DVD: The Incredible Hulk – The Complete First Season finally released on DVD

The complete first season of the hit 80’s TV series, The Incredible Hulk, starring the late Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno has finally been released on DVD! It is on sale now at Amazon.com. Here’s the trailer for the DVD release:

Low testosterone levels associated with increased risk of death in men

If you are a male over the age of 40, go check up regularly, and have your doctor look at your testosterone levels; EurekAlert writes:

“Men who have a low testosterone level after age 40 may have a higher risk of death over a four-year period than those with normal levels of the hormone, according to a report in the August 14/28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

Men with low testosterone levels had an 88 percent increase in risk of death compared with those who had normal levels. When the researchers considered other variables that may influence risk of death, such as age, other illnesses and body mass index, the association between low testosterone levels and death persisted.”

There are more diseases/conditions that science associate with low testosterone levels, such as an increased Alzheimer risk:

“Older men with lower blood levels of testosterone, the primary male sex hormone, could have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than older men with comparatively higher testosterone levels. Researchers funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) report preliminary data supporting this conclusion in the January 2004 issue of Neurology.”

The May issue of Life Extension Magazine has an article explaining what they think is the 10 most important blood tests. In the article introduction we learn:

“Sadly, most annual medical check-ups involve the physician ordering only routine blood tests, if blood tests are ordered at all. Far too often, this blood work does not even test for important markers of disease risk. The consequences of failing to analyze blood for proven markers of disease risk are needless disability and death.

Blood tests have benefits that go far beyond disease prevention. In this article, we discuss the 10 most important blood tests that people over the age of 40 should have each year. Armed with the results of these tests, aging adults can work together with their physicians to avert serious health problems and achieve optimal health.”

And under subheading 9. Testosterone we can read:

“In men, testosterone levels normally decline with age, dropping to approximately 65% of young adult levels by age 75. This drop in testosterone is partially responsible for the significant physiological changes seen in aging men.

Low levels of testosterone are associated with numerous adverse health conditions, including diminished libido, metabolic syndrome, erectile dysfunction, loss of muscle tone, increased abdominal fat, low bone density, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, type II diabetes, and atherosclerosis. New research shows that low testosterone levels are a risk factor for ischemic heart disease in men.”

Video: The Great Regurgitator

The blog Attu sees all tells us of amazing feats from Stevie Starr, ‘The Great Regurgitator’:

“A young man with a Scottish accent greets an eager crowd. He holds up a light bulb, pops it into his mouth, and swallows it whole. The stunned silence turns into deafening applause.

This is the beginning of the most astonishing act you will ever see. A bizarre phenomenon in the world of showbiz, this ginger-haired, slightly built, thirty-four year-old baffles his audiences by swallowing a variety of items and then bringing them up again, not only dry and clean, but…to order.”

Damn Interesting has more information about these acts:

“The trick of a regurgitator’s act is simply a matter of controlled vomiting – learning to exercise the muscles of the stomach and throat at will, particularly the esophageal sphincters.”

Museum of Hoaxes has more information about Stevie Starr…

The Terror Diet: Stephen King on dieting

Stephen King looks at new ways to take off extra weight by:

“I hadn’t found a single diet that tried to scare people thin. Can you imagine? In a society that’s currently going bugwit about anthrax and North Korean missiles? Not one. And that’s just wrong. It was a short jump from there to what follows. Here, then, are the high points of what I call (modestly) the Terror Diet.”

Liverpool installs gym equipment in library

Exercise equipment, supplied by Technogym, has been installed at Liverpool’s Central Library. Instructors will be on hand to supervise and offer advice. If successful, the project will be rolled out to libraries across Liverpool. Wow!

icLiverpool.co.uk has more on the story:

“The idea is to encourage library users to “build fit bodies as well as fit minds”, said council fitness manager Mark Jones. But he assured book lovers the new mini-gyms would not spoil the hushed atmosphere at Liverpool’s Central Library on William Brown Street, where the scheme is being piloted.

Five new machines worth £12,000 will this morning be “discreetly” installed away from main reading areas, in the second floor computer area. He said the mini-gyms would be installed next to computer terminals, so anyone queuing to use the internet can take time for a quick workout.”

More about Liverpool’s Active City campaign at icLiverpool.co.uk.