Apocalypse Now – Francis Ford Coppola, 1979

The amount of trouble and drama that surrounded the making of Apocalypse now is shocking. During the shooting of this film in Philippines, several things happened; including a typhoon that destroyed the sets and illness.  Coppola was driven to a breaking point and the star, Martin Sheen also had a heart attack and he was just 38.

Fitzcarraldo – Werner Herzog, 1982

A dangerous sequence had to be shot, because Herzog didn’t want to use any special effects. It was the story of a music fanatic who wants to construct an opera house in a jungle and Herzog made his cast and crew haul a steamship over the mountain.  He hired local Indians for the feat.  The steamship was huge with a 320-ton weight.  As if this was not enough, heavy rains, casting problems where lead actor Jason Roberts fell ill and had to be replaced with Klaus Kinski, Mick Jagger had to drop out for a Rolling Stones concert and a border war had to break out at that time between Peru and Ecuador.

The Twilight Zone: The Movie – John Landis, 1983

Lead actor Vic Morrow and two child actors, Renee Chen and My-ca Dinh Le were filming a scene where they had to go back in time to the Vietnam War.  In a dangerous special effects explosion for this Vietnam War scene, a helicopter lost control and crashed on them, killing all three.  This tragedy saw Landis and other crew members being charged with involuntary manslaughter; although, they were later acquitted after pleading not guilty.

Cleopatra – Joseph Mankiewicz – 1963

We all know how beautiful Elizabeth Taylor looked in this historical epic.  But what we don’t know is that the shooting went on for years and years with the production being interrupted several times due to Taylor’s illnesses. Once, severe pneumonia almost killed her and she even underwent an emergency tracheotomy.  That’s not all, the affair between Burton and Taylor that mushroomed during the filming was also quiet scandalous. The movie went way over budget and at around $60 million was considered to be one of the most expensive movies ever made.  Finally, it was completed in the hands of a new director.

The Man Who Killed Don Quixote – Terry Gilliam, Not completed

Terry Gilliam was destined to be doomed from day one of shooting. Jean Rochefort, the lead actor fell ill almost as the shooting began and he had to be admitted to hospital.  This was followed by calamities, with a flash flood washing away the complete set in northern Spain.  Johnny Depp, who was also in the film could not wait forever for Rochefort to recover because of other commitments, and that led to Gilliam abandoning the film altogether. In 2002, a documentary named, “Lost in La Mancha” was made chronicling the whole shoot.  However, the director supposedly said that the shooting will begin soon; although, there is no indication of who would star in the film.

The Crow – Alex Proyas, 1994

It is inevitable that Brandon Lee is mentioned when writing about movie set disasters.  He was the lead actor and died during the making of this film.  He was doing a shot where he walks in and finds his girlfriend being attacked.  One of the attackers was to turn and fire a dummy at Lee.  But he was actually shot on the sets by a misloaded prop gun, resulting in his death 12 hours later. The death of the son of Bruce Lee, who himself died in bizarre circumstances, added to the eerie feeling, as the film itself is dark and is about a man who returns from the dead.

Aguirre: The Wrath of God – Werner Herzog, 1972

Herzog is a controversial director and he has encountered several unique and bizarre circumstances during his shootings. While on the location for Aguirre, he threatened to shoot Klaus Kinski, when the actor wanted out of the film.  The story goes that Herzog saw Kinski packing his stuff into a speed boat to escape, when he told him that he would have eight bullets in his head before he reached the next bend of the river.  Although, Herzog denied at that time that he wielded a gun, he did say he had a gun on the sets.

Dancer in the Dark – Lars von Trier, 2000

This director has the dubious reputation of being not too kind to his actors.  This film debus Icelandic singer Bjork, and rumors go that she was so upset that se ate her own cardigan during the shoot.  According to Von Trier, Bjork would say every day that she despised him and spat at him. This experience proved to be so traumatic for Bjork that she never wanted to act again.

Million Dollar Mystery –Richard Fleischer, 1987

Dar Robinson, a famous Hollywood stuntman fell over a cliff and died during the filming of an advertisement for Glad Bags, as the movie was co-financed by Glad and DeLaurentiis Entertainment. Dar, who was a stuntman for 19 years and never suffered a broken bone, sailed over the edge of a cliff while filming a motorcycle drive-by.

Heaven’s Gate – Michael Cimino, 1980

This Western proved to be disastrous with the budget of $8 million ballooning to $36 million. The critics had a field day slamming this film and it went on to bomb at the box office too.  This paved the way for the sale of United Artists to MGM.  This huge failure is considered to be one of the biggest in the history of Hollywood.

Most of us know that 3D films recreate moving images of the third dimension, creating an illusion of depth which the viewer experiences.  The three-dimensional cinema has been around for a very long time.  Although, 3D films were shown as far back as the 1920s, it was not until the 1950s that they became popular, ever since Arch Oboler had written, directed and produced “Bwana Devil” in 1952, which is based on the true story of the Tsavo maneaters.  The 3D power tucked away in digital projectors has been tapped.

These 3D films allow viewers to see the objects, such as buildings, cars etc. in a larger space and not on a flat surface.  There is a lot of effort behind the beautiful 3D technology, such as stereoscopy, which allows viewers to see different images with the left and right eyes. The stereoscopic effect is created with the use of 3D glasses and different projectors.

Stereoscopic films are also be produced through different methods.  Several systems were hugely popular over the years.  In the 1950’s, when 3D cinema came into its own, it was the anaglyph system, then came the polarization systems, which showed images that are more life-like and caused far less eye strain than the anaglyph system, thus enabling viewers to enjoy longer 3D films without any problems.

Currently, digital 3D format is used widely, and the first films to be made using the digital format are, “Chicken Little” by Walt Disney and Scar3D in 2007.

The three-dimensional cinema experienced its share of rollercoaster rides, ever since its inception, because of technical difficulties.  But frequent technological advances kept reviving 3D over the years.  A lot of credit for the huge success and popularity of 3D goes to the computer-animated films that proved to be a highly popular source of 3D material.  Such films are also easier to produce when compared to live action films.  Today, further advances in technology have given way to the next level of 3D cinema.

Have you heard of the latest 6D cinema?  These 6D films not only offer 3D images but take the viewing pleasure to an entirely new dimension by exposing the audience to the environmental elements; such as rain, wind and smell, similar to what the onscreen characters experience.

A British-based company named Light Cinema, recently launched “6D Cinema” in Bucharest, Romania. They say theirs is the world’s first 6D Cinema.  The chairs in the theater also revolve on cue to provide the viewer an extraordinary experience unlike anything they have seen before.

The technology costs for this new Cineplex with eight screens, are said to be around 600,000 pounds.  This unique theater has a café bar and a foyer.  It can seat up to 40 people and the films it screens are between five minutes and fifteen minutes long.  They play Hollywood blockbusters and alternative films.  They already have plans to open a second light theater in Oradea, Romania in the fall, and have the intention of establishing high-end digital theaters in Europe.

It is only a matter of time before 6D cinema is seen the world over. Adlabs Cinema also launched its first 6D cinema experience in India, employing cutting-edge audio and visual effects that bring to the audience, three-dimensional images, allowing them to experience simultaneous sight, smell, touch, sound, motion and interactivity.

The new 6D technology is expected to take off in a better manner than 3D technology did when it made its entry.  We may see less and less of the regular 3D films in the near future.  But it is left to be seen whether the swirling chairs, the smells and other aspects that are part of 6D cinema have the desired effect and become popular with the audiences.

Never has the magazine and newspaper industry been faced with greater uncertainty and turbulence than today.  There are many that believe that the very notion of magazines and newspapers is undergoing a profound transformation, if not under threat.

While most of the print media barons are concerned about the future of their businesses, there are some that are rising to the challenge.  As usual, it is technology that is at the center of it all.  Every time a new technological wave washes over, we hear assumptions from various quarters that everything from before will be swept away.  But will that happen this time around, with the moving and talking picture magazines?

What if you were to experience something like that? Taking media innovation to a new level, where you’d least expect to find it, you will soon have a weekly that contains moving and talking pictures.

A print edition of Entertainment Weekly is bringing out ads for the US television network CBS Corp. and PepsiCo Inc.  A video player is being embedded in the magazine for running ads for CBS shows and Pepsi that is funding this unique promotion.  Readers can now see a first of its kind VIP (video in print) advertisement published in a traditional magazine.

This ad comes in a heavy paper package that resembles the novelty audio greeting cards that give out music and other sounds. As the page is flipped open, the video plays automatically on a two-inch screen (mobile phone screen size) with a resolution of 320×240, and it conceals a larger circuit board below.  Mini speakers for the sound are embedded below it.  This is powered by rechargeable batteries that can be recharged using a USB, and last 70 minutes.

The chip technology used for storing the video is similar to the one used in singing greeting cards and it is activated when the page is turned.  Up to 40 minutes of video can be stored by each chip. This video player insert is created by Americhip Inc, a Los Angeles based company, and is strong enough to go through the binding process and mail delivery.

According to CBS Corp and Time Warner Inc’s Entertainment Weekly, something like this has never been tried before and this video advertisement has the distinction of being the first to appear in a print magazine.

Through this ad, CBS will be promoting its new season of TV series launching in the autumn, according to George Schweitzer, its marketing chief.  The shows include the Two and a Half Men and the Big Bang Theory. They will be targeting readers in New York and Los Angeles.

Although, we don’t really know how much CBS is paying Entertainment Weekly for this novel promotion, it is obvious that the magazine is looking to earn big with this form of advertising, which could have much more potential of catching the reader’s eye than other existing forms of advertising.

There is also no indication of how many videoscreens are going to be used by CBS as part of this promotion, except that the figure is going to be somewhere in the “thousands.” An industry source familiar with these devices estimates that it would cost several dollars per videoscreen, as it has to be manually inserted into the magazine, running into thousands of dollars in revenue for the magazine.

With the debate over the “demise of print media” heating up, this is a hot and open topic of discussion, and the print media can no longer be content lingering in a state of denial. The media is realizing and seriously contemplating the importance of completely re-inventing themselves and the sudden explosion of moving picture technology is expected to revolutionize magazine advertisement.

Although, this is not the work of one of Rowling’s wizards, we do have an intriguing piece of magic on our hands.

It is the latest fad of the rich and famous who have too much of everything. This new philosophy is internet-born and is creating waves with the rich and famous. This is called the “100 Thing Challenge” and promotes a simple lifestyle with no clutter.

New York may be considered the fashion capital, but California is the first to catch on with the fashionable fads and this idea has caught the imagination of the least frugal of all – the Hollywood stars!

This unique concept has been devised by a university computer executive, 37-year-old David Bruno, who came up with the challenge as a way to beat the recession as well as his own need for not letting junk pile up at his home. This San Diego resident started implementing his idea last year with about 400 of his personal items and talked about it on his personal website. He started discarding stuff and got rid of a whole lot of “unnecessary” things, such as his hiking boots, yoga mat, exercise bike, old PCs, woodwork tools, nasal hair trimmers, and a J Crew jacket, which was one of his favorites and on his last count, ended up with just 92 items. He does not consider “community property” as part of the challenge. What he terms community property are things like furniture that he shares with his wife and children, books etc. that belong to everyone. Even items such as underwear are not part of it. He says his aim is to get rid of consumerism and certainly not hygiene.

He even went to the extent of selling off his favorite camera on Craigslist, much against his wife’s wishes. He says, “I was the only person in the house to use it, but she was upset because I’d been taking pictures of our three daughters. And, yes, I loved that camera too, but I had to ask myself did I need it and the answer was no. That is what the challenge is all about.”

This novel idea seems to fascinate both men and women, but women say that it is easier for men to get rid of stuff than it is for women. One woman to the site argues that since women are judged on the way they are turned out, appearance matters, and they need a lot of things to keep themselves presentable, such as business suits for working women. This logic seems reasonable enough. However, jewelry and handbags are women’s items that are under dispute as these are not considered as essentials by the opposite sex. If you are a woman, I’m almost certain you would argue they are as necessary as clothing. But do men agree with this?

Bruno is pleasantly surprised at the popularity his idea has gained. What started as nothing but a personal challenge, spread across the internet so fast that wherever you go, you find people talking about it.

There was a poll recently that revealed a higher percentage of Americans spending less these days than they used to. Latest gadgets such as iPods and MP3 players help a great deal as they can store huge amounts of music. Then there are eBook readers that can hold titles in thousands. Photos are all stored in compute disks and the once quintessential wrist watch has been displaced by mobiles.

With so many multi-purpose gadgets at our disposal, things that were once essential are no longer needed. Many celebrities are taking this very seriously and Leonardo DeCaprio has told his friends that he would restrict to having just about 150 personal items.

This may be the new fad for Americans, but not so for the Chinese who always believed that clutter obstructs the Flow of Chi, which according to the Chinese is energy or invisible life force that flows through all living and non-living things. This is a major part of the ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui. It says that chi needs to flow freely through the home in order to have a positive impact on the people living there and clutter is the biggest obstacle for chi. If there is too much clutter in the house, chi moves sluggishly, affecting the occupants. When we surround ourselves with objects that we regularly use and love, it encourages the normal flow of chi and keeps the occupants of the house happy. While loved items support and nurture us, unwanted junk has the opposite effect and their negative energy will pull us down.

Frankly, if we made note of the stuff we have accumulated over the years, each one of us is sure to find many items that are not essential to our survival. It may be painful to get rid of certain possessions that have been around for a while, but we can start by throwing away objects that have no particular meaning to us, and we may begin to feel better mentally and physically.

Are you game for this new challenge? What are the items you can or cannot live without?

This list contains all sorts of gadgets and you are sure to find something even if you have just a couple of hundred dollars to spare.  Check out the prices from various dealers before you buy, as the prices given may vary depending on where you are getting them from.

Sylvania Meso Netbook –$369

This compact and light-weight netbook comes with a 9-inch screen, Bluetooth, Webcam, Wi-Fi and an 80 gigabyte hard drive. The Meso is available with a Linux or Windows operating system.  It has a hyper-threaded processor and the performance is excellent.  You even have a choice of four beautiful colors; snow white, basic black, blush, and a bright yellow.  This may be the best value in a netbook available now.

The Flip Mino and The Kodak Zi6 Pocket Camcorders – $180

Both these camcorders can capture one hour of video and use flash memory.  While the Flip Mino gives stunning HD-quality video, The Kodak0 Zi6 records in HD. With the Flip Mino, you can even generate your own designs or use your own image to get the exact look you want for your camcorder.  Both these gadgets sell for around $180 and come with a pop-up USB port to download videos.

ContourHD Wearable Video Camera – $350

With this video camera from VholdR, you can capture the action during your favorite moments.  This is the world’s first HD wearable video camera and can be mounted on just about any helmet.  The camera uses a micro SD card.  This would make a perfect gift.

Casio Exilim Digital Camera – $250

This slim and compact camera is unparalleled for its style.  It can capture High Definition video and High Speed Burst digital photos.  You can spend another $80 and get yourself a Lexar Shoot-n-Sync Wi-Fi memory card that will help you automatically upload your photos wirelessly.  With this camera, it is easy for you to capture all your best memories.

The G1 and LG Dare Smartphones – $179 and $129

The G1 smartphone is from T-Mobile and the LG Dare is from Verizon.  Both the phones are packed with wonderful features and also come with the ability to download applications, making them completely customizable.

TomTom and Gamin nuvi GPS Units – $125 and $500

GPS units are the rage these days.  These units come with a variety of features and in different price ranges.  The TomTom is cheap at $125 and is great if all you need are the basic GPS features.  However, if you are looking for advanced features and extra information, then Gamin nuvi is the best bet, although it costs more than TomTom.  It features real-time traffic information, and comes with a large screen too.

Mini Projector from Optoma Technology – $400

Also known as the pocket projector, you can hook up this geeky mini projector to any portable media device, such as an iPod, iPhone or iTouch and enjoy projection on the run.  On the spot presentations are easy as it can project images on all sorts of surfaces.  It also weighs just 4 ounces.

Mouse and Keyboard from MSI Computer – $19 and $39

These are for the environmentally minded techie.  They are made of earth friendly high-quality sustainable bamboo.  Except for the keys on the keyboard, both the mouse and keyboard are completely made of bamboo and give an elegant look.

Power Strip from Monster Cable – $100

Did you know that all electronic devices that are plugged into wall outlets consume energy even when they are turned off? This power strip from Monster Cable acts as a great power saver.  It comes with the option to be programmed to turn the power off when electronics are not in use.

SanDisk Sansa Fuze – $80

This is a wonderful alternative to the more expensive iPod.  This player comes in a sleek design, features 8 gigabytes of storage and a color screen.

Given as gifts, these gadgets would be greatly appreciated and you do not have to make a hole in your pocket too.  You deserve to pamper yourself too!  With so many manufacturers coming out with interesting gadgets at affordable prices, you are certainly spoilt for choice.

While in the past, this would have been something people did when they had no other options left for them, now it is all about loving nature and being in tune with it.  It is considered by holiday makers and nature-loving tourists as a cheap and beautiful alternative to expensive clinical vacations.

The new concept of spending weekends in barns that have been converted into hotel rooms for tourists, with beds of fresh hay is becoming a vacation of choice in Germany, and in the Lederhosen belt – Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Austria.

The idea behind this concept is basic.  Guests sleep on the hay in the barns. These places are clean, natural and eco friendly.  Since most of them are located on farms, it is almost like going on a farming adventure, complete with chickens and pigs, campfire by night, wake up calls by the birds early in the morning and a farmer’s breakfast.

Heuhotels in one such place that offers this sort of accommodation.  “Heu means hay” in the German language. They charge $11 (8 Euros) a night for couples, families and backpackers.  In Central Germany, there is one such hay hotel that accommodates as many as 60 people in its barns, with fresh hay as pillows.

There are other hotels, such as Zum Alten Marstall, that offer “private” bedrooms with “real” beds.  This is a luxury hotel that exhibits a medieval look, with its staff wearing tunics and woolen cloaks.  Male guests here are called “Knights.”  If you want to be a Knight for a day or two, this might perhaps be for you.

These hay hotels organize elaborate farm-related activities to give their guests the feel of an authentic farm vacation. The activities include mountain biking, archery, horse riding and canoeing. Cheese, fresh meat and other farm products are also sold, to take back home.

If you’re thinking that the accommodation is all the same – a barn and some hay, you are in for a surprise as there is much more to these havens of hay.  Some hotels have feed stalls that are fitted with wooden platforms, open lofts with bales of hay and some even offer privacy with the use of curtains, and provide guests bottles of wine to enjoy in bed. But don’t forget to take your own towels and sleeping bags.

For those looking for privacy or suffer from hay-fever, some of these hotels have bedrooms with conventional beds and a choice of hay-filled or feather pillows.

While the idea of sleeping in hay may not be for everyone, there are many takers, going by the number of guests that enjoy their stay at these hay hotels throughout Germany and other places.  These hotels have been around for many years and with nature lovers increasing by the day, their guest count is on the rise too.

With no laundry bills, no energy wastage, no construction, these hay havens are promoting low-impact nature-friendly tourism in all its glory.

While people that enjoy these places the most are the lone cyclists, families following the bike trail through the Neckar valley, hikers, nature lovers and children, there are even corporates from the city that look at this as a perfect way for their teams to bond, and for weddings – sitting by a camp fire, eating freshly cooked meat and rolling on a bed of hay.

These places also make perfect romantic getaways and what better way to spend a honeymoon?  According to a Greenpeace activist who runs a hay hotel, “For lovers, there’s nothing more exciting than a night on the hay.”  At the very low prices which include breakfast, weddings can be hosted too and the happy couple can afford to put up a whole lot of their friends in these beautiful medieval guestrooms – an experience their friends will never forget.

The hay at these places usually gets changed a couple of times a year and these are strictly no-smoking zones. At most of these farms, you don’t necessarily have to sleep on hay beds, as they do have private rooms with beds built into the haylofts.  But who would want to miss out on the “hay” experience?

People who have lived in a farm during their childhood years can get back to being a child and relive those memorable days that got lost somewhere in the hustle and bustle of city life.  This gives us a chance to get as close to nature as possible.

You need it now more than ever, what with all the financial worries and job scares. Most of us are so caught up with trying to retain our jobs or find new ones that we hardly have any time left for family and friends.

But those who travel frequently, in spite of it all, vouch for the fact that a change in environment works wonders when stress and burdens of everyday problems become too much to handle. Holding your head in desperation is not going to help. Frustration will continue to build up until your body can take it no longer and shuts down completely. We don’t want that to happen, do we?

Even psychiatrists stress the importance of a vacation. “People are constantly surrounded by demands, constantly adding stress, so our stress response is overactive,” says one. There needs to be a balance between our sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. While the sympathetic system keeps us alert by providing the fight or flight responses, the parasympathetic systems allows us to rest. A good enjoyable vacation recharges our parasympathetic nervous system.

This exercise of concentrating on rejuvenation of our nervous system alleviates stress and helps us handle our life better.

But where do I go on a holiday?

Everyone’s idea of relaxation is different; while a spa resort may do the trick for some, it is the delights of a culinary school that proves therapeutic for someone else. My dream vacation may seem unpalatable to you. But whatever you choose to do, a vacation does wonders to the mental well-being by keeping stress levels in check.

How many Americans take a vacation and how often? According to a recent poll that took into consideration vacation habits of people for several years, it is found that about 34% of working adults do not utilize all their eligible days for vacation.

But what about the recession? Where do we get the money for a vacation from?

Who said a vacation has to be expensive?

You don’t really need an expensive resort to recharge yourself. Your vacation can be a very modest affair, such as going to the beach for the day and meditating on the cool sands, renting a bike and going away with close friends or even alone.

If a longer vacation for the weekend is needed, then it is not really necessary to leave the town or city you are in. You can book a hotel room in the same city for two or three days and just let yourself go, forget all the responsibilities. This itself will give a new perspective to your life and the energy to get back to it with all the enthusiasm. You don’t even have to travel if you don’t wish to.

For those with big families, renting a house for the weekend can be a lot of fun. There are plenty of ski lodges, flats, houses, mansions available in all price ranges.

Why not look at the option of house-swapping?

According to a travel guide, living in someone else’s house also takes us away from the routine and gives the much needed break, making family time more exciting. You must have seen the romantic comedy, “The Holiday,” where Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz swap houses for two weeks. Look at the amount of fun they both had and how they meet someone that mends their hearts. House swapping is certainly worth checking out.

There are people who find travel stressful. Such people should make sure not to let travel become a chore by itself. A vacation should make you happier and take away the stress.

With the increase in stress levels during recession, it becomes all the more important to take that vacation you’ve always longed for. If you are short of cash, do things that you don’t have to spend too much money on, without leaving the city. Don’t do too much planning; although, if you’re leaving the city, a little planning goes a long way. The problem with over planning is that it can lead to disappointment if it doesn’t happen the way you want.

The key to happy living or happy vacationing is how adaptable we are to circumstances and how we try to find happiness within our reach. Don’t be one of those people that keep cribbing because they don’t have the money to spend lavishly like the high flyers. Happiness does not come from money; it is within yourself, with your loved ones. Go find it! Take that much deserved break!

All because public toilets are filthy and smell. Most women avoid sitting on public toilet seats and they have a good reason.  Unhygienic toilets breed germs and are infectious and transmittable.  They can attach to the perineum that runs between the vaginal opening and the anus.

You may avoid using public toilets because they are dirty, but you would be shocked to know what can happen, if you were forced to use them.  Scientists reveal that contamination from toilet seats can take several forms.

• Herpes: Caused by Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV).
• Parasites: Scabies and pubic lice.
• SARS: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.
• Enteroviruses: Cause gastroenteritis.
• Veneric Diseases: Gonorrhea, infection caused by bacteria gonococcus.

However, now there is news that could prove to be a major relief for women – the possibility of carrying your very own pocket urinal.

I know, urinal in a pocket doesn’t sound too appealing.  But you’ll change your mind once you read what the German firm that created this has to say.

According to the inventor of Ladybag, Eva Tinter, “It can be used in cars, or to avoid dirty toilets or at open air festivals when you don’t want to queue.  You can just nip round the back of the toilet and use this.  There’s never been a product like this in this form.”

This is the world’s first pocket urinal – that would put an end to visiting dirty toilets or long lines at public urinals.

This disposable mobile toilet works by turning urine into an odorless gel.  “Ladybag” is the deceptive name given to this amazing creation.  This bag is made of plastic and fitted with absorbent polymers that turn urine to a gel.

You must be wondering how a toilet bag can fit into a pocket.  Well, it is as big as a chocolate – when folded.  This one comes with an opening that’s wide enough to accommodate easy urine flow into the bag while sitting, standing or squatting. The gel can absorb half-liter of urine, which is sufficient to process urine from one sitting; however, in case of emergency, the bag can hold one liter.  It is obvious that the bag can be used only once and will have to be disposed after use.

This bag is certainly a boon for women, enabling them to urinate comfortably and effortlessly, and eliminates the need for contact with any contaminated toilet seats.

For those of you who cannot wait to get it, it comes in sets of three for $27, which includes packaging.  The company has already sold more than 20,000 through pharmacies and on the internet ever since its launch last October.   Eva said that they have had orders from around the world.

The huge demand for this bag shows how women dread using public toilets.  A recent survey revealed that about 55% of women control until they get home and over 25% of them never ever use public toilets.  Listen to this! More than 99% of women, who use public toilets, never sit directly without covering the seat with toilet paper, straddle or squat when urinating. This can be quite a nightmare for the elderly, pregnant women and women wearing tight clothes.

As if the discomfort of the whole process is not enough, there are several medical complications associated with them.  When the bladder is not emptied completely, there are greater chances of infections from urinary stasis.  For those who wait till they get home, the problems associated with urine retention can be critical.  It can lead to cystitis and problems of early incontinence.

The Ladybag offers the convenience and freedom every woman craves for.  The best part is that it is environmental friendly and can be disposed off in the rubbish bins.  If men are feeling lost and wondering why they are not being taken care of, you can check out the men’s Roadbag.

They will now be working from home.  Sure, it was possible to work from home even earlier and many were doing it, but now advanced technology has created a more conducive work environment, bridging the gap between time-zones and locations.

Laptops, mobile communications and smart phones have changed the way things work at the workplace and increased personal productivity levels tremendously.  For many people, these gadgets have transformed their work-life balance.

What is work-life balance? It means maintaining a proper balance between one’s professional and personal lives, which includes family, pleasure etc.  Have you spent quality time with your family recently?

In the current day scenario, where it has become increasingly difficult to draw a line between work and home, the concept of attaining a work-life balance holds more relevance than ever before.

Employees from all occupations experience burn-out and higher stress levels which affect their lives.  A survey revealed that about 50% of employees from different backgrounds feel that their jobs are affecting their sexual and interpersonal relationships.  Not only that, it affects their health too, and results in heart diseases, sexual problems, infertility, muscular problems, exhaustion, alcoholism, smoking, depression and many other issues.

Children are affected too!  Most working parents have to hire childcare providers to take care of their younger children.  Where older children are concerned, a parentless home drives them to occupy themselves after school through various activities that a parent would normally restrict to; such as using the internet without any guidance, playing video games, watching television.  This is one of the major reasons cited for millions of children visiting porn sites online, which in several cases causes irreversible damage to the young impressionable minds.

The new-age employer understands these problems and since higher productivity is what interests them the most, they are willing to achieve this through ensuring work-life balance for their employees.  Such employers, who use technology to enhance working arrangements are looked at as better employers, and employees are more likely to experience job satisfaction and stay in the organization longer.

Today’s employee loves the idea of telecommuting and finds it highly attractive for a variety of reasons; one of them being the increased travel time.  Technology has a major role to play in the way things have changed for the better.  Now employees can put their commuting time to good use by using technology like the Blackberry that allows them to read and respond to mails, even hold conferences.  They can keep themselves updated on every aspect of the workplace even when out on a meeting.

The ability to work away from the office or from home boosts productivity; although, the working hours may at times be longer.  Most employees do not mind the extra working hours as the flexibility of the virtual workplace offers them greater freedom than ever before.

The work-from-home concept is huge now and has become a common trend.  This allows employees to take care of their official as well as personal responsibilities efficiently.  Working from home involves less commuter stress, more control over their schedule, more time with the family and the most significant fact is that it can enhance the much-longed for work-life balance.

It helps new mothers or women on maternity leave and others too, as they can fix their own flexible working hours or work part-time from home or visit their office just a couple of days in a week.

Over the years, advancing technology transformed the workplace. All this is made possible through remote access and broadband connectivity, which enables employees to work from anywhere in the world. Internet provides global access at any time of the day or night and employees are never more than a heartbeat away from information they need.

In order to be able to put these technological benefits to good use and balance work and home, an employee must ensure that he or she limits the extent to which technology is allowed to affect their lives, and use it wisely with self-discipline.  Maintaining a proper work-life balance not only helps in reducing stress levels but also improves the overall quality of life.

Generally you probably think of a “sport” as something you do to burn off all of the calories in the food you’ve eaten. But can eating be a sport in and of itself? According to competitive eaters worldwide it can be!

Think about the last big meal you ate — maybe a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner when you stuffed yourself silly with more food in a meal than you might typically eat in a day. Think about how full you felt after that meal, when you weren’t even sure you could get dessert down, no matter how much you wanted that slice of pumpkin pie. Now picture yourself eating that meal ten times as fast. Imagine that one over-filled plate of food turning into a dozen, all eaten rapidly. Now how do you think you’d feel when someone offered you that pie?

Children's Pie Eating Contest - 1923 - Credit: FordMaddoxFraud (via Wikimedia)

That’s a simple way to think about competitive eating — people compete to see who can eat the most food the fastest.

I can’t say competitive eating sounds appealing to me, but it’s popular worldwide, so what do I know? There are even professional associations for the sport — the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) and the Association of Independent Competitive Eaters (AICE)!

Types of Foods Found in Eating Contests

Competitive eating isn’t limited to the old fashioned notion of a pie eating contest or even hot dog eating contest (like the popular Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, held annually at Coney Island for more than 90 years).

While eating contests usually are focused on a single type of food, that food can be seemingly anything. Here are ten examples of foods from eating contests sanctioned by the IFOCE to give you a better idea:

At the Nathans Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest - Credit: buzz.bishop (via Flickr)

1. Chili
2. Corn Dogs
3. Pumpkin Pies
4. Watermelon
5. Pizza
6. Tacos
7. Butter
8. Baked Beans
9. Oysters
10. Birthday Cake

I have to say, I really did a double-take when I saw butter on the list. Yuck. Can you even imagine putting down 1.75 lbs of salted butter in five minutes like record holder, Don Lerman? I sure can’t!

While most of the foods seem to be relatively “bad” foods to begin with, you can find some competitive eating events specialized in healthier options like the watermelon included above, peas, and asparagus (okay, so the asparagus doesn’t really count since it was deep-fried, but it sure sounds better than a pigs’ feet and knuckles eating contest if you ask me — and yes, there’s really a record holder in that!).

How is Competitive Eating Considered a Sport?

Pat Bertoletti and Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest 2008 - Credit: dietrich (via Flickr)

“It’s just eating. It’s not a sport!” you might be thinking. Then again, you might be surprised by the amount of preparation and training that can go into safely participating in eating contests. Just like an athlete might train for months before running a marathon, professional competitive eaters can spend months preparing for eating contests (and given that prizes can amount to thousands of dollars, it’s no wonder they train that long!).

How exactly does someone “train” for a competitive eating event anyway? Why, they stretch their stomach of course! Think about it. Your stomach isn’t naturally designed to hold quantities of food like some of these records:

1. 47 slices of pizza (in 10 minutes by Patrick Bertoletti)
2. 8 lbs, 2 oz of chili cheese fries (in 10 minutes by Sonia Thomas)
3. 42 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (in 10 minutes, also by Patrick Bertoletti)

To win eating contests competitive eaters have to increase their stomach’s capacity. It naturally stretches as needed, but takes time to build the organ’s elasticity enough for it to expand to hold these amounts of foods in such short periods of time.

In order to get that needed elasticity, the competitive eaters “train” by consuming large amounts prior to the contest (for months in some cases). Sometimes they’ll do it by eating the contest food, allowing them to test their times and try to beat their own records to improve (probably not the healthiest option, if any of it can be considered truly “healthy” — healthy as in would someone ever say “eat competitively, it’s good for you!”). In other cases, they’ll fill up on bulky but low calorie vegetables, or drink large amounts of water (sometimes gallons) to get their stomachs ready for their next eating contest.

You can see the stretched / distended belly on the competitor on the left - Credit: dietrich (via Flickr)

Competitive eating isn’t only like other sports because there’s training involved. There are also rules and judges to make sure competitive eaters abide by them. For example, some IFOCE competitors use a technique called “dunking” (literally dunking their food in water or another liquid first) to make the food easier to put down (although I’m baffled by the fact the fluid weight wouldn’t fill you up faster!). The AICE, on the other hand, doesn’t allow it. If eaters leave too much food on the plate (excessive “crumbs” for example, so they actually ate less food) the judges might dock them points in their final count. And there are even rules about vomiting — yes, vomiting (as in what counts as vomiting, and what doesn’t in respect to judging those final counts). Yum.

Winning a taco eating contest - Credit: BigStockPhoto.com

Now I’m a fan of Nathan’s hot dogs, and since they run probably the biggest eating contest around (it’s actually televised on ESPN, so take that those of you who still don’t think it’s a sport!), I’ll pick on them for a moment. Watch the video below and tell me if it makes you want to run to your nearest Nathan’s for a good ol’ dog.

Hmmmm. Not me. One is enough thank you — maybe two if I feel like gorging. But after watching that, not only do I not find Nathans as appetizing, but I may lose a pound or two this week shunning food altogether. My stomach’s almost churning just watching.

Anybody hungry for wings? - Credit: stephenjjohnson (via Flickr)