Video games, one of the 'fathers of entertainment' for the male folks, has been around for decades. Just as we all await the official release of the PS5 – the fifth generation of the Play Station series, I'm going to tell you a real little story – to take you down the memory lane about the origin of this master entertainer.



Video games as we all know it now, owe their early invention to a Sanders Associates Inc. engineer, Ralph Baer. He and his team released his prototype, the “Brown Box”, in 1967. The “Brown Box” as it was then, was a TV connectable vacuum tube-circuit that could allow for two users to control cubes that pursued each other on the television screen. “Brown Box” at that time, had the ability for custom re-programming, to allow for the play of a variety of games, including table tennis, checkers and four sports games.

With the help of advanced technology available at that time, accessories including a light-gun for a target shooting game was added, and a the special attachment used for a golf putting game.
However, In 1972, Sanders Inc. licensed the system to Magnavox. Magnavox released the design as the Magnavox Odyssey, paving the way for all video game systems that followed.

After Magnavox was discontinued, due to the poor sales recorded, Sega was birthed. Sega and Taito  were the first companies to grab the attention of the public, with respect to entertainment, when they released the electro-mechanical games Periscope and Crown Special Soccer.

How Multi-Player Gaming Originated

In the late 1970s, a couple of restaurants in the U.S. commenced the installation of video games. This was due to a need ‘to capitalize on the hot new craze’. This innovation birthed the need for competition among players, who battled to beat and stay permanently at the top of the score table. At that time, multiplayer gaming only meant one thing — you’re stuck with gaming with your opponent ‘on the same screen’.



In 1973, an attempt to separate players from the same screen was made, with the creation of “Empire”— a strategic turn-based game for up to eight players — which was created for the PLATO network system. PLATO which is the acronym for: Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operation, was one of the first generalized computer-based teaching systems, initially developed by  The University of Illinois, but later taken over by Control Data (CDC), who ended up building the machines on which the system ran.

A quick look at the data usage log available on the PLATO system, a total amount of 300,000 user hours was spent, playing Empire between 1978 and 1985. In 1973, Jim Bowery released Spasm for PLATO — a 32-player space shooter — which is can pass as the genesis of a 3D multiplayer game.

While access to PLATO was daunted by factors like it’s high cost, we saw usage to be practically limited to large organizations such as universities, and Atari, who could fund the cost of the computers and connections necessary to connect the network.

PLATO can, however, be said to represent one of the first steps on the technological road to the Internet, and online multiplayer gaming as we know it today.

 Early Setbacks Of Video Game

In 1983, the North American video game industry suffered a “major setback” because of a dozen factors, which includes an inundation of game console market, competition from computer gaming, and a excess of over-hyped and overrated , low-quality games, such as the infamous E.T., an Atari game based on the eponymous movie. It’s considered the worst game ever, in the history of game creation.



In 2006, Ralph Baer donated his video game test units, production models, schematics and notes, to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History — as a way of paying tribute to his great entertainment innovation. His papers are kept in the Museum's Archives Center. In 2014, the Museum collected his workshop to become the landmark object for its Innovation Wing.




References: 1, 2 and 3

I fart, you fart, everyone farts! Fart is a natural gift given to all by nature. Farting comes with a huge relief to whoever it is that's relieved of it. It doesn't fail however, to come off as a strike to the nose of anyone who may be within its striking range. A fart can come off as a loud, most often, harmless 'missile', or sometimes, as a soft 'lethal' gas.

In recent times, robots have been used as a replacement for the jobs formerly done by humans. However, we humans never thought robots as a replacement for pole dancers in nightclubs - but that is exactly what is happening in Nantes, France.

A total of two robot dancers, equipped with high heels and a CCTV camera for a head, has debuted at the SC-Club in the French city of Nantes, to celebrate its fifth anniversary.
The bots which were developed by a British artist, Giles Walker, concealed their metal bodies with some plastics from mannequins.

In reference to their CCTV camera heads, British robotics developer, Giles Walker, said the robots aimed to "play with the notion of voyeurism". This however, raised the question of "who has the power between the voyeur and the observed person".

He conceived the idea about 10 years ago, and has toured and loaned out the robots over the past few years. Despite the rise of robot work forces, club owner Laurent Roue said the new members of staff will not replace the 10 human dancers who currently perform there, instead saying it was a way of honouring the technology.

He said: "For us, it's a wink, a homage in a way to robotics. "We need something human, warmth, physical contact, and this is really putting together opposites." He added: "To each his own."

 You may want to see the robot in action, watch the video below:



Source

Fibroid is a serious medical condition, prevalent in women. They are tumors which grows and develops in or on a woman’s uterus. These tumors sometimes, may tend to become quite enormous in size and cause severe abdominal pain, abdominal swelling and heavy periods. In some women, they cause no signs or symptoms at all. The growths are typically benign, or noncancerous.

Breast cancer has higher mortality rate than child birth and old age combined. This deadly disease affects one in eight women around the world ― and thousands of men. In 2016, it accounted for 30 percent of newly diagnosed cancers. Always going for screening or examining yourself can help in early detection of abnormal cells when it's still in it's early stages, which however, can increase your chances of survival. Mammograms are the best way to identify breast tumors early when they are easier to treat.
Breast cancer awareness goes far beyond knowing the statistics. It’s about active prevention, and being able to recognize the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, in hopes of detecting it in it's early stage.

The following five warning signs of breast cancer are ones that many women tend to shrug off, but recognizing them may be vital to saving your life.
 

1. A New Mole Or Change in an Existing Mole

Moles are mostly associated with skin cancer, however, they may also be linked to breast cancer. In one study, researchers followed 89,902 women  ages 40-65 years old, and noted their medical records over a period of 18 years. Researchers found that the women who had the most moles out of the group had a 13% higher risk of breast cancer than women who had no moles. If you notice a new mole, or any type of change in an existing mole, visit a health care professional.

2. A Cough or Hoarse Throat That Won’t Subside

Breast cancer can spread to the lungs, and it can be detected by a prolonged cough or hoarseness. Cancer spreads to the lungs in 60-70% of women who become terminally ill from breast cancer. The most common signs are shortness of breath and dry cough.

3. Changes in the Bladder or Bowels

Drying out the urethra is one of the changes that comes with hormonal changes, caused by breast cancer. These changes makes it difficult for you to control your bladder, when you're pressed. This is known as incontinence, and common signs include leaking urine during activities such as coughing, laughing, sneezing or exercising, experiencing sudden and urgent needs to urinate, and urination that takes longer than usual. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, make an appointment with your ASAP.

4. Fatigue 

Fatigue is common in breast cancer patients and survivors. Fatigue from cancer is not alleviated by sleep or rest. It’s typically very severe and often associated with high levels of distress, unrelated to amount of exertion. Cancer-related fatigue is often accompanied by other symptoms such as pain, sleep disturbance and depression.

5. Unexplained Back Pain 

Back pain is a common medical problem — so common that 8 out of 10 people will experience it at some point in lives. However, back pain can also be a significance that breast cancer tumors are forming. Back pain associated with breast cancer may feel like pressure on the ribs and spine, or pain in the upper back that feels like it’s coming from the bones.

You May Watch The Video Below To Learn Further:



References: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Staying positive at all times, they say, is important for attracting goodness towards yourself. Just like the law of attraction asserts: "You attract what you think". That is to say that if you keep your mind always negative, you'll in-turn attract negativity to yourself and vice versa.
Feeling stressed or overwhelmed or being consumed by negative thoughts is often a part of the roller coaster of life for many people. But it doesn’t have to be. Making the decision to live a more positive life is the first step in kicking the negative thoughts that bring you down.

Follow the tips below to help relieve stress, find peace and live a happier life:

1. Know What You Need

Bringing back the energy of positivity into your life requires a few steps, the first step is to know what you really want. You might need time away from a stressful situation, a weekend trip to unplug and unwind, or you might need to reconnect with our support system like family and friends, or perhaps, you might just want a lone time. Whatever it is that you figured you need, make of it an utmost importance.

2. Never Cease To Focus On The Positive

It may appear to be of utmost difficulty, focusing only on the positives, when so many negatives seems to surround you. Striving however, without rest, to keep your focus only to the good things, instead of the bad, will make a huge difference in your life, your happiness and your inner peace ― trust me.

3. Take A Step Back And Breathe

The next time you find yourself in a negative situation, take a step back and breathe. It’s our mindset that matters, the way we approach things. When you’re able to keep your cool and stay in control, you’ll be able to find a solution. You might even find humor in an unfortunate situation!

4. Spread Positivity

Another good way of attracting  positive energy  into your life is by spreading it around! Reach out to others, whether they are friends, family members or complete strangers. Hold the door for the person behind you, pay for someone else’s coffee or surprise someone with an encouraging note. The more you share, the more positivity you’ll feel and attract to yourself!

5. Spend Time With Nature

Sometimes, what you really need is nature. Mother nature gives off positive vibes and relaxing energy that not even a massage can compete with. Spending time in the great outdoors can help remind you that you’re just one small part in this amazing creatures.

6. Be Honest With Yourself

Learning to be honest with yourself is a process. But once you get there, you’ll be a much happier and positive person. You’ll be able to find self-acceptance and inner peace – two things that make a world of difference when it comes to having a positive mindset.

7. Learn To Let Go

If you’ve made the decision to bring positive energy back into your life, it’s time to let go of the painful things you’ve been holding onto. You might never forget what happened, but releasing old grudges and finally learning to let go can give you a feeling of freedom and positivity like never before.

8. Clear Out The Clutter

Clutter is when you cover or fill your environment with an untidy collection of things, like in your car, home or workplace. Studies, however, shows that clutter can cause stress, even if you don’t realize it. If want to live a more positive life, it’s time to clear out the clutter! Cleaning and organizing your personal space can help you feel more positive and stress-free!

9. Feel Free To Feel Your Emotions

Being able to feel your emotions doesn’t make you a negative person, it only indicates you're human.When something painful happens, don’t be afraid to hurt. In as much as you may wanna try, you can’t always put on a brave face. So cry when you need to, scream when you need to, but however, don't allow yourself to feel that way for too long. You may want to feel that way for much longer time — stop! That's you nurturing negative energy.

References: 1, 2, 3 and 4

Medieval Ages, mainly marked the growth of the power of nobles in the society. “Justice” those days meant only one thing, TORTURE. Ancient torture methods were so brutal that they often resulted in death of the accused.
Europe’s Medieval period lasted from the 5th to the 15th century. During this time, torture was often used to extract confessions, or obtain the names of accomplices or other information about crimes.
Laws and local customs did not impose limits on the treatment of prisoners or the extent to which torture could be inflicted. In fact, confessions were not considered genuine or sincere when so-called “light torture” was used.

I bring you 9 horrifying ancient torture methods that will send a chill down your spine, each more scary than the other.

1. Judas cradle or Judas chair:

Using ropes, a prisoner would be lowered above the pyramid-shaped “seat” with the point inserted into the anus or vagina. Victims would be tortured by intense pressure and stretching of the orifice, resulting in permanent damage.
In many cases, the victim would succumb to rips in the muscle tissue that would later become infected. Weights would be added to facilitate the effect, often resulting in death by impalement.

2. Breast ripper

Adultery in the medieval times didn’t have an easy escape, especially for women. As the name suggests, this device was used to tear off the breasts of the woman who was accused of adultery(or at times self-abortion). The tool was popular in the Free State of Bavaria (Germany) until the nineteenth century.

The ripper made of iron would be heated red hot before it’s used on the accused, it would then be placed on the exposed breasts the spikes would then be penetrated deep inside the skin. This in turn causes a large  chunks of flesh to come off and causes huge loss of blood. The victim either dies or remains degraced for life.

3. Saw torture

This was a form of execution in which a living person was sawed in half, either longitudinally or transversely, through the central body mass. This was done either by sawing the individual in half across or along the body length.

4. Pear of anguish:

This heinous contraption was used during the Middle Ages as a way to torture women who were accused of facilitating a miscarriage. It was also used to punish liars, blasphemers, and homosexuals. The device was inserted into one of the prisoner’s orifices — the vagina for women, the anus for homosexuals, and the mouth for liars and blasphemers (which is why it’s also known as the Choke Pear).

The device featured four metal leaves that’s slowly separated from each other as the torturer turns the screw at the top. The torturer could use it to tear the skin, or expand it to its maximal size to mutilate the victim. It rarely caused death, but was often followed by other torture methods.

5. Boiling

In 1532, Henry VII of England, made boiling a legal form of capital punishment. It began to be used for the murderers who used poison after the Bishop of Rochester’s cook, Richard Rice mixed poison in the porridge resulting in the death of two people.

A huge cauldron filled with tar, lead or oil would be brought to boil, the accused would then be placed inside the cauldron so that he would be cooked slowly, or placed in head in the boiling liquid.

6. Concrete shoes

Introduced by the American Mafia for the execution of their enemies, traitors. The victim’s feet is placed inside cinder blocks and wet cement would be poured inside it. When the cement dries up, the victim will then be thrown into a river or other deep water body to drown and never rise afterwards.

7. Iron chair

In medieval Europe, the Chair of torture was one of the most common ancient torture methods. The victim is made to sit on the chair and to avoid movement the victim’s wrists are tied to the chair and two bars would then be pushed against it till the spikes penetrates the flesh and the arm held firmly.
The idea of this type of a torture was to create psychological fear among the other victims, and easy extraction of confession.

8. Head crusher:

This is as self explanatory as the pictures and name appears. The device, which is basically a vise for the head, slowly crushes the skull and facial bones when the screw at the top is being turned. Even if the torturer stopped before death, permanent damage to the facial muscles and structure would occur.

9. The brazen bull:

This one is incredible in every way. So the bull is made of Bronze and you place the victim inside it. Then you build a fire under the bull and it heats up slowly cooking the victim alive.
The ‘mouth’ and inner piping of the bull was built in such a way that the screaming of the victim inside sounded like the bellowing of an angry bull. Interesting fact, the creator this device was considered so sadistic that he was killed by the very King who he’d created it to impress.

References: 1, 2 and 3

A normal tongue is meant to be red in colour, so if your tongue has a different colour, then there obvious is a problem. The tongue is covered with papillae – small nodules on the tongue that give it a rough texture.

When food debris, bacteria and dead cells become lodged between inflamed papillae, white tongue occurs. It’s usually harmless and temporary, but it can also be an indication of an infection or a serious condition.

The most common cause of white tongue is dehydration. A dry mouth is a breeding ground for bacteria. Brushing your teeth and tongue less than twice a day increases your risk of developing white tongue. It can also be caused by an overgrowth of candida, which is a fungus that causes yeast infections or oral thrush.

Candida often lives inside the mouth. The problem arises when it accumulates. It can spread to the roof of the mouth, the gums, tongue, tonsils and the back of the throat. This creates white tongue, lesions, redness and even bleeding.

White tongue that cannot be scraped off and doesn’t go away after using antifungal treatments may be the result of a more serious condition. A white tongue accompanied by a sore throat may be symptoms of strep throat. White tongue can be caused by any of these factors:

• Dehydration
• Poor oral hygiene
• Illness or infection
• Dry mouth
• Fever
• Reaction to certain medications, such as antibiotics or steroids
• Candida yeast infection (oral thrush)
• Smoking or tobacco use
• Alcohol use
• Spicy food such as habanero and jalepeno peppers
• Congenital heart disease in adults

Natural Treatment for white tongue:

1. Baking Soda:

Baking soda is able to exfoliate the tongue, removing any residue that causes white tongue. It also helps maintain good pH levels in the mouth by neutralizing acids. Simply mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with lemon juice until it creates a paste. Add the mixture to your toothbrush, then brush your tongue and mouth.

2. Coconut Oil Pulling

Coconut oil pulling is a great way to remove bacteria from the mouth. Research has shown it to be just as effective as mouthwash at improving bad breath and reducing the microorganisms that can cause bacteria buildup in the mouth. Swish 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in your mouth for 10-20 minutes then spit it out in the trash. Rinse your mouth with warm water then brush your teeth as usual.

3. Sea Salt:

Thanks to the natural antibacterial properties of sea salt, gargling can help eliminate bacteria in the mouth that causes white tongue. The coarse texture of sea salt also works as an exfoliate. Combine sea salt and water to create a mouthwash. Use the mouthwash, then brush your teeth and tongue with the sea salt.

4. Aloe Vera Juice

  Aloe Vera has natural antibacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s commonly used to heal infections and treat burns. It can be used to remove dead cells and destroy bacteria in the mouth. Swish 1 tablespoon of Aloe Vera juice in your mouth 2-3 times daily until the coating his disappeared.

5. Probiotics

Oral thrush and white tongue can be caused by an imbalance of healthy bacteria in your gut. Eating probiotic foods helps to balance your bacteria and treat health conditions related to candida. Probiotic foods include, unsweetened yogurt, dark chocolate, pickles etc

References: 1, 2 and 3