This story was originally published on GizmodoPredicting the future is hard. It’s nearly impossible to know what technological marvels await in the next few years, let alone the next eight decades. Undaunted, we’ve put together a list of 10 super-advanced technologies that should be around by the year 2100.Some of these technologies are rather “out there”, but I’m reasonably confident in making these predictions. As radical as some of the items described here appear, most — if not all — should be around by the turn of the 22nd century. The reason has to do with an innovation that doesn’t appear on this list: Artificial superintelligence. As computer scientist I.J. Good aptly pointed out in the 1960s, “the first ultraintelligent machine is the last invention that man need ever make.”Once greater-than-human intelligence emerges in a machine — a development that could happen as early as the 2050s — all bets are off in terms of what’s technically possible. Intelligent machines will replace humans as designers and engineers, constructing the technologies of our dreams, including some we hadn’t even thought of. Here are just 10 of those technologies that could change virtually everything.

1. Brain-Linked Virtual Reality

Wearable VR-enabling devices like Oculus Rift are all fine and well, but no matter how sophisticated these sorts of gadgets become, a “true” sense of existing in an alternate reality will remain out of reach. What’s required is something a bit more… invasive — and by the time we reach the 2100s we’ll have found a way to create a virtual reality experience that’s indistinguishable from the real thing. Incredibly, these experiences will be fed directly to our brain, bypassing our normal sensory inputs to make it all the more believable.To get that intangible feeling of what it’s like to exist in our surroundings, we’ll need to go to the source of that experience: The human brain. Indeed, the brain (among other things) is a sensory processing device. All of the things we sense on a regular basis, whether it be the smell of your tacos or the glaring glow of your computer screen, are routed to your brain. As Morpheus put it so eloquently in The Matrix: “What is real?… If you’re talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and see, then ‘real’ is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.”Futurist Ray Kurzweil, author of The Singularity is Near, explained how this could come about in a Q&A about his book.

I see this starting with nanobots in our bodies and brains. The nanobots will keep us healthy, provide full-immersion virtual reality from within the nervous system, provide direct brain-to-brain communication over the Internet, and otherwise greatly expand human intelligence. But keep in mind that nonbiological intelligence is doubling in capability each year, whereas our biological intelligence is essentially fixed in capacity. As we get to the 2030s, the nonbiological portion of our intelligence will predominate.

Kurzweil’s time lines are probably a bit optimistic, but his concepts are sound; we’re finding new ways of breaching the blood-brain-barrier and creating microscopic machines that can travel around the body. And just as importantly, we’re creating a detailed map of the brain, including areas responsible for processing incoming sensory information.Once implanted in the brain, Kurzweil’s nanobots would locate the brain’s various sensory inputs and shut them down (for example, disrupting the electrical signals collected by the retina, ear and so on), making the person completely unaware of their actual surroundings (it would be the perfect sensory deprivation chamber. In place of these signals, the nanobots, fed by wireless transmission, would replace those missing signals, feeding the brain’s cortical regions with artificial senses — and an entirely new subjective experience. To the person, it would feel like they have been transported to another world.

2. Utility Fog

Devised by nanotech pioneer J. Storrs Hall, utility fogs are a swarm of nanobots, or “foglets”, that can take on the shape of virtually any object, and change its shape on the fly. Storrs came up with the idea when trying to imagine a futuristic seat belt. But instead of static straps and inflatable airbags, Hall imagined an intelligent cloud of interconnected snowflake-like foglets capable of morphing along with the movements of anything around it, including the passengers of cars.Utility fogs defy the imagination in terms of the technological sophistication required. Each foglet would measure just 10 microns across (roughly the same size as a human cell), be equipped with a tiny, rudimentary onboard computer to control its actions (which would be controlled externally by an artificially intelligent system) and a dozen telescopic arms that extrude outwards in the shape of a dodecahedron. When two foglets link up, they would form a circuit, allowing for the distribution of power and communications throughout the network. The foglets wouldn’t be capable of floating, but would instead form a lattice structure, called an octet truss, when holding hands in all 12 directions.A utility fog would work like programmable matter, capable of moving around, enveloping and and even transporting an object or person. More radically, utility fogs could be used to create a virtual world around a person — and even host a person who has uploaded themselves into this nano-infused cloud (similar to the foglet beings in Warren Ellis’ Transmetropolitan).

3. Space-Based Solar Power

As our civilisation struggles to mitigate the effects of climate change and transition into a more sustainable energy economy, it’s tempting to think we’ll never be able to meet our seemingly insatiable energy needs. Space-based solar power — an idea that’s been around since the 1960s — could solve this problem once and for all.Nearly 60 years ago, Peter Glaser envisioned solar powered satellites capable of transferring captured solar energy down to receiving dishes on the Earth’s surface via microwaves. A number of different schemes have been proposed since then, with Japan leading the way in terms of having an actual plan to get it done. Called the SBSP System, the Japanese orbital farm would run in a stationary orbit about 36,000km above the equator, where it would transmit energy to Earth using laser beams. Each satellite would target a 3km wide receiving station that could generate an entire gigawatt of electricity, which is enough to power a half million homes. For safety, the receiving station should be positioned far from human habitation, such as a desert or island.

4. Mind Uploading

By the turn of the 22nd century, many humans will have opted for a purely digital existence, one free of all biological constraints. Called mind uploading, or whole brain emulation, this will involve the meticulous copying of an existing biological brain. The scans would capture every cognitive detail down to the molecular level, and include memories, associations and even a person’s personality quirks.Futurists aren’t entirely sure how mind uploading will happen, but a critical step will be to make sure the important parts of a brain are copied, particularly those tied to a person’s sense of identity (namely the parahippocampus and retrosplenial cortex). This could involve “destructive” copying, where an existing brain is sliced or otherwise taken apart in order to record a person’s brain state and memories. Alternately, a sufficiently powerful brain scanner could be used to take a snapshot of a person’s brain, and then “pasted” into a computer capable of translating that information into a functioning mind. In order for an uploaded person to function “normally”, they would have to be equipped with a virtual bodyand environment.An important scientific and philosophical question to ask is whether or not this represents a true “transfer” of consciousness, and not just the mere copying of a person’s brain. What’s more, it’s not entirely clear if conscious self-awareness can be replicated in digital substrate. Frighteningly, each upload could be a kind of zombie that behaves and functions like the pre-existing person, but would in reality be nothing more than a script-driven bot.

5. Weather Control

It’s unlikely that our species will be able to completely control the weather by the end of the current century, but we should be able to put a serious dent into it. We’re already seeding clouds with particles to stimulate precipitation, and California has been doing this for nearly 50 years. During the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Chinese authorities fired 1100 rockets into the clouds to trigger downpours before the storms reached the capital city. There are even efforts to fire laser pulses into thunderclouds in hopes of drawing out lightning in a controlled manner.Looking ahead to the future, weather engineers could build massive wall-like structures to prevent devastating tornadoes from forming, or construct massive — and very strong — arrays of offshore turbines to suck the energy out of hurricanes. On that last prospect, a study in 2014 showed that a wind farm consisting of tens of thousands of individual turbines could reduce peak winds by up to 148km/h and decrease storm surges by up to 79 per cent. That would in effect reduce a hurricane’s power by an entire magnitude.More radically, we could eventually build a weather machine to create a programmable atmosphere. A particularly intriguing plan calls for a thin global cloud of small transparent balloons lifted up into the stratosphere, where it would shade or reflect the amount of incoming sunlight. A mirror would be placed inside each balloon, along with a GSP to monitor its location, an actuator to control its orientation and a small computer. Lifted by hydrogen, the “programmable green house gas” would come to a rest about 32km above the Earth’s surface. When the millions of mirrors face away from the Earth, they would reflect the sunlight back into space. This system, guided by AI, could influence weather patterns around the world, and turn marginally habitable areas into temperate regions.

6. Molecular Assemblers

Think 3D printers are amazing? Just wait until the arrival of molecular assemblers, a hypothetical fabricator described by nanotechnology pioneer K. Eric Drexler in his seminal book, Engines of Creation. Drexler described a molecular assembler as a device capable of manipulating individual atoms to build a desired product. If you’ve ever seen an episode of Star Trek in which a member of the crew uses a replicator to churn out a steaming hot cup of Earl Grey tea, then you’ve basically seen a molecular assembler, which some futurists refer to as fabricators, or fabs for short.Drexler basically argued that biological assemblers already exist, producing complex and wonderful structures like bacteria, trees and even you and me. Using the same logic, he figures we’ll eventually be able to tap into the mechanical properties of the uber-small, and use similar principles to produce objects of any shape, form or consistency.Fabs could introduce the world to an era of “radical abundance“, allowing us to produce items and materials that would otherwise be impossible to build, constructing them from the ground up (or more accurately, from the molecules on up). But these devices could even be used to produce items we’re familiar with, like food. To make a steak, for example, the fabricator would take base materials, such as carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen, and then arrange them into amino acids and proteins, which would then be assembled to form a steak.

7. Geoengineering

Disturbingly, the effects of climate change are likely irreversible. No matter what we do from now until the year 2100, the levels of greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere will continue to warm the planet.To prevent the many environmental calamities wrought by climate change — from rising sea levels and megadroughts through to superstorms and mass extinctions — we’ll begrudgingly have to start geoengineering the planet.Some notable geohacking proposals include cirrus cloud seeding to reduce reflectivity, stratospheric particle injection for solar radiation management, sulphur-aerosol injection to induce global dimming and simple solutions like tropical reforestation to restore the carbon balance. Other ideas include a giant space reflector (though that might be beyond our technological capacities by 2100), ocean fertilisation to spawn carbon-sucking algal blooms and ocean alkalinity enhancement to make the ocean less acidic. Clearly, there are no shortage of ideas, and we won’t be restricted to just one.The problem with geoengineering, of course, is that we could royally wreck our planet should something go wrong, and we may become dependent upon it. But desperate times will require desperate measures, and we’ll have little choice but to rely on complex climate models and supercomputers to ensure safety and efficacy.

8. Mind-to-Mind Communication

Ongoing advances in communications technologies and neuroscience will transform humanity into a telepathic species.The advent of direct mind-to-mind communication will bring us even closer together as individuals, and conceivably give rise to a “hive mind” — a vast network of interconnected minds working together over the future instantiation of the internet. In such a future, we may start to see the dissolution of the individual, and the rise of a collective mass consciousness.Remarkably, this future may be closer than we think. Back in 2014, an international team of researchers were the first to demonstrate a direct and completely non-invasive brain-to-brain communication system. During their experiment, two participants were able to exchange mentally-conjured words despite being separated by hundreds of kilometres. A year later, a separate team of researchers transmitted brain signals over the internet to control the hand motions of another person, allowing them to collaborate on a computer game. These systems, though extremely rudimentary, point to a future in which we can simply use our thoughts to converse with one another, and “telekinetically” control smart devices in our environment.

9. Fusion Power

Earlier this year, physicists in Germany used a two-megawatt microwave pulse to warm low density hydrogen plasma to 80 million degrees. The experiment didn’t produce any energy, and it only lasted for a quarter of a second, but it was an important step forward in the effort to harness an extremely promising form of energy production known as nuclear fusion.Unlike nuclear fission, where the nucleus of an atom is divided into smaller parts, nuclear fusion creates a single heavy nucleus from two lighter nuclei. The resulting change in mass generates a tremendous amount of energy that scientists believe can be harnessed into a viable source of clean energy. Eventually, fusion power could replace fossil fuels and conventional nuclear reactors.But to get there, scientists will have to figure out how to reliably and safely manage conditions typically found on the Sun. The problem is that fusion plasmas do not like to be contained; these free-flowing streams of protons and electrons are tough to wrangle. Our Sun holds on to its plasma with its intense gravity, but here on Earth, we’d have to rely on magnets or lasers to perform the same trick. Should a tiny fraction of the plasma escape, it would scar the wall of the machine, causing the fusion reactor to shut down.

10. Artificial Lifeforms

Not content to stop at genetic engineering, scientists of the future will be able to design and create new organisms from scratch — from microscopic synthetic bacteria through to redesigned humans reminiscent of the Replicants in Blade Runner.This burgeoning discipline, known as artificial life (or Alife), is the effort to recreate biological phenomenon with the help of computers and other synthetic media.The quest to create synthetic forms of life is already underway. Earlier this year, researchers from Synthetic Genomics and the J. Craig Venter Institute successfully created an artificial bacterial genome that, with its scant 473 genes, is smaller than anything found in nature.Further breakthroughs in this domain will help biologists explore the core functions of life, and to categorise essential genes within cells. Researchers could use “building block” cells like these to construct organisms with capacities not found in nature, including bacteria that can consume plastic and toxic waste, and microorganisms that can function like medicines inside the body.In a related breakthrough, a new initiative co-founded by Harvard Medical School’s George Church is seeking to create a synthetic human genome from scratch. The researchers say they’re content to stop once they figure out how to power cells with synthetic human DNA, but the same technology could conceivably be used to create artificial organisms and even designer humans.Any one of the technologies listed here has the potential to reshape our civilisation. What’s less clear is how these marvels will work in tandem with one another; the convergent effects of technology are often hard to predict. For example, the convergence of brain-linked VR, mind uploading and AI could result in a hybrid computer-based civilisation consisting of real-world humans, emulated brains and artificial intellects. Future geoengineering schemes could integrate weather control systems and engineered nanoparticles. And so on.The more predictions we make about our future technologies, the more difficult it becomes to know what the future might actually look like.

The post Ludicrously Advanced Technologies We Can Expect By The Year 2100 appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

If you lived 2017 with no regrets, what would you do?The youth travel specialists at Contiki asked more than 5,000 Millennials what travel experiences they’re putting at the top of their ‘No Regrets Lists’ next year. A dip in Iceland’s surreal Blue Lagoon came out on top of the travel trends heap, and the rest of 2017’s best bucket list adventures ain’t too shabby either.Contiki weren’t just interested in where Millennials are travelling – they also wanted to know why. ‘To learn about new cultures’ was the strongest motivator, but a significant number of survey participants said that social experiences were the most valuable, ahead of cultural, culinary, intellectual, adrenaline, and spiritual. The poll also revealed a growing interest in taking a gap year after high school, particularly amongst younger Millennials.Say what you will about this oft-maligned generation, they do appear to have good taste in travel. Check out their top five experiences for 2017:

#1 The Blue Lagoon, Iceland

Iceland has been steadily raising its profile amongst travellers, a trend it’s set to continue into next year. The dreamy, uber-Instagrammable Blue Lagoon in particular has been a huge hit. The water temperature hovers around a balmy 37-40 degrees, and the active minerals in the lagoon make it a killer natural skin regime. If you think the idea of bathing with 50 other people at one time is a bit gross, don’t – the water is self-cleansing, renewing itself every 40 hours.

#2 See The Pyramids Of Giza

The Great Pyramids of Giza define bucket list goals. Built over 5000 years ago, the oldest and largest of the pyramids is the Great Pyramid, the only surviving structure of the seven ancient wonders of the world. You may be tempted to capture the ultimate sneaker shot, like this 18-year-old daredevil did, but remember it’s illegal.

#3 Walk The Great Wall Of China

The world has a few famous walls, but the Great Wall of China is the longest of them all. Clocking in at a staggering 21,196 kilometres long and 2,300 years old, the Great Wall is the world’s most awe-inspiring feat of ancient defensive architecture. The phrase ‘they don’t make them like they used to’ springs to mind… as do a couple of Trump jokes.

#4 Chill Out In Byron Bay

If Millennials do anything well, it’s “chill out.” Australia’s Byron Bay is where they’d most like to do it next year, and who could blame them? This is beach perfection personified: relaxed hippy vibes, stretches of immaculate sand, inviting water, incredible food nearby. Spend your morning kayaking the mangroves and dolphin spotting, cycle on over to Tallows for secluded beach hangs, then end the day watching the sun set from the vantage point of the lighthouse.

#5 Learn How To Make Pizza In Italy

Pizza and Italy: two words that are inextricably linked. Places like New York and Chicago may have created their own famous twists on the classic, but there will always be something special about the original. And if you want to learn how to make it, there’s no better place than the motherland. Millennials are turning to pizza’s foremost experts – the locals – for lessons in kneading dough and dolloping sauce. Margherita mamma mia!That’s just the tip of the 2017 travel trends iceberg. Discover Contiki’s full top 20 experiences in the gallery above.

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Want to smell chic-er than you look, come date night? With hundreds of fragrances on the market right now, chances are your intimate friend has already smelled the likes of the common perfume classics, as well as some of those more modern fragrance offerings, that everyone seems to be spraying.So, when several leading luxury brands release (and relaunch) a new scent as part of their men’s grooming repertoire only weeks ago, it’s time to spritz a little something fresh, on that bland wrist.From Cartier’s refillable honey-yellow perfume to Ferragamo’s bottling of what it means to look (and smell) Italian, there’s a cologne to suit the pickiest taste in this mens’ fragrance round-up. Woody and rummy, fruity and floral, here are the best new fragrances for men, that are sure to get you over the line on date night.RELATED: Best Fragrances For Men

#1 Bulgari ‘Man Black Orient’

Like an exotic whiff of the Middle East, the new fragrance by Italian accessories master Bulgari is a must-have this season, especially if you prefer your liquor hard and your spices strong.Alberto Morillas is the perfumer behind the smell, who has softly sweetened the man-scent via rose and tuberose flower middle notes, alluring to the female nose but never feminine. Essentially, the ‘Man Black Orient’ is an oriental woody leather cologne, thanks to top notes of aged rum and cardamon. Then, the tanned leather enhances the fragrance’s ruggedness, making it a man’s man fragrance, but with a hint of elegance.

#2 Tauerville ‘Tuberose Flash’

The latest from Swiss perfumer Tauerville is the ‘Tuberose Flash’. It’s a bright and light fragrance for men that exhorts the tuberose plant — a grand white flower known for its hints of sweet citrus. Key notes mixed with the tuberose bulb include jasmine and orange.But it’s certainly not an overbearing flower dose. The sweetness is moderate with exotic scents thrown in to capture the pure Orient; namely, patchouli, amber and benzoin. Besides, you don’t want your floral cologne overpowering those roses you’ll be arriving at the restaurant with.

#3 Salvatore Ferragamo ‘Uomo’

Looking and dressing like an Italian is only really achieved when you embody the complete Italian lifestyle. So, the continental casa, Salvatore Ferragamo, has captured the sprezzatura scent of the Milanese with its new ‘Uomo’ fragrance.Rich and woody, Uomo blends Italy’s classic heritage with innovative chemistry, so you’re left smelling like the charms of the past — without the musty and dusty. Top notes are black pepper, cardamom and bergamot, atop of middle notes orange blossom and tiramisu (so Italian). But cashmere wood, sandalwood and tonka bean are the base, taking the cologne from Italian dessert to a pure potion of Italiano style. Bravo.

‘#4 Cartier ‘L’envol’

Perfumer Mathilde Laurent has spared no expense for French firm Cartier. The luxury brand’s latest fragrance ‘L’envol’, translated to mean ‘takeoff’, takes its scent from ambrosia mead, a honeyed wine known to be consumed by Greek deities.But, the most standout thing about the fragrance is the packaging —  a glass bulb suspended in a glass dome, which makes the scent look like a bottle of honey, so it’s part cologne, part feature piece on your bedroom dresser.Better yet, the bottle is refillable, achieved by opening the metal fillagreed — with Cartier’s signature braided ribbon motif — at the top. Too bad you can’t take the bottle to dinner.

#5 Jean Paul Gualtier ‘Le Male Essence de Parfum’

Forming part of Jean Paul Gualtier’s latest display of scents, the ‘Belle Perfumerie’ collection, ‘Le Male Essence de Parfum’ is a cheeky take on what typifies a masculine smell. Cardamom, citrus and lavender are strong components to the fragrance, as well as leather, which grounds the fragrance and gives it a svelte richness.Designed by perfumer Quentin Bisch, Gaultier’s bottling has much changed since the original male body container seen in his ‘Le Male’ archetype. Essence de Parfum this time comes in a chiselled Adonis-like glass, with broader shoulders and a narrower waist than previously. Smell great, and get some gym-spiration too. Pr-date prerequisites, really.

The post 5 New Fragrances That Will Get You Over The Line On Date Night appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

They say that nice guys finish last but a new study has revealed that we could have been wrong all along.

According to the latest results (and your nan), being generous is more attractive to a potential partner than being rich. Or you could just be both and take over the world…but we digress.

The University College London study found that society held a high regard for a man’s willingness to help or be generous versus a man’s ability to help through flaunting his wealthy.

The psyche behind this result lies in the fact that a sense of fairness as a personality trait is seen as permanent, whereas wealth can be lost in tough times such as a recession. The latter is where a nice guy can purportedly get the upper hand in the dating scene.

How the University came about with these results was rather intuitive, if not a bit convoluted.

800 people along with their partners played an online game where wealth was created by giving someone either $2.50 or 50c. That money would then be given the option of being shared by either 50% or 20%.

Those partners who knew what they had chosen in prior games would choose the fair people over the tightass ones, even when they had more money to share.

To explain this concept further, Lead author Nichola Raihani says that, “From an evolutionary point of view, this is the sensible thing to do. You don’t want to partner up with someone who is always giving you the short end of the stick, you want someone willing to go 50/50 as a longer-term strategy.”

In her research paper Raihani stipulates that, “In hunter–gatherer societies, those who hunt successfully and are also willing to share the spoils with others form more profitable relationships than those who are successful but do not share.”

At the end of the experiment it was found that people prioritised a partner’s willingness to help even when their wealth was uncertain. This was proved in the game by telling the ‘choosers’ in the relationship that their rich partners could unexpectedly become poor in which they still opted for a fair partner.

Still, some may dispute these findings given that it was based on rich people given $2.50 and poor people given 50c as opposed to a much larger scale of money. Would potential partners still care little about wealth if it was on a scale of millions? Only more research would be able to tell.

The paper concluded that: “In this study, the fact that choosers preferred poor-fair partners over rich-stingy ones (particularly when wealth was unstable) indicates that they believed that fairness was a relatively stable trait.”

Sounds like a plan. Now make sure you know where not to invest your hard earned dollars.

[via Daily Mail]

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Dubai’s flamboyant rise to fame has the whole world watching. From its 18th century origins as a fishing village, to its growing relevance as a trading port, to the booming oil era and the unparalleled glitz of the modern city, Dubai is the jewel in the crown of the UAE.Here you’ll find some of the planet’s most impressive structures, including the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, and the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab, a hotel frequently referred to as “the world’s only 7-star.” Along with the record-breaking architecture and the extravagant hotels, Dubai is home to indoor ski slopes, man-made islands, multiple water parks, dozens of mega malls, and long stretches of inviting golden sand.It’s easy to see why the city has become known as a playground for the rich – the Manhattan of the Middle East – and draws millions of visitors each year. Dubai has all the hallmarks of a perfect tourist destination, but there are caveats.Beneath its glossy veneer and seemingly liberal ways, Dubai is an Islamic state, and tourists are expected to comply with local customs or risk consequences. Learning Dubai etiquette is essential for any smart traveller. Below are some general rules to abide by to avoid causing offence or running afoul of the law.

Religion

Faith is at the heart of many of Dubai’s laws and social observances. Islam is the official state religion of the UAE, and though significant populations of other religious communities reside in Dubai, the emirate operates in accordance with Muslim traditions. Mosques are dotted throughout the city and the call to prayer, the adhan, rings through the streets daily.Travellers must remain respectful of all local religious beliefs and practices while in Dubai. Those who are curious to learn more can visit one of the mosques open to non-Muslims. The magnificent Jumeirah Mosque is the most famous and accessible. Both men and women are encouraged to dress modestly when visiting mosques, and traditional clothing may often be borrowed for free before entering.Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, is observed by Muslims with a month of fasting. From dawn to sunset, Muslims refrain from consuming food and drinking liquids, and exercise restraint around other sinful behaviors like smoking, sexual activity, and cursing. Tourists who visit during the holy month should refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and any loud activities in public during daylight hours. Non-Muslims may eat and drink in designated areas (often found in larger hotels ) during any hours, then join Dubai’s Muslim population as they break their fast at night with a traditional meal called iftar.

Dress

Appropriate dress is a key piece of basic Dubai etiquette. All visitors should dress modestly, particularly if visiting religious sites and other conservative areas. Emirati men traditionally wear a long and loose-fitting white robe that goes by a variety of names, along with a headscarf. Footwear is often sandals, sometimes sneakers or dress shoes.As a tourist, you are not required to adopt the same dress code, though you may find it excels at keeping you cool in Dubai’s desert climate. Male visitors should not wear anything that’s transparent or exposes too much of the body (even shorts may draw stares in some places). Avoid any clothing with offensive pictures or slogans. Do not go shirtless in public. Cover more if you plan to enter a mosque. The exceptions to Dubai’s sartorial rules are the beach, pools, and waterparks, where skimpier clothing and all kinds of swimwear are admissible.

Civilities

Foreigners in Dubai may discover two sides to the city. On one hand, its deep religious ties necessitate a code of behaviour that seems strict to westerners. Public drunkenness is not just frowned upon, it can lead to a fine (or worse). Public displays of affection beyond holding hands are similarly taboo and have landed visitors in hot water. Noise disruptions, foul language, obscene gestures, and showing scorn for local religion or leaders can also lead to legal trouble.But don’t let Dubai’s labyrinth of laws and customs scare you off. Once you’re on the ground, many visitors find the locals to be warm, welcoming, and more open-minded than expected. Courtesy and hospitality are valued highly in Dubai; provided you are not blatantly disrespectful, you will be treated to both.A few basic niceties to keep in mind: gesture with a whole hand rather than a finger, avoid showing the soles of your feet or pointing your foot at anyone, only shake hands with Arab women if they initiate, remove your shoes (and make sure your socks are clean) when entering someone’s home.

Invitations

If you’ve made an effort to follow the above guidelines, you may find yourself invited to break bread with a local. Along with discarding footwear, guests should observe a variety of polite practices.It’s customary to inquire after someone’s health after shaking hands. Expect similar enquires to be made in return. If business is on the menu, do not bring it up until the cordial small talk is complete and you have accepted any refreshments offered by your host. Stand when new guests enter the room, particularly if they are older or higher-ranking people. Men should also stand when a woman arrives.Be gracious in accepting food and drink whenever it’s offered. Take both with your right hand. This is also the hand you should use when eating, as the left is considered unclean. Sit with your feet flat on the ground to avoid unintentionally exposing your soles and do not cross your legs. You are not expected to have a native’s grasp of Dubai’s social subtleties, but a little knowledge goes a long way.

Other Do’s And Don’ts

A few final words before we send you off to explore the diverse, dynamic city of Dubai solo. Abide by these six last tips to keep yourself clear of any legal trouble – because even if the cop cars are Bentleys and McLarens and Lambos, it still sucks to be in the back of one.

1. Alcoholic beverages should only be consumed in licensed bars, restaurants, and clubs, most of which are inside or attached to Dubai’s hotels.
2. Drinking and driving is strictly prohibited and police take a zero tolerance approach. Even one drink isn’t safe if you plan to get behind the wheel.
3. It is illegal for a man and woman who are not married to cohabit in the UAE. Hotels generally turn a blind eye to unwed western couples staying together, but many travellers refer to each other as husband and wife to avoid causing conflict. Luxury hotels are particularly relaxed.
4. Avoid taking pictures of government buildings and any Emiratis, especially women, unless you have their permission.
5. Drugs are strictly forbidden in any amount. Buying, selling, or using narcotics is a serious crime that can result in imprisonment and deportation. Some medications prescribed in other countries are also forbidden in the UAE. Check your embassy website for further information before bringing over-the-counter drugs or prescriptions into the country.
6. The following are also criminal acts in Dubai: sex outside of marriage, adultery, having a baby out of wedlock, prostitution, homosexuality, cursing and rude gestures, bouncing a cheque.

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Conor McGregor recently received a lucky charm from Rolls-Royce ahead of his UFC 205 fight on the weekend and it looks to have paid off.The custom Rolls-Royce Ghost will be unmistakable around town as it features McGregor’s face along with his alias, ‘NOTORIOUS’, emblazoned across the special matte black body work.Some may call it uniquely McGregor whilst luxury car purists will call it a hedonistic display of having more expendable income than sense. Regardless, there’s no doubting McGregor’s ability to match his talk with his brutal skill in the octagon.The standard 2016 Rolls-Royce Ghost packs a 6.6-litre V12 and retails for a cool US$250,000 (AU$675,000). McGregor’s one is rumoured to have costed an extra $100,000 to account for a host of flashy interior and exterior upgrades to suit his loud persona.We’re not sure about you guys but we think it’s the perfect car to join our list of badass cars for the everyday gangster.

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In the real world the Barack Obama-Joe Biden relationship is a bromance like no other. With the Trump presidency gearing up for The White House occupancy, millions of Obama-Biden confidants have teamed together to create a series of memes depicting what the outgoing Vice President of the United States has been scheming in preparation for their departure from office.

The humorous memes were made to send off Obama in a lighthearted way but also manages to take a swipe at Trump’s management style in the most internet-savvy way imaginable – take a professional image, add own caption.

Now who said saying goodbye was hard?

Scroll through the memes below to make your start of week a bit more bearable.

“I left a Kenyan passport in your desk, just to fuck with him”
“Joe”
“Oh and a prayer rug in your bedroom. He’s gonna lose it!”
“Dammit Joe” pic.twitter.com/mEWo91OLuA

— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) November 11, 2016

Biden: “Guess who just upper-decked the toilet outside the Oval Office?”
Obama: “Dammit Joe, I have to live here for two more months” pic.twitter.com/xBGOslRIRa

— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) November 11, 2016

Biden: I changed the wifi password.
Obama: Joe…
Biden: It’s “PssyGrbbr45” now.
Obama: No, Joe.
Biden:… pic.twitter.com/hA6ozU0Hww

— Khary Penebaker (@kharyp) November 12, 2016

Joe: I hid all the pens from Trump
Obama: Why?
Joe: Because he bringing his own.
Obama: ???
Joe: HE’S BRINGING HIS OWN PENCE pic.twitter.com/uni3WUd4X3

— The Hashtagonist (@TheHashtag0nist) November 12, 2016

Joe: I’m going to ask Donald if he wants something to eat
Barack: That’s nice, Joe
Joe: And then I’m going to offer him knuckle sandwiches pic.twitter.com/xYJ0k2QTX6

— Jill Biden (@JillBidenVeep) November 13, 2016

“barack please don’t leave me with them”
“joe you’re leaving when I leave”
“oh right lmao love u” pic.twitter.com/zfIt3Bv0wl

— heather (@witchyvibe) September 27, 2016

Barack: Sign here, and here
Joe: And then the adoption is final & you and Michelle are my parents?
Barack: No, Joe pic.twitter.com/M5yf2SDuFG

— Jill Biden (@JillBidenVeep) November 13, 2016

[Writing the State Of The Union]
OBAMA: So I’ll say the state of the union is…
BIDEN: On fleek. Say it’s on fleek. pic.twitter.com/5LLGvuRTha

— Jamie Woodham (@jwoodham) January 21, 2015

Biden: You know he needs an official gov’t phone right? Imma give him a Note 7.
Obama: But Joe, don’t those….
Biden: Exactly. pic.twitter.com/HFXzpSN9Kj

— Tatiana King Jones (@TatianaKing) November 13, 2016

Obama: “Joe, why are you still holding my hand?”
Biden: “I wanna freak Mike Pence out”
Obama: “But why?”
Biden: “Just roll with it” pic.twitter.com/o5KZZ0Ysgz

— thomas moore (@Thomas_A_Moore) November 12, 2016

“Yes Mr. Trump, I took Joe’s pocket knife away and we’ll get you some new tires for that limo right away, but I can’t make him say sorry” pic.twitter.com/wULtfJqu85

— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) November 11, 2016

Biden: I just don’t see what’s wrong with a friendly bipartisan message
Obama: Joe, you spray painted “Tiny Hands Bitch” on the White House pic.twitter.com/ueiUTuZIlN

— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) November 12, 2016

Obama: Check pl-
Biden: Actually, we’ll take five more milkshakes and you can bill the White House on January 21st pic.twitter.com/KVcdBtQHAe

— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) November 12, 2016

The post Joe Biden Is Ruling The Internet With Hilarious White House Pranks appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Men, it’s time to stop your rain dancing. With the warmer seasons shifting towards the southern hemisphere, the hours spent frolicking outdoors are sure to increase and with that comes the debilitating effects of that nasty son of a bitch, sunburn.

Sunburn is caused by prolonged UV exposure from the sun. As “healthy” as a tan may look, prolonged tanning over the years can age a man’s skin quicker than Donatella Versace or worse, lead to skin cancer. And now for the bad news. Once you’ve been burnt by the sun, the deed has already been done.

The good news? Here are the best ways to alleviate the stinging pain and speed up the skin recovery to get you back in the game.

#1 Cool It Down, Quick Fast

You’ll know you’re sunburnt when you feel a tingling sensation on your skin which is tender. Don’t push your luck by staying out. As soon as you notice this it’s your job to cool it down for a few seconds to ease the burn.

If you’re at the beach or lake, look for a fresh water shower and run cold water over the burns for 30 seconds to a minute. Any longer and you’ll dry your skin out further to cause irritation.

Also avoid using soap or detergents and apply cold compresses where necessary with ice water. Avoid applying it directly to the burn, instead dampen a towel and use that instead.

#2 Moisturise When The Skin Is Still Damp

There’s no point in applying sunscreen after the burn has been done. Instead, opt for a moisturising lotion specifically made for burns and cracking skin.

It’s a sure bet you’ll look like a tomato or a peeling Leather Face for the next week so go for non-petroleum or oil-based ointments to treat the burnt area.

Lucas Pawpaw Ointment has been proven in the harsh Australian climate so go for something similar to this. Besides keeping the skin moisturised, the ointment will also help mask ugly peeling skin.

#3 Contain The Inflammation

If the sunburn is severe and the pain is unbearable, taking a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug is also recommended. This is your typical over-the-counter ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin which can help alleviate the discomfort. The drugs can be taken until the pain resides.

As a more practical solution, be sure to wear loose fitting clothes over the coming days to allow the skin to breathe and avoid chaffing or itching.

#4 Drink Lots Of Fluids

Your body is working overtime to restore dead skin cells on the burnt skin so help it out by replenishing it with fluids. Drink fluids such as water and sports drinks with electrolytes – no alcohol as this will dehydrate you even more, causing your body to work overtime as it attempts to break down the alcohol whilst regenerating your skin.

#5 Visit A Doctor If Unsure

If the sunburn is severe and has occurred on over 50% of your body, it’ll be best to drop by the doctors to see what they say (unless you want to be a walking ointment). If blisters occur then definitely see a doctor as leaving it to be could lead to infection and prolonged recovery time.

#6 Lesson Learnt (No chance)

Once sun damage has occurred there’s no reversing it. You’ll also remember the pain quite vividly so use this as a warning to apply sunscreen and proper UV protection the next time you’re ready to hit the beach. Your 50-year-old self will thank you for it later.

The post How To Treat Sunburn When You're A Man (A Typically Lazy One) appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The Vespa family is getting a brand new member. Meet the Vespa Elettrica, the iconic Italian brand’s very first foray into electric motors.If you watched Leonardo DiCaprio’s recent climate change documentary and are scared shitless for the future of our planet, this one’s for you. The Elettrica will run on Vespa’s first eco-friendly electric motor. According to the Piaggio Group’s statement, the scooter will retain the “style, agility, ease of use and riding pleasure” Vespa has built its name on, with the addition of that Earth-conscious engine and “technological and innovative connectivity solutions.”What exactly “connectivity” means remains to be seen . Details are scarce so far – no specs, no pricing, just images and a press release. What we do know is the Elettrica boasts a stark metal body with electric blue accents. It’s not hard to imagine a slightly more souped-up version – maybe one that hovers – appearing in a sci-fi film. The eye-catching look may not appeal to everyone, but early reports seem pleased with its Italian-chic-meets-Minority–Report aesthetic.And now the bad news: a cleaner, smarter scooter is almost guaranteed to come with a bigger price tag. Gizmodo predicts it could clock in near the US$10,000 mark. Although electric scooters can be had for cheaper, they don’t come with the quality and prestige of the Vespa name.Piaggio Group says the Elettrica will drop in the second half of 2017, so you have at least six months to save up.

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