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Riot Not DietDan Head
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The Current The Ex
Dan Head
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Parasites
I sometimes hear things that catch my attention and I just want to share it with you (like word herpes!).
I've always been interested in parasites ... particularly ones that change a host in one way or another ... it fascinates me. It makes me think about thoughts and what they are ... we can be fooled so easily by the release of certain chemicals or nerves being manipulated, it is a scary thought... Or is it just a parasite making me scared of that thought? Are our thoughts our own? ... We think we are in control but it may only be a matter of time before some tiny parasite turns us into mindless zombies.
Here is an example of a parasite that turns ants into zombies...
The ant would dry up if he sat on the grass during the day and this is why the lancer liver fluke has evolved to only take over the ants actions when it is cooler. The ant just sits there all night because he thinks that's what he should do. It is insane!
This next example will hit a bit closer to home ...
Don't go crazy and kill the cat ... the research continues but Toxoplasmosis (the infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii) can be fatal to people who are HIV positive or to unborn babies in women who are not already infected (pregnant women are advised to not change litter trays when pregnant). The best way to avoid infection is it to wash your hands regularly and not eat raw meat.
Now, I don't expect you to take my word for it ... go do a little digging yourself if you found this interesting. Just don't go digging in the litter tray!
Evil Dead: New Vs Old
I went to see the "reimagining" of Evil dead today ... I'm sure you are waiting with baited breath to hear my opinion (haha!) so I will just get to it ...
It's pointless
A pointless remake with a pointless script. There was no need to make this movie.
I was actually looking forward to this remake as I'd read that it was "the most terrifying film (I) will ever experience" ... I expected jumps, scares, and gore. I wanted to leave that cinema traumatised ... but I didn't jump once, I wasn't grossed out by the gore, and I was never even slightly scared. I left the cinema disappointed.
If "reimagining" a horror movie means taking a truly ground breaking horror movie and stripping it of all originality until you are left with an incoherent mess of a run of the mill cabin in the woods story ... then it is mission accomplished. Bravo.
The possessed people (I refuse to call them Deadites as these are just people with contact lenses in and not the freaky disfigured creatures of old) make no sense as they die easily or just plain give up trying to kill people (I'm not joking; one of them just goes to sleep, never to be seen again).
The film falls into the same trap as other remakes ... it takes away the passion and grit from a low budget movie and they make it into a glossy turd.
Don't get me wrong ... there are some good little bits in it (sicking up blood and a scene with a nail gun spring to mind) but the highlights aren't enough to save this pathetic attempt at horror. The biggest issue being that the film makes you promises of something horrific and freaky about to happen but completely misses the mark after building up the tension...
The Book of the dead shows you what is due to come next (something that looks freakin' gross and cool!), it builds up the tension, and then something mediocre that slightly resembles the page in the book happens (Imagine a sign on a door that has a drawing of Dinosaur eating a Giant shark on it, your fear and excitement build as you slowly open the door, only to find a mild mannered sparrow eating a bit of left over KFC ... and you've got an idea of what I mean).
I'll be honest ... If you aren't a fan of the original ... you might think it is good but forgettable film. However, if you are a fan of the original, you will probably leave the cinema thinking the same as me "If you aren't going to make an Evil Dead 4 (which is what I really want) then you could have at least made a GOOD reboot, how hard can it be? COME ON".
I will say this ... There are 3 seconds in this movie that were Amazing ... the post credits scene ... it's just a shame that you have to go through the film and credits to get those 3 seconds of groovyness.
But, as always, I would love to hear your opinion on the movie!
Useless Websites
The internet is filled with some pretty obscure and useless websites (Smolemon included); but some are so obscure and useless that they become funny (or, depending how you look at it, depressing).
Remember that I have no control over these external sites so don't come crying to me if they change their content or anything. At time of writing this blog they were as expected.
Pylon of the Month shows us that beauty can even be found on the side of the M6 motorway. Every month a new photo and a (stunning) description of a new Pylon are posted to the world via this website. Is this useless knowledge or is it a valid appreciation of these majestic man-made structures? You decide!
Is it Tuesday will tell you if it is Tuesday or not. Valuable information ... or not? You decide!
The Cloud Appreciation Society does what it says on the tin ... appreciates clouds. Does this website feature useless information or does it provide a much needed service for the cloud enthusiast? You decide!
So after seeing these websites, are you enlightened that you have discovered something new? Or are you angry that you've just wasted a bit of your (ever shortening) life? You decide!
Your turn ... do you know any useless websites?
Secret ingredients: Bugs
So you've eaten a horse?
The horsemeat scandal has spurred me on to show that you eat much worse things and don't even know it. You might want to look at the ingredients a little more.
If you guys like this I will do some more, so let me know. There is a lot of material to dig into from the food industry. Nom Nom.
