonder if this establishment is visited by women at all? There is however a disclaimer that reads, “…The Government Requires Us to Inform You That Our "Nurses" Do Not Actually Have Any Accredited Medical Training…”

So have I piqued your interest yet? Well, (un)fortunately, Heart Attack Grill can only be found in Arizona, US. Which is really no wonder as I don’t think this sort of thing would be sanctioned anywhere other than the USA.

Strangely enough, a Dr Jon (don’t ask!) seems to endorse HAG. He calls it a revolutionary diet plan. But if you’re interested, check out their YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alMGbujWdJc

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I’m Malaysian and proud of it.

Right now I’m fasting but I found this article on one of my all time favourite blogs and thought I’d share it.

Serious Eats: http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2008/09/malaysian-burger-for-ramadan.html

PS: I’m hungry right now!

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When I first saw this monstrosity, all I said was a big, “EWW”. And even now, I am left wondering what and why (and by whom) it was invented! Perhaps one of its redeeming qualities is that you can personalise it. Although I’m trying hard to think what you’d want to program this thing to do? Maybe scuttle across the floor and scare the living daylights out of your in-laws or pets.

It’s called the Epidermits Toy and is produced by the Karten Design Firm (http://www.kartendesign.com/). The toy is covered by a tissue like organism (makes it sound like it is alive!) and runs on fuel cells. The website claims that the robot can be stored in a “state of forced hibernation” in your refrigerator. It is also customisable in terms of body shape and different skin and hair colour. And yes, you can even cover it in tattoos and piercings. I’d hate to stumble groggily to the fridge at 3:00 am for a glass of milk and find this thing in there staring back out at me.

I don’t know…something just don’t feel right about this one!

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This is a great looking umbrella. Actually it looks like an Olympic cyclist was hanging on to it during one of his races!

The SENZ umbrella is believe it or not, aerodynamically designed to withstand winds of up to 70 mph. OK I just pray I don’t get caught in a blizzard like that. The other interesting bit about the umbrella is that its shape keeps rain off your back. This is great because not everyone is built stick thin anyways.

Reviewers say that the umbrella is rugged yet elegant. To open it, you pull downwards rather than in the opposite direction. And should you ever be caught in gale force rainstorms, I have a feeling this umbrella won’t flip over and you won’t have to do that silly-trying-to-reverse-my-umbrella dance down the street.

However, the brolley does cost an extra 3 to 4 times more than conventional umbrellas. It comes in three sizes and more information about it and how to purchase it can be found at: http://www.senzumbrellas.com/shop/home.php

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Halitosis doesn’t only leave you without friends but its causes (mainly poor dental hygiene) can add to the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

A study conducted in Paris this week revealed that although obesity and high cholesterol were the main culprits of heart disease, failing to properly care for ones teeth and gums could also pose as a contributing risk factor.  

Forget about the treadmill and diets because it was agreed at a meeting of the Society of General Microbiology in Dublin that with up to 700 different types of bacteria in the human mouth, failing to clean your mouth and teeth can lead to them flourishing.

Howard Jenkins from the University in Bristol did stress that although much of the bacteria in the mouth was essential to good health, others could act as catalysts leading to diseases of the arteries. Just think of bacteria entering the blood stream though bleeding gums, etc.

He adds that once inside the blood stream, these bacteria bind to platelets. Platelets as we know function as our sentries to fight against infections. It is suggested that this is one reason why antibiotics do not always work in the treatment of infectious heart diseases.

In a different study conducted by Greg Seymour and his team of researchers from the University of Otago in New Zealand, it was discovered that mouth bacteria does indeed cause the hardening of arteries or atherosclerosis.

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Using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy on the venom of 70 species of spiders, scientists may have found ‘the cure’ to problems such as impotence and arthritis.

It is strange to think of its healing properties when one bite from an insect of the species, for example the Brown Recluse spider, can cause painful, gangrenous lesions, loss of limbs and even death if left untreated. I googled the spider and the consequence of getting bitten by one of these is truly awful.

The scientists responsible for the discovery, Professor Frank Schroeder and Professor Jerrold Meinwald of Cornell University, Ithaca found that the venom of the Brown Recluse contains important compounds that were previously missed by researchers. They also found chemicals that work in the brain and on nerves. In addition, the venom contains several different types of proteins, including the enzymes hyaluronidase, deoxyribonuclease, ribonuclease, alkaline phosphatase, and lipase, all of which among other things help to break down tissue. They claim that they have found the enzyme responsible for tissue destruction caused by a bite from the spider; the sphingomyelinase D. According to them, if they can eliminate this enzyme from the protein structure of the venom, the possibilities are endless in terms of its healing properties.

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We lost a cat many years ago and it was heart wrenching. Sam was a delightful bugger and I although I was too young to remember him, my parents told me that my eldest sister (perhaps 10 at the time) cried her eyes out when he went missing.

I can understand Gilly Delaney's joy then when she was reunited with Dixie, her cat. This is the bizarre part, it went missing 9 years ago! The only difference with Gilly and our family is that in 1999, Gilly was told that her cat was run over by a car and died.

But 9 or so years later, RSPCA officers brought the missing moggy back to Gilly after scanning a microchip that was embedded in its skin. Strangely enough, the folks from the RSPCA told Gilly that they found Dixie wondering less than half a mile away from Gilly's home. Awwww!

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