A recent episode of the series Seeker Stories explains how photographer Christopher Michel was able to take a selfie at the age of space. While on assignment, Michel was given the opportunity to fly in a Lockheed U-2 spy plane that provided him some impressive views of the Earth.
Could a transfusion of young blood REALLY rejuvenate old people's brains? Vampire-like treatment could stave off the effects of ageing, say researchers
Blood transfusions helped mice to perform as well as memory tests as rodents a third of their age
Scientists are hopeful the findings could apply to humans and ease burden of ageing population
It might sound like something from Dracula, but old brains have been made sprightly again thanks to young blood.
Giving ageing mice blood from much younger animals rejuvenated connections between brain cells and improved memory, experiments have shown.
The treatment is so effective that 18-month-old animals did as well in memory tests as those of only four months. Mice usually live to between 18 months and two years.
Scientists suggest blood jabs from younger adults could help pensioners stay mentally alert
If the treatment is shown to be safe and as successful in humans, it could be used to stave off the ravages of old age.
Those in middle-age could be given regular jabs of blood donated by 20-somethings, a conference heard. Diseases such as Alzheimer's could also be held at bay.
Researcher Saul Villeda told the Society for Neuroscience's annual conference in New Orleans: 'Do I think that giving young blood could have an effect on a human? I'm thinking more and more that it might.
'It's not a drug that will have deleterious effects. It's just blood. We do it all the time for blood transfusions.'
Scientists from Stanford University in the US 'sewed together' two mice of different ages.
They created connections between their veins and arteries that allowed young blood to flow into the older animal's body, and vice versa. The younger animals' brains appeared to age. But in the older animals, young blood boosted the number of connections between brain cells. The connections, which are thought to be vital to memory, were also stronger.
Dr Saul Villeda from Stanford University thinks his exciting findings in mice could apply to humans
The older mice also did just as well as the younger ones in memory tests. The treatment is now being tested on mice with an Alzheimer's-like disease. Experts said that if the research continues to bear fruit, it could lead to treatment that brings even greater benefits than penicillin.
Other work suggests an infusion of young blood could be good for the muscles, liver and immune system. However, the work is at an early stage and it will be some time before it is tested on humans.
It may be possible to identify the compounds in blood that are rejuvenating the brain and turn them into a pill.
Professor Andrew Randall, a brain disease expert from Exeter and Bristol Universities, said: 'Although this may suggest that Dracula author Bram Stoker had ideas way ahead of his time, temporarily plumbing teenagers' blood supplies into those of their great-grandparents does not seem a particularly feasible future therapy for cognitive decline in ageing.
'Instead this fascinating work suggests there may be significant benefit in working out what the “good stuff” is in the high octane young blood, so that we can provide just those key components to the elderly.'
Professor Chris Mason, an expert in regenerative medicine from University College London, added: 'The important questions are; what is in the blood of the younger mice that impacts the ageing process, and is it applicable to humans?
'Even if the finding leads only to a drug that prevents, rather than reverses the normal effects of ageing on the brain, the impact upon future generation will be substantial – potentially outweighing other wonder drugs such as penicillin.'
Dr Villeda said: 'Our findings open the possibility of utilising young blood towards future therapeutic interventions aimed at reversing cognitive impairments in the elderly.
'It now becomes a promising prospect to test whether this extends beyond normal ageing towards reversing cellular and cognitive decline in those suffering from age-related neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's diseas
Russian artist Dimitri Tsykalov created a wonderful series of skull sculptures out of fruits and vegetables between 2005 and 2008. He has much more food-themed sculpture work on his site.
Well now, where shall i begin to tell you about my Infest 2012. I don't think anyone who was there would argue that the turn out this year was well down on usual, I don't doubt tough economic times may have played a part for some, having Resistanz early next year also may have informed some regulars decisions but I think that this years line up may have had a large part to play, hmmm to go or not to go that was the question, the one part of me wanted to go 'cos, well it's Infest and not only the event but the chance to catch up with friends I only get to see when we're there. I did want to see Suono and of course Suicide Commando, now you understand this is just my opinion and of course I don't expect you to agree but the rest of the line up didn't set me on fire and so after a degree of mming and erring booked tickets, accommodation and stuff and prepared
to party.
Friday saw us arrive at the venue at around 3pm and it's no exaggeration to say it was very quiet. Spacebouy provided synth pop with a modern twist and though noise isn't really my thing Dirty K managed to bring both rhythm and noise together, yeah it's noise but good noise. As more of our friends and aquaintances arrived we tended to get caught up in the usual drink, greet, gossip, drink scenario and so the rest of Friday past without us spending too much time in the main room.
Saturday saw another fairly quiet start and instead of needing to be down front at least 15 minutes befoe kick off there was still loads of room at 5 minutes to go. We got well up front for Suono at 5pm and in hindsight 5 was way too early for them to be on as they were the "dark horses" of Saturday if not the weekend and for me personally saved the day! Having seen them I know what people mean when they say their studio sound doesn't quite yet catch the essence of their live performance but man do those boys deliver when you do see them live !! I've heard them compared to Sam and XRX and I get that but if you have had doubts about seeing them live, my friends, doubt no more and if you missed them then you missed a treat. Their boundless infectious enthusiasm and techno dance beats soon had everyone partying along, I just wish that there had been more in the room to see them, I can see them rapidly becoming firm favourites not least for the music as I distinctly heard the comment from behind me "oohh they are cute boys too" Suono, you heard it here first !
Sunday seemed for the most part a more chilled affair during the day, I think a lot of us had partied pretty hard on Saturday and were taking things a bit steady, however as the day wore on and various "hairs of the dog" pulled everyone round an air of anticipation began to build, no surprise really as headlining - drum roll, Ladees and Gentlemen, Infest gives you for one night only, the one, the only, Suicide Commando !! cue storms of applause and rush for the front !! and rush we did as it was the only time of the weekend you had to be down front half an hour before - and we were.
Right from the first storming song, Johan pounded around the stage at once admonishing us with the famous waggy finger whilst encouraging us to "Come on and hate Me" Attention Whore had everyone pounding up and down (was it meant for all of us? of course it was ! we know what we are) along with Die Motherfucker Die and classics such as Time, but for me, the highlight was being forehead to forehead with the man himself yelling Bind, Torture and Kill an experience which will stay with me for quite some time. After two encores the set came to a sweaty, shouty, excitable end way too soon for all of us, leaving the lovely Tails (Tales) ?? sorry man, forgive me, I don't know which way to spell it our world famous M.C. to announce the raffle and the prize of prizes must surely have been the wonderful Beer Can Headpiece, for those who saw it you know what I mean, finally a big shout out to The Infamous Rubber Nun, Das TinTin and Zombie Chris - you know who you are ...........
As always Infest delivered on many levels, the Jager, the stalls, the crowd and the bands, if there is just one small comment I would make it would be that what Infest does Brilliantly is give lesser known and new artists a platform but for next year we need a few more names please, in the current crappy economic climate in this country and with Resistanz snapping at Infest's heels we need bands to pull us all in and keep Infest what it is, well Infest, let's face it if you've never been before you really need to come along next year and to everyone who always is, see you there next year motherfuckers !!!
“Adult Wednesday Addams” Pulled From YouTube Over Copyright
Apparently there’s such a thing as a parody web series being too good. The hit series “Adult Wednesday Addams” created by Melissa Hunter has disappeared from YouTube after the original creators of “The Addams Family” flagged it.
The web series shot to fame recently when an episode about Wednesday Addams getting her revenge on catcallers went viral and earned her international press coverage — enough to catch the attention of the Tee & Charles Addams Foundation, who hold the copyright for the work of American cartoonist Charles Addams.
Melissa addressed the show’s disappearance on Facebook. “Thank you for the outpouring of support and concern about the disappearance of Adult Wednesday Addams from the internet. As many of you have seen, the Tee & Charles Addams Foundation flagged the show and, for now, it is off of YouTube. I am working actively on coming to a resolution and will not let Wednesday be caged in internet purgatory. I appreciate your patience and support while I sort this issue out!”
Judging by the flood of dismayed comments, “Adult Wednesday Addams” fans are not going to accept this decision easily.
I don't understand why this isn't covered as parody?
nope if it's parody. The problem is that this isn't a parody of the universe or character, but a direct, logical progression in the form of a fan made
but a direct, logical progression in the form of a fan made sequel. It's why Scary Movie can copy all the movies they did, so this is the issue "Wednesday Addams" is (c) by MGM
We have a contract with MGM to produce a full-length animated feature film of The Addams Family® to look exactly as Charles Addams originally painted them. That contract prohibits anyone from portraying those characters in any media during the life of the contract.
Chinese middle-school art teacher Xing Yile and some of his friends spent two months building an amazing 11-foot-tall version of the “Hulkbuster“, Tony Stark’s giant Iron Man suit of armor seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron, in an underground parking lot in Zhengzhou, China. According to Business Insider Australia, “the ‘Hulkbuster’ replica is made of over 100 fiberglass-reinforced plastic components”.
So, I find a message in our super secret Admin section of Dark Asylum Radio – it’s from a man called Flavio and he says that he’s got a new album coming out, and he wants to know what we thought about it. Well, thinks I, who am I to deny it? I look around the links that he sends me – links to his artwork project, links to a free download option via Bandcamp...and it all looks fine. It seems well put together, nicely wrapped up – it’s a pretty nice gift to receive.
So, the label reads “New Wave from Buenos Aires”, which made me smile – you don’t see many New Wave bands about these days, and listening to the first couple of tracks they seem to hit the right notes – the second track, “Ravensong”, is very Cure/Human League feel behind it all which I found quite enjoyable. The whole album has a nice sheen to it and there are enough surprises to delight the careful listener – the occasional chime in “Industry”.
If there was one gripe to be had, it’s with the singer, Flavio’s, voice – during most of the album it remains nice and stable, but it tends to stretch a little during the higher notes: While not a deal breaker, it does occasionally distract from an otherwise lovely piece of music. The band – Flavio on vocals, Xiro on guitars, Javier on synths and Gabe on bass – work well together as a unit, and while the synths tend to occasionally overwhelm the rest of the instruments it’s rare enough to be ignorable.
...and let’s face it, for a free album you can do miles worse. It’s something different enough to almost be novel, so I recommend giving it a listen.
Would it be the effect of their contribution to a cultural movement? Is it the way they impact the time and the generation they are targeting? Or just how their exposure constitutes a defining characteristic of a given society or era?
As a child of the 80's I was heavily influenced by everything from saturday morning cartoons on TV to the music coming from the radio. Ian Curtis or Johnny Rotten are as iconic to me as Superman or Batman. Real people or imaginary characters, the incorruptible ideals of perfect superheroes or the human flaws and desires sometimes so desperately depicted in song lyrics - all of those influences affect us to the point of defining our character and personality, career paths and life choices.
The references we are exposed and specifically the ones we choose to absorb make us who we are. Who are your heroes?
