Flesh Eating Bacteria - streptococcus

You may have heard about a "flesh eating disease" on Oprah. I heard about it via word of mouth (wom) and decided to share with you some of the horrific information gathered.

Necrotizing Fasciitis is the term for a bacterial infection that can literally eat at the tissues in your body. Most common types of Necrotizing Fasciitis are due to Group A Streptococcal bacteria (also known as GAS), the most common being the Streptococcus pyogenes. It is very scary to think that around 30% of people with Necrotizing Fasciitis die from the disease... and even scarier once you know that most people who acquire the disease were perfectly healthy prior to infection. 

(acquired from: http://images.oprah.com/images/tows/200904/20090410/20090410-tows-monica-290x218.jpg)

The above picture is of Monica Jorge, a recent guest on Oprah. She is a wife and mother of two children and was recently diagnosed with Necrotizing Fasciitis, after being perfectly healthy. According to sources, she cut her hand open by mistake with a sharp instrument. Just hours after the cut, she immediately began to feel "strange" and felt a strong headache. With in two days she was admitted to hospital, and had no choice but to have amputation surgeries performed, due to the exponential amount of flesh being attacked and killed. She has since lost her limbs, but her strong will has kept her strong throughout. In a letter to Oprah after the show: "Thank you for reminding me to have gratitude for what I have instead of sorrow for what I don't"

More on Streptococcal bacteria:

• The Goup A Streptococci are the same bacteria that are often located in the throat, and can be completely harmless. 
• "Strep throat" is what we call this infection.
• Infection may be obtained through direct contact from another infected, or via an open wound. In rare cases, it can even occur even if the skin has not been broken.
• Although strep throat is common, Necrotizing Fasciitis is rare.
• GAS symptoms may range from no symptoms whatsoever to life threatening symptoms (NF etc.)
• "About 9,000-11,500 cases of invasive GAS disease occur each year in the United States, resulting in 1,000-1,800 deaths annually" (http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/Groupastreptococcal_g.htm)
• For more info: http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/necrotizing-fasciitis-flesh-eating-bacteria-topic-overview 
• http://www.menshealth.com

Registered Domain name...

Edible Mince is expanding...
Now it is easy to remember our url address, it is simply :
ediblemince.tk

that's it! enjoy

Xbox: Project Natal

"This is a pivotal moment that will carry with it a wave of change, the ripples of which will reach far beyond video games"

STEVEN SPIELBERG

Xbox has recently announced the launch of a new product at E3 convention, namely project natal. Simply put, it is a video camera type peripheral that can be added to the xbox 360...Replacing the need for a controller! Essentially, it detects all motion as well as facial expressions and gestures, adding an all new aspect to gaming, never before experienced. It was released as a response to Nintendo's wii remotes. Playstation released a similar concept (Eye Toy) in March 18, 2005; however, these concepts are entirely different. Project Natal serves to completely mimic the actions of the gamer, immersing them in the game completely by use of smart technology that responds to your actions appropriately. 

In one example, Microsoft shows a scene where a boy preferred to ride on his own skateboard in a skateboarding game. He simply holds up his skateboard to the camera, commands it to "scan", and voila! Instantly his deck is in memory and he begins to skate away, the motion sensor detecting his movements as though he were really skating. Amazing. I can just imagine Gears of War 2 being played around my living room. Dipping and ducking behind the furniture would provide me with the ultimate adrenaline rush, and not to mention a completely new way of irritating all family members within the vicinity.

For more info:

http://www.xboxnatal.net/

New Sony Playstation 3 Slim

(Image courtesy of Gamespot)

The new Sony Playstation 3 Slim is no longer just a myth and is infact real. It was announced just a week and 1 Day from today. It will be $100 cheaper, have a 120 GB hard drive, be 33 percent smaller, and 36 percent lighter than the previous model. This is quite a nice decrease as the first version of the Playstation was a bit on the large side.

A reason for the apparent price drops is the decreased number of PS3's that were sold compared to the PS2. The PS2 has sold 51.8 million in Europe and 138.8 million globally. PSP sales continue to grow: 52.9 million globally. The PS3 has sold 10 million in Europe, and only 23.7 million globally. Nintendo Co have sold 52.6 million Wii consoles, although the Wii has costed $250. Microsoft have sold more than 31.4 million XBOX 360 consoles worlwide. The main XBOX 360 consoles costs $300 in the US.

The new Playstation will be sold at $299, a drop from $399. It will be sold at €299 from €399, although the price was kept the same at 39 980 yen in Japan.


(Image coutersy of Gamespot)

The price cut is due to the critical year-end shopping season, when game/console makers sell the largest amount of merchandise. Judging from previos models with the PS2 a price cut is a extremely effective way of receiving a boost in sales.

• Also, there will be a new patch for the PS3 slim.
• The memory card slot is gone.
• The touch buttons have been replaced by actual push in buttons.
• There are 2 USB slots in the front.
• If your Sony TV has the Bravia sync feature, with the update you can play with your TV remote.
• A new vertical stand.
• The Install other OS feature is gone. Theredore cannot install Linux or other OS on your PS3 slim

For more info check out: 

• http://gamescom.gamespot.com/story/6215296/sony-gamescom-press-briefing-live

Kite Surfing: The ultimate adrenaline rush

The feeling of wind in your hair. The feeling of gliding above the water, seemingly weightless. The feeling of power in the grasp of your hands. These and many more are the feelings that you experience while doing one of the most amazing sports that have ever been created in recorded history.

Although kitesurfing is a relatively new sport (only really saw a boom in the south African economy around 2 years ago) the amount of people that have caught on obviously suggests that it is not only highly enjoyable but also has other benefits such as muscle building and the decrease in risk of heart problems.


In the short time period that I have been Kitesurfing I have seen many people above the age of 60 going out into the water for a 2 hour session.


Although this seems highly unlikely, the art of true kitesurfing is not the high jumps or elaborate tricks that most people affiliated with Kitesurfing, but more the smooth passage of your body been easily pulled across the water.

There are many forms of Kitesurfing, including doing tricks, riding the waves or just gliding over the water.  
Kitesurfing is a relatively expensive sport to start (Full kit costing an average of R16 000 zar) but once all the equipment is bought you are free to go out and enjoy yourself any time that you want. The only thing that limits you will be your partner and the wind.
Kitesurfing is so addictive that a few people have rather left their spouses than give up their Kiting.
There is only one main problem with Kitesurfing, and that is that while you are in the water it is very difficult to tell how long you have been in for. My average session is about 6 hours, and everytime I get out of the water I am suprised at how long I have been in for. Therefore it is recommendable that a watch is worn while kitesurfing. Also never tell your partner that you will be home at a certain time, rather say that you will be home as soon as you can.
 
I have done many things including Bunjy Jumping and in my opinion I have never experienced an adrenaline rush that can be compared to when I am kitesurfing.

Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood

You might have heard of the game released by Ubisoft. You might've not. I certainly had not until I overheard some of people talking about it. I quickly joined in the conversation and what they told me quickly intrigued me. I decided that I had to play it.

The first thing to note about the game, is the beginning. It starts off with a cut scene of two people pointing guns at each other. Those people you find out later in the game are in fact two brothers. The two brothers are Ray and Thomas McCall

The game is based in America during the American Civil War. The two brothers start off on a mission to find out if their home has been destroyed. From finding their partly destroyed house they set on a mission to run away from the army ( after they deserted to go home), and kill the people who caused their mother to die.

They run to Mexico with their little brother, William, tagging along. William is a reverend at the time, and believes that his duty is to turn his brothers away from their evil deeds "towards the light".

After getting kicked out of a town for killing the sheriff, the three brothers spot a beautiful woman, Marisa, who is been harassed by some cowboys. The brothers rescue her only to find out that she is married to Juan 'Juarez' Mendoza. Juarez then tells them about the mythical Lost Treasure of Cortez. They agree to help him out for a share of the treasure.

Call of Juarez is a typical gangster cowboy game, except that you can choose between either of the two brothers (Ray and Thomas) to play with. Each are better with a certain weapon, and only Ray can wield double pistols, except when both brothers work together to eliminate a room full of people. The storyline, although short (took me about 7 hours to complete) is very gripping. It consists of many gunfights, horse races, fighting against natives, and puzzle solving. From the moment I started playing the game I knew that I would get addicted. Also, unlike most other games where you have a chance to free roam and explore the countryside, this game is actually fun with realistic side challenges that only add to the plot.

Need to know:

Graphics - are reasonably good, although some of the cut scenes look a bit rough overall the graphics are good.

Multiplayer - The multiplayer is fun, it consists of mostly team based modes.

Keys - Not complicated at all, the main thing that you use when playing is your mouse.

Original - Yes, although it is quite similar to most gun games, except for the fact that it auto aims slightly. This is not a bad thing, as the guns don't do much damage.

Similar to - Gun

Overall game play - The game is extremely fun, although lacking somewhat in AI. The graphics could have been a bit better, but overall the game was extremely fun.

Gamespot rating : 7.5

IGN rating: 7.7

My rating: 79%

New joining: Jonathan... !!

Hello my fellow bloggers. I have just started as a blogger. I will be writing on Edible mince along with Davis. I hope that in the future I can write some informative posts that will help you to conquer your everyday battles between life, and well living. 

Due to the fact that I am new at blogging do not be afraid to comment on my posts or give me advice on things that could be written better.

Thank you, hope you enjoy my stay here at Edible Mince.

What the hell is this "zorbing" business about?

Zorbing? Everyone has probably heard the term somewhere along the line. In reality its simply a great way of fun possibly invented for adults to not look stupid, having the chance to be like a child once again. Okay, so what is it? well it is a giant double layered inflatable ball, with space for up to four people (not recommended). A person climbs in and the ball begins its decent down a hill, gaining momentum. It is reportedly very fun, yet I have not had the opportunity to engage in this activity yet.

Aqua Zorbing involves a bucket or two of water on the inside with the person, to reduce friction and increase slip. Ultimate adrenaline, I say. Let me know if you have done it, I'd love to do it oneday.

My Opinion on the Barter System

Before EFT, Paypal, and cash, the barter system served as the only method of trade. Markets were dependent on buyers and sellers coming together to establish a price and quantity of a good. Much the same as the markets that exist today, however it is also much different. The "price" referred to in today's economy is quite different from that of bartering. With money, a definite value is known. With bartering however, things become complicated as there is no set value on a certain good and thus it can make trade very difficult or unfair. Below are some of the pro's and con's of Bartering in Today's Society... These are the result of a class debate, however the verdict is yet to be reached; so your conclusion would be much appreciated.

Pros of the barter system:

• People who are willing to work may "barter" their labour in exchange for goods; encouraging hard work and healthy competition.
• In addition, it would also be more fair to the people as those who are willing to work will get rewarded and those lacking the effort will in turn lack the reward. Poetic justice, I say.
• In an ideal system, everyone wins. "one man's treasure is another man's trash" is a good way of describing this point: if a good is of no worth to you, it can always be traded to a consumer in need of that good. This again kicks out unfairness.
• As one man values his goods differently to another, poverty would be harder to establish as he may be "poor" and still significantly value his commodities.
  
• As a child, you would learn the real value of your goods and be less inclined to waste as there is no change in return for your good.
• The fact of there being no change also makes trade much simpler, as even a toddler won't exchange his lollipop for your rock (Shame on you).
• Credit card fraud would not be possible as physical goods cannot be streamed virtually in the way that real money can.

Cons of the barter system:

• Although it is mentioned that bartering can cause overall fairness in an economy, the exact opposite is also true. If a man is in desperate need of water and he only owns a car, he cannot exchange half his car for another man's water. He may be forced to wait for alternate suppliers.
• Similarly, it can make life very complicated because an equilibrium price can be difficult to establish. This is because there is simply no value with which to compare goods.
  
• Lack of a generally accepted equilibrium price would ultimately result in time wasted negotiating.
• In a modern economy, one cannot rely purely on what is present in his pocket. Savings and loans are required in any major economy, and would be nearly impossible in a barter system.
• Tangible goods may be lost due to natural disasters out of the owner's control.
• It would be difficult receiving wages/salaries as one may not have the capacity either at home, or even on his way home, to carry the payment. Whereas, the space physical money takes up is negligible.
• In my opinion, technology would be harder and more time consuming to develop, as developers and engineers would require some type of standard payment in order to make for quick and mass purchases.
• As mentioned in the comment - children of the like may be trading at an early age and being unwise and uneducated, would result in bad decisions and people taking advantage of one another.
• People of high stature may not like the idea of others being considered as well off as they are.
  

The conclusion? Simply put, there is no possibility of returning to a barter system.
As technology develops, more people's needs are satisfied, more
problems solved, and an overall increase in the standard of living takes place.
The barter system would not accommodate people's needs and wants in this society,
it is not an option. However, it can be argued that the progressive change from
the old system to the current system may have been premature. Not only has
Technology increased exponentially, but also people's perceptions have become very
shallow and their lives materialistic.

Prototype - Edible Mince review

Prototype is a fast paced RPG (role play game) developed by Radical Entertainment, set in Manhattan. The protagonist of the story is named Alex Mercer, who is a shape shifter and along with these powers, he also possesses the ability to "consume" enemies. This is done to gain health or the enemy's memories. These memories are stored in what's known as the web of intrigue - a place to visit memories that have been acquired. Each memory places another puzzle piece in place, ultimately revealing the story line little at a time.

Alex is after the military people who are responsible for both the viral outbreak in Manhattan, and for his own Special abilities. In addition, he must also destroy certain "infected" along the way. Think of him as the chosen one. Although the plot is very in depth, it is not hard to follow and is certainly very clever (and 'gripping'). I love This game :]


Need to know:
Graphics - great. with the exception of Alex shapeshifting or consuming others.
Multiplayer - No multiplayer
Keys - complicated key combinations, but with little effort can be easily grasped.
Original - Yes, although the general idea of people being infected and overwhelmed with viruses is used. Still great though.
Similar to - Assassin's Creed
Overall game play - Extremely fun, certainly one of the best Single player games I have ever played. Keep you entertained for hours.

Gamespot Rating: 8.5
IGN Rating: 7.5
My rating: 85%

Swine Flu?

It seems we are all very concerned with the latest "Pandemic" called swine flu. Do not feel concerned about it! The media have made it out to be much worse than what we would think; it is just a flu after all.

It is almost 'famous for being famous' if you know what I mean, because in actual fact H1N1
Will affect you little more than what we term 'regular flu'. Infact, more people die each month from normal influenza than swine flu (regular flu infects up to 60 million each year as opposed to a couple hundred affected with swine flu). All in all it is certainly curable, and therefore nothing to worry about. I laugh at people who worry about it so much, they are stupid.

Conspiracy theories hold my interest more than anything else, and so I will post a couple of ref's here that I have been engaged in lately. Interesting starting point: Deliberate Vaccine Stockpiling

Here is a taste of what may very likely be tomorrow's headlines:

• Swine flu conspiracy - is H1N1 man made?
• Truth about Swine Flu - "1976"
• Truth behind swine Flu - Do not Take Vaccines (you may want to skip this as it is nine minutes long)

Then finally:
The United Arab Emirates are planning on making the vaccines mandatory for the next school year. I think it's a particularly poor idea as the vaccine has not been proven safe. Take a look:

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/563135-swine-flu-vaccination-mandatory-for-all-uae-students

I am not here to convince you to conform with my opinion, I merely want people to have their own outlook on matters and not believe everything people tell them. I challenge you.

The Introduction of Formal Topics

As of now there is going to much frenzied activity going on with this blog.

First off: Fewer random stories (figured I should begin to grow up)
Second: Reviews, opinions, debates, discussions, are all a part of the future for me and that is where I'm taking this blog.
Then: I would love to continue posting brief points of interest occuring in my life as one day I will read all this crap and it will be great :]

Great Visual - feel free to snag it