In what could be a major breakthrough, scientists from the United States have been able to wake a man from a near vegetative state, and he can now talk to his family, watch TV and chew.
The 38-year-old from Ohio had been in a coma like state for 6 years, after being mugged and bashed, but when neuroscientists from New York and News Jersey used a pacemaker and two electrodes to send impulses into a part of the brain regulating consciousness, the mans quality of life was dramatically improved.
Unable to chew or swallow, the Cleveland patient, who has been identified only as an artist with two brothers, was fed by tube and could communicate solely through slight movements of his eyes and fingers.
Although he still does not initiate conversation, the surgery has allowed him to respond to questions with answers of up to three words. Several weeks ago, he recited the first half of the U.S. oath of allegiance without help.
The patient has also regained some movement in his limbs.
Electrodes were inserted into his thalamus, the region believed to be key in consciousness, to boost its speech and movement signals.
His mother said: “My son, as well as the entire family, had little hope of further recovery. Now he can eat, express himself and let us know if he is in pain.
“He can cry and he can laugh and, most importantly, he can say, ‘Mommy’ and ‘Pop’ and he can say, ‘I love you Mommy’. I still cry every time I see my son but it is tears of joy.”
The story is detailed HERE in the journal of Nature.
See related story on Jan Grzebski who suddenly woke up from a 19 year coma earlier this year.
Go on, tell the world! Bookmark this story.
New sex toy set to revolutionise society?
July 31, 2007
Yeah baby, that’ll hit the spot!
Taking its name from the iPod craze that’s been sweeping the world for the past few years, the ‘gPod’ has the potential to revolutionise society in unimaginable ways.
The gPod is a phallic-shaped vibrator that consists of a handset that can connect to a music player (like your iPod), television or mobile phone and vibrates to the sounds it picks up.
How groovy.
Ichiro Kameda is the brain behind the invention which was showcased at Japans first ever sex toy expo in suburban Tokyo.
“You can use it in many ways, for example hooking it up to your mobile phone… so one of the ideas is that you can use it here in Tokyo when your boyfriend in New York is talking to you on the phone,” Kameda told media.
Kameda said he had spent four years trying to design a product when he hit upon the concept.
When asked on how he came about the idea, Kameda declined an answer.
Nearly 160 companies or groups were exhibiting products and services during the weekend Adult Treasure Expo 2007, including sex toys, sex machines, costumes and videos.
The sex toy is set to retail at ¥25,000 or about US$200 and is marketed by Japanese sex toy company Joymind.
There are some mourmours that Apple may want to legally take on Joymind in court over trademarks to the naughty device.
No word yet as to when it will be avaliable for order. But if I were to take a guess, I’de say it’s going to be the top gift for Christmas 2008.
You think I’m joking?
Think again. Female sex toys are more popular than ever, and growing at a huge rate.
For more on the latest trends click here.
You heard it here first.
Money, money, money: Japan’s mystery money giveaway!
July 30, 2007
All right, besides high tech vibrators revolutionising the world, what the hell is going on in Japan?!
Someone, or some people, are getting way too happy and or way too crazy!
A few weeks after we reported the mysterious appearance of envelopes containing hundreds of dollars in men’s toilets across Japan, more startling news has reached us about Japan’s weird money mystery.
On Saturday residents in an apartment building in Tokyo have received a total of 1.81 million yen or $US15,210, with unmarked enveloped delivered to 18 letterboxes.
On Wednesday an envelope with one million yen was left in the mailbox of a 31-year-old woman in the western city of Kobe, and that same day, bills worth 960,000 yen were inexplicably seen “falling” in front of a convenience store.
So what the hell is going on in Japan?
Is one sole person responsible for these weird and random acts of ‘charity’?
Or are there various copy cat money givers?
And how do I get free money?
What the hell is going on?
So many questions, so few answers.
The Crazy News: Only in America
So many weird and wacky stories come out of the US every day, but this is the craziest of them so far.
A political fundraiser in the US state of New Hampshire aims to promote gun ownership in America by letting supporters fire powerful military-style weapons — from Uzi submachine guns to M-16 rifles.
The Manchester Republican Committee is inviting party members and their families to a “Machine Gun Shoot” where, for $25, supporters can spend a day trying out automatic weapons, said organizer Jerry Thibodeau.
“It’s a fun day. It’s a family day,” said Thibodeau of the August 5 event. “It’s quite exciting.”
A family fun day of gun shooting madness! Good fun for young and old.
I mean, young children with automatic weapons designed to kill on mass, what harm could it do?
Now excuse me while I go throw up…
And now for some more family entertainment, Playboy models with automatic machine guns.
