Explosive-Bomb

There is no standard formula for a dry ice bomb, however a generic form is
as follows:

Take a 2-liter soda bottle, empty it completely, then add about 3/4 Lb of
Dry Ice (crushed works best) and (optional) a quantity of water.

Depending on the condition of the bottle, the weather, and the amount and
temperature of the bottle the bomb will go off in 30 seconds - 5 minutes.
Without any water added, the 2-liter bottles will go often in 3-7 minutes if
dropped into a warm river, and in 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours in open air.

The explosion sounds equivalent to an M-100. _Plastic_ 16 oz. soda bottles
and 1 liter bottles work almost as well as do the 2-liters, however glass
bottles aren't nearly as loud, and can produce dangerous shrapnel.

Remember, these are LOUD! A classmate of mine set up 10 bottles
in a nearby park without adding water. After the first two went off (there
was about 10 minutes between explosions) the Police arrived and spent the
next hour trying to find the guy who they thought was setting off M-100's
all around them...

USES FOR DRY ICE

Time Bombs:

1. Get a small plastic container with lid (we used the small plastic cans
that hold the coaters used for large-format Polaroid film). A film canister
would probably work; the key is, it should seal tightly and take a fair
amount of effort to open).
Place a chunk of dry ice in the can, put on the lid without quite
sealing it. Put the assembled bomb in your pocket, or behind your back.
Approach the mark and engage in normal conversation. When his attention
is drawn away, quickly seal the lid on the bomb, deposit it somewhere
within a few feet of the mark, out of obvious sight, then leave.
Depending on variables (you'll want to experiment first), you'll hear a
loud "pop" and an even louder "Aarrggghhh!" within a minute, when the CO2
pressure becomes sufficient to blow off the lid.
In a cluttered lab, this is doubly nasty because the mark will proabably
never figure out what made the noise.

2. Put 2-3 inches of water in a 2-liter plastic pop bottle. Put in as many
chunks of dry ice as possible before the smoke gets too thick. Screw on the
cap, place in an appropriate area, and run like hell. After about a minute
(your mileage may vary), a huge explosion will result, spraying water
everywhere, along with what's left of the 2-liter bottle.

More things to do with Dry Ice:

Has anyone ever thrown dry ice into a public pool? As long as you chuck it
into the bottom of the deep end, it's safe, and it's really impressive if the
water is warm enough

"Fun stuff. It SCREAMS when it comes into contact with metal..."
"You can safely hold a small piece of dry ice in your mouth if you
KEEP IT MOVING CONSTANTLY. It looks like you're smoking or on fire."

Editor's Note: Dry ice can be a lot of fun, but be forewarned:

Using anything but plastic to contain dry ice bombs is suicidal. Dry ice
is more dangerous than TNT, because it's extremely unpredictable. Even a
2-liter bottle can produce some nasty shrapnel: One source tells me that he
caused an explosion with a 2-liter bottle that destroyed a metal garbage can.
In addition, it is rumored that several kids have been killed by shards of
glass resulting from the use of a glass bottle. For some reason, dry ice bombs
have become very popular in the state of Utah. As a result, dry ice bombs have
been classified as infernal devices, and possession is a criminal offense.

50 Fun things to do in a final that does not matter (i.e. you are going

This file is mostly for all the pussies who get their lunch money stolen and
their asses kicked everyday in school. You want to be able to fight back don't
you? You want to be able to defend yourself, right? You want to keep your
money most of all! Well here's how to do it.

-Martial arts are hard to follow and sometimes you have to see what is being
done rather than reading it. Now self defense is nothing to play with. Please
don't mess around with this. You could seriously hurt someone. Break their
arms, legs, necks. You could even kill someone, so don't mess around.

BLOCKS - Blocks are supposed to deflect your opponent's attack. Blocks are
always half face twisting your hips. So if you miss a block and you are half
faced the opponent will most likely miss you. When you block make sure you
hit the opponents wrist, or ankle if he is kicking at you. There are many
types of blocks such as rising blocks, which block punches to the head. Middle
forearm blocks, block punches to the stomach. Downward blocks, block a gadon
(punch to the private) punch or kick.

KICKS - When you kick, point your knee at your opponent and kick with the ball
of your foot and stretch it out. Practice by kicking something soft using only
the ball of your foot. Make sure when you kick you snap your leg back so the
opponent doesn't grab it. For a sidestep kick you get into a kibadachi stance
(a type of stance where your feet point inward and your knees point outward
and you put pressure on your knees). Cross one foot over the other. Take one
leg and bring it up to your other leg while still staying low. Point your knee
and kick. When you come back down get into your stance.

BASICS -

Sparring: This is a form of practice fighting where you aren't really
fighting. One of your opponents steps forward doing a downward block. He is
either going to attack with a punch to the face or stomach or a kick. The
reciever is supposed to step back or do a side block. He also has the option
of striking. When you block, you instantly strike afterwards. It's important
always to go back into stance and twist your hips when you strike. If you are
in a real fight, keep on going and don't always use a fixed position. In a real
fight, if you manage to get your opponent on the ground, KEEP HIM THERE. make
sure he/she can't get up. Sometimes in sparring you can follow with combos
or strike before your opponent strikes. Most important, wait for the punch to
come and THEN strike. Remember this is self defense.

Slips: For a slip when your opponent attacks, take your arm and catch the punch.
Then you twist his arm and kick. Take the same leg you used to kick and put it
behind his leg. Then bring him down. Make sure when you slip you strike with
a punch downward to his face or stomach. Another is, when he strikes at you
block with the palm of your hand and sweep using your foot to your opponents
foot. When you do this don't try to sweep by the leg, use the foot.

In self defense remember that by not attacking you are defending yourself.
So only use this in self defense. Don't start shit because you think you're
tough. You could kill or damage someone really bad.

This works best if you happen to have alot of deralict friends, as
I do... Your first day of school you should bring the following items, to
insure a prosperous school year:

1) Fountain pen (and extra ink refills)
2) 3 tubes of Super Glue (Krazy Glue)
3) Pennies (about $1.00 worth)
4) Baloons (small sized for convieniance)
5) Mirror (small hand held)
6) Liquid soap
7) Lighter, (matches as alternat)
8) Firecrackers (ladyfingers are great)
9) Screwdrivers and other tools (small)
10) Small squeezable bottles (like nasal de-congestant type)
11) Wire (10-20 ft)
12) Tape recorder mic. (batter operated pref.)
13) Ziplock baggies
14) Half of an orange
15) Ligth bulb (75 watts and over are great)

This will do for now... Some of the cool things to do are, take the
pennies and glue them to the cafeteria tables, (and watch the custodians
try to get 'em off). (this also looks good with silver dollars glued to the
fire alarm (so it goes off when the custodian attempts to remove the coin)
and to a door someplace.... (principals preferably))

Another thing to do with a coin is, heat it up over a bunson burner
(in chem) and just as the bell rings, toss the coin into the hall, I will
guarantee you will know when the coin is picked up... While your using the
bunson burner, fill your little squeeze bottle with gas, then cap it tight
and put it in your pocket... later, take a firecracker, and glue it to the
bottle, use a cigarette as a fuse extension, then put it in the bathroom,
and get to class fast... (gas and glue make a nice flame)...

While your in the bathroom, place a light bulb over the door, and
when the superintendant goes to see what the explosion was, he gets a
nice little surprise...

Now for the wire, if you can access a room near your locker, when
no one is in the room, take off the speaker cover on the pa system, and
hook 2 wires from it, to your mic. ( then into your locker) This is good
for getting your friends out of classes... Just ask for them... (use your
tools for that one, and try to be neat about it)...


Now for your mirror, you can use this for getting your, uh...
"Friends" locker combanation.... after you get that, take that little
baggie you got, and put the orange in it... let it sit for a week or
four, then open the baggie, and place it in your friends locker... I
can guarentee he/she will love it...

Another thing that is fun to do, is, Take a penny, and glue
it over the key hole on your friends gym locker, just after he goes
out, thus he has to truck around all day in his gym stuff, (unless
you rent him your screwdriver to pry the penny off)

Ballons are fun to play with in chem lab, fill them with the
gas that you get out of the taps on the lab desks, then tie up the
baloon tight, and drop it out the window to the burnouts below, you
know, the ones that are always smoking, they love to pop baloons with
light cigaretts.... get the picture? Good...


Those fountain pens are cool, because if you make a slight jerking
motion with your hand, ink squirts all over the room, (or person, what ever
your aiming at) It is a good idea not to let the teachers know you have one of
those, it makes it too easy to find out who did it when theres ink all over
the
principals face... (or on the floors, walls, and ceilings...)

Liquid soap is great for use in crowded hallways, it turns everybody
into a ice skating star, (works especially well when people come in from the
rain)... If your school is anything like the one I goto, people never flush
the
toiletts, A little liquid soap in here makes for a nice surprise, I mean, what
happens when the soap is not flushed out of the toilett, and the suds are'nt
flushed out either? The janitors have a really good time trying to figure out
that one... (glue a quarter in one of the urinals, always ane)... Turn off the
water under the sinks too... Getting back to the soap, it is also good on the
hand railings in hallways and on steps, If you mix perfume with it, some poor
grub has to have that stench on him all day....

This little article is everyone out there who is a next door neighbor who

is, in your mind, the worlds biggest asshole. I have neighbors that fit

into this catergory perfectly. You know the ones, stereo up louder than

hell in the middle of the night, water their lawn during a drought, etc...

Well take heart, because I have just the answer for such idiots.



1) Next time they go away on vacation, or even for just the weekend, call

the utility company, Ma Bell(or whoever the phone co is.), and the cable

company. Using their name(obviously), tell them to shut off the

respective utilities, since your are going on a trip for about a month.

Most of the time, they wont ask for any other info except for phone

number. If they ask for anything else, just hangup quickly and forget it

as it isnt too easy to explain why you dont know your own social

security number. If all works well(and it usually does), they will come

home to a fridge full of bad food, plus no heat or air conditioning and

cable tv and phone. Pretty nice, huh?



2) If they leave on vacation, and you are a hacker/phreak/BBS'er, here is

your chance for free phone calls to everywhere! Simply go into their

yard and locate their phone box. Using your lineman's phone(or a regular

phone with alligator clips instead of a modular plug), find the active

phone line inside the box. Run a shit load of wire back to your house,

thru your window, etc... Install a modular plug on your end and plug it

into your modem. Now make all the long distance calls you want. Don't

worry, those of your with a heart, the neighbor's wont get billed for

the calls after they call Ma Bell and claim that they didnt make them.

Most of the time they will let you of the hook.



3) One night, after the neighborhood is asleep, sneak over into the

target's yard. Proceed to turn on ONE faucet, so that water is gushing

out all over the place. The value of this joke is that the target's

water bill will be outrageous after about 3-4 nights of this, especially

during drought season.



4) If you have the asshole neighbor who has the stereo on LOUD at all hours

and the police wont do shit(what else is new), here is the solution.

Sneak into the yard, and find the breakerbox. If the stereo is up this

loud, they wont hear you in the yard. Locate the switch that matches the

room that the stereo is in. Or the closest to. Flip the switch and run

like hell back to the house. Or if you are more daring, sit in the

bushes oe something and watch them come out. Most of the time, it will

take doing this 2-3 times before they turn down the stereo.But its worth

it when you have to sleep.



5) Do your neighbor's have a barking dog? If so, heres the solution.

A) Call the pound repeatedly, using another neighbor's name and address,

but your number. Call at least twice a night for about a week. The

complaints will stack up, and the target's will most likely have to pay

a healthy fine.

B) Get a package of hot dogs and any kind of medicine that induces

shitting, like Exlax(you will have to melt it down). Pour the secret

agent shit inducing substance on the hot dogs, then toss them over the

fence to the dog. If it is a small dog, I suggest throwing one at a time

as little dogs don't eat as much as big dogs. Spot or Fido or whatever

the hell his name is will be shitting EVERYWHERE for days. Loads of fun

for the target.



6) Kill their lawn. This can be achieved with any kind of poison, paint

thinner, or even piss. Simply pour as much of the stuff as you can all over

the lawn and wait a few days to a week. Lovely brown spots will start to

show. Nice effect.



7) Do they have a CB radio that interferes with your tv?

Use the old standby. When they are not home, sneak over and shove large

straight pins into the coaxial cable to the antenna. Next time Joe

Dickhead keys up will be his last time. This easy trick works due to the

fact that it shorts the cable together. When he keys up, it will blow

the CB right off the table.



8) Do they park in your driveway or in front of it? My neighbors have

teenage kids who have teenage friends who parked in front of the

driveway. I fixed that by taking some large nails(about 4 inches long)

and placed them on each side of their tires at a 45 degree angle. Two

per side, heads on pavement, points to tires. When they drive off,

instant flats on all four tires. Try to get them to not park there

asking first. If they don't care to listen, then use the nail trick.



9) Other easy and annoying tricks:

Use JB Weld or any other metal weld substance on their mailbox door.

Unscrew all the light bulbs on the outside of their house just enough so

they won't light.

If they have an annoying cat, capture it and take it about 10 miles away

from where you live and let it go.

Get some cow or horse shit and place it in a large paper bag. Place on

porch and light on fire. Then ring door bell.

If they have a hot tub or pool, get some goldfish and place them in it.

If you can get some lake or river fish, they work even better.

Place small rocks inside the hubcaps on their most used car. The effect

is awesome. They will go crazy from the sound.

If you get into their car, place a heavy guage jumper wire from the horn

to the brake switch behind the pedal. The result is the horn honking

everytime they step on the brake pedal. A sure fire winner.

If you are daring, capture a skunk and let it loose in their yard. Just

think about the fun this one can make.



Have fun and don't get caught!

1. Brush your teeth during class. While doing so, raise your hand as if you have
a question, and mumble your question incoherantly while brushing, spewing
toothpaste all over the place. If your professor objects to your actions, go on
a tirade about proper oral hygiene.

2. Sit way at the back of the room, up against the wall, to get as far away from
your professor as possible. While he/she is lecturing, shout out things like,
"What!?" and "Speak up! You're
mumbling!" If your professor advises you to sit closer to the front, tell
him/her you can't because you're scouting the room for "assassins."

3. If you have an early morning class, get there before anyone else, and bring a
pillow, some blankets, an air mattress, and an alarm clock. Wear your pajamas.
Liedown on the air mattress with the pillow and the blanketsand act like you're
asleep. Have the alarm set for about two minutes into class. When it goes off,
preferably very loudly, hit the "snooze" button and go back to sleep. Keep doing
so for the duration of the class.

4. Dispute everything your professor says, no matter how simple. Try to get
him/her to "prove" everything to you. Rant and rave about what a big liar your
professor is. Yell at students who are taking notes, saying, "Stop writing down
all these lies!"

5. Show up to class about ten minutes late. Ride into the room on a bicycle,
yell, "Look out!", and crash into the blackboard. Get up, take a seat, and act
like nothing happened. Do this every day.

6. Keep "accidentally" setting fires at your desk. Burn notebooks, papers, or
whatever you have handy. Whenever you start a fire, no matter how small it is,
start yelling, "Fire! Fire!" and run out of the room in a panic. Don't return
for the rest of class.

7. Hide somewhere inside the classroom. Wait for your professor to take
attendance. Don't come out when he/she calls your name. Halfway through class,
jump out and yell, "Just kidding! I'm
here! Fooled you again!" Sit down and be quiet for the rest of class.

8. Wrap yourself in bandages and come to class in a wheelchair. Throughout
class, cry a lot and moan things like, "Why me?" and "Please kill me!" Get up
during class, like your going to
miraculously start walking. Instead, fall down, cry out in pain, and wait for
someone to help you back up.
When class is over, say, "I feel better now," leap up, and run home.

9. Come to class with a jar full of angry hornets.
Five minutes into class, release the hornets, scream, and run away.

10. Bring a vacuum to class. Halfway through class, stand up and start using it.
If your professor objects, explain that you "can't stand sitting in this pigsty
any longer."
Keep vacuuming, grumbling angrily.

11. Bring a small cactus to class with you. Raise your hand, and when you're
called on, say that the cactus has a question. Turn and look at the cactus, as
if you're waiting for it to say something. After a few moments, shrug, and wait
for your professor to move on. Do this once a day, and become increasingly
irritated with the cactus every time, sighing heavily and giving it evil looks
when it fails to "speak." When you leave the room after class, start yelling at
the cactus, "I can't believe you embarrassed me AGAIN...."

12. Every time your professor stutters, do a shot. If he/she objects, explain
that drinking games make the class more interesting.

13. When your professor gives you a syllabus, take it home, correct it, give it
a grade, and return it to the professor. Demand extra credit.

14. Come to class every day wearing scary Halloween masks. Try to get your
professor to guess who you are. Shoot him/her with a water pistol, scream, and
run around the room knocking things over. Say, "Pretty scary, huh?"

15. Get the whole class to show up a few minutes early, and throw a surprise
party for your professor. Insist that you can't start class until he/she has a
piece of cake. Keep asking people when the strippers are going to arrive.

16. Instead of taking notes, do an abstract painting during every class. Call
the paintings things like,"Professor Acting Like Mr.
Know-It-All" or "Idiot Who Doesn't Know What The Hell He's
Talking About." Give the paintings to your professor as gifts.

17. Wait for your professor to mention a date, and then yell out,
"Bingo!" Apologize, and explain that you got confused.

18. Carve a bust of your professor out of cheese. Tie a ribbon around it, and
present it to him/her at the beginning of class. Demand extra credit.

19.Write your professor a note that says, "I'm going to be about 15 minutes
late. Go ahead and start without me." Wait outside the building until the time
when class is supposed to begin. Tie the note to a rock, and throw it through
the window.

20. Write down everything that your professor says, word for word. Think up a
melody, and turn the words into a song. Bring a guitar to class and perform the
song for the class. Explain to your professor that he/she is "very inspiring."

21. Get a monkey, and bring it to class with you. Tell your professor that
you've hired the monkey to take notes for you. Sit back and relax during class,
letting the monkey scribble on a piece of paper. When it comes time to write a
paper or take a test, write down things like, "I wish I had a banana" and "I
miss my tire swing." Assuming you get a bad grade, angrily fire the monkey in
front of your professor.

22. When you have to write a paper, get it done early and mail it to your
professor's house. From then on, don't hand anything in, and blame it on the
sluggishness of the Postal Service.

23. Tell your professor that you'd like to interview him/her for a writing
class. Get him/her to tell you his/her life story. Act interested, and write
down everything he/she says. Fabricate a few romantic interludes and turn your
efforts into a trashy romance novel. Make copies for the entire class, and your
professor. Demand extra credit.

24. Draw hearts and flowers on the backs of your papers and tests. Next to them,
write things like, "You're the best, even though you suck" and "You're the worst
professor in the world, but I still love you."

25. Start asking questions in a fake foreign language. Act like your professor
is stupid for not being able to understand you. Get other people in the class to
start speaking the fake language too, and have frequent discussions during
class. Act like you're really interested in what you're discussing. If your
professor tries to interrupt or stop you, act annoyed and motion for
him/her to quiet down.

1. It's hot.
2. It's red, orange, yellow, and sometimes blue.
3. It's dependant on oxygen.
4. It's cool.
5. It's used at many North-American campsites.
6. It's also used in many South-American breakfasts.
7. It's available almost anywhere.
8. It is created from immense amounts of heat.
9. It goes in you stomach after you eat Mexican food.
10. Most anarchists, spies, and sabs would die without it.
11. Most anarchists, spies, and sabs have died BECAUSE of it.
12. It's our friend.
13. It keeps you warm.
14. If you sit in it, you will get a very big burn.
15. If you piss on it, it stinks.
16. Water extinguishes it.
17. It causes a lot of smoke.
18. It catches on quickly.
19. Paper is flammable.
20. Cotton is flammable.
21. Old ladies are flammable.
22. Smokey the Bear says fire sucks.
23. Smokey the Bear is full of shit.
24. They used to burn witches in it.
25. It's portable. ( I mean lighters, for all you idiots.)
26. It's useful.
27. Schools burn well. ( Hint, Hint!)
28. London burned down because of it.
29. You can melt plastic with it.
30. Most people are scared of it.
31. It's an element.
32. It is fueled by gas.
33. Fire is the visible result of combustion; displayed in the forms of light
and heat. ( ?? )
34. When somebody yells it, either run or shoot back.
35. They named a certain type of opal after it. ( You might not of known that.)
36. Fire, flame, conflaguration, inferno, ignited, and burning all have some
sort of relationship with fire.
37. A large fire is called a bonfire.
38. A small fire is called a match.
39. A meduim fire is called a fire.
40. It's the result of an explosion.
41. It's basically the big bang.
42. Different types are: Burning flame, Dancing flame, small flame, old flame,
extinguished flame, wood flame, and the flame you get with hemmoroids.
43. It isn't boring if you have an imagination.
44. You can light pipes, cigarettes, cigars, and Old Lady Johnson with it.
45. The sun is covered in it.
46. If you stop drop and roll, it doesn't do anything.
47. If you have a fire on you, it does do something.
48. It scoldes.
49. Flint helps ignite it; as well as brimstone.
50. Barney the Dinosaur is an asshole. ( I had to say that. )

Coca Cola (the real one) is not only great to drink, it also has many uses around the home.

This list of uses was tested on ordinary, original Coca Cola, not the diet kind, or any of the variations there are available.

1. Cleaned a burned saucepan by pouring Coke into it and boiling. This takes out all the staining.
2. It’s easy to make a modern photograph look like an old sepia one. Just lightly brush the photograph with Coca Cola and dry quickly. Don’t wet it too much or it will buckle. Photocopied black and white pictures make great looking “antique” prints, if you treat them in the same way. Maps photocopied and treated this way, look fantastic in antique style frames.
3. If you dye your hair and the result is too intense, flat Coca Cola will help to lighten it.
4. Give old coins a soak in Coke. This gives a brilliant shine for collections and decorative items.
5. Pour Coca Cola into your kettle and leave all day. This will remove limescale and leaves it clean inside.
6. A can of Coke poured into the toilet will clean it. The acid in the drink gets to work right away.
7. Make an excellent barbecue sauce by mixing Coke and Ketchup , half and half. Coat chicken, meat, etc with this before cooking. It’s mouthwatering.
8. Flat Coke makes a good hair conditioner. Pour it over your hair, rinse and dry.
9. Put Coke into flat wide dishes in the garden and it will help to rid your plants of slugs. They are attracted by the sweet smell and once they fall in, they can’t get out.
10. Rusty bolts can be loosened by soaking a rag in Coca Cola, and wrapping it around the bolt. Leave for a few hours and it will be easier to move.
11. Clean your jewelery in a glass of Coke. Brush with a toothbrush and rinse well. (Not recommended for valuable items, or those with gem stones in them.)
12. Flat Coca Cola helps to settle upset stomachs. Don’t use fresh, fizzy Coke as this could irritate the condition. (Take the fizz out by adding a little sugar, if you need to.)

Absinthe (also absinth, absynthe, absenta) is a distilled, highly alcoholic (45%-75% ABV), anise-flavored spirit derived from herbs, including the flowers and leaves of the medicinal plant Artemisia absinthium, also called “grand wormwood.” Absinthe is typically of a natural green color but is also produced in both clear and artificially colored styles. It is often called “the Green Fairy.”

Natural green absinthes take their color from chlorophyll, which is present in some of the herbal ingredients during maceration. Although it is sometimes mistakenly called a liqueur, absinthe is not bottled with added sugar and is therefore classified as a liquor. Absinthe is uncommon among spirits in that it is bottled at a high proof but consumed diluted to the strength of wine.



The "ritual" (preparation)

Traditionally, absinthe is poured into a glass over which a specially designed slotted spoon is placed. A sugar cube is then deposited in the bowl of the spoon. Ice-cold water is poured or dripped over the sugar until the drink is diluted to between a 3:1-to-5:1 ratio. During this process, the components that are not soluble in water, mainly those from anise, fennel, and star anise, come out of solution and cloud the drink. The resulting milky opalescence is called the louche. The addition of water is important, causing the herbs to "blossom" and bringing out many of the flavors originally overpowered by the anise.

Originally a waiter would serve a dose of absinthe, ice water in a carafe, and sugar separately, and the drinker would prepare it to his preference. With increased popularity, the absinthe fountain, a large jar of ice water on a base with spigots, came into use. It allowed a number of drinks to be prepared at once, and with a hands-free drip, patrons were able to socialize while louching a glass.

Although many bars served absinthe in standard glasses, a number of glasses were specifically made for absinthe. These had a dose line, bulge, or bubble in the lower portion denoting how much absinthe should be poured in. One "dose" of absinthe is around 1 ounce (30 ml), and most glasses used this as the standard, with some drinkers using as much as 1 1/2 ounces (45 ml).

In addition to being drunk with water poured over sugar, absinthe was a common cocktail ingredient in both Great Britain and the United States, and continues to be a popular ingredient today. One of the most famous of these is Ernest Hemingway's "Death in the Afternoon" cocktail, a concoction he contributed to a 1935 collection of celebrity recipes. His directions are as follows: "Pour one jigger absinthe into a Champagne glass. Add iced Champagne until it attains the proper opalescent milkiness. Drink three to five of these slowly."

Effects of Absinthe

Absinthe has long been believed to be hallucinogenic. This belief got a contemporary boost in the 1970s when a scientific paper mistakenly reported thujone was related to THC, the active chemical in marijuana, which has hallucinogenic properties. Ten years after his 19th century experiments with wormwood oil, the French Dr. Magnan studied 250 cases of alcoholism and claimed that those who drank absinthe were worse off than those drinking ordinary alcohol, and that they experienced rapid-onset hallucinations. Such accounts by absinthe opponents were embraced by its most famous users, many of whom were artists and bohemians. In one of the most famous accounts of absinthe drinking from the 19th century, Oscar Wilde describes the feeling of tulips on his legs after leaving a bar. Other famous artists and writers who helped popularize the notion that absinthe had powerful psychoactive properties included Vincent van Gogh, who suffered from mental instability throughout his life and Toulouse Lautrec.

Today it is known that absinthe does not cause hallucinations, especially ones similar to those described in 19th century studies. Thujone, the supposed active chemical in absinthe, is a GABA antagonist and while it can produce muscle spasms in large doses, there is no evidence that it causes hallucinations. It has been speculated that reports of hallucinogenic effects of absinthe may have been due to poisonous chemicals being added to cheaper versions of the drink in the 19th century, to give it a more vivid colour.

However, the debate over whether absinthe produces effects on the human mind additional to those of alcohol has not been conclusively resolved. The effects of absinthe have been described by some artists as mind opening. The most commonly reported experience is a 'clear-headed' feeling of inebriation — a form of 'lucid drunkenness'. Some modern specialists, such as chemist, historian and absinthe distiller Ted Breaux, claim that alleged secondary effects of absinthe may be caused by the fact that some of the herbal compounds in the drink act as stimulants, while others act as sedatives, creating an overall lucid effect of awakening.

Here Is Video How To Prepare History's Most Notorious Drink

Codenamed "Merchandise 7X", the list of ingredients that go into Coke - 922 million litres of which were drunk in the UK last year - has been kept carefully shrouded in mystery since the drink's inventor, a medicinal chemist called John Pemberton, first wrote it down in 1886. These days it is supposedly kept under 24-hour guard in a vault in Atlanta, Georgia, which is odd considering that author Mark Pendergrast published it in his exposé of the cola industry For God, Country & Coca-Cola (Basic Books) in 1993. The company maintains that this recipe is not the same as the one it uses.

Kate Rich and Kayle Brandon are bar managers at the Cube Microplex, an "alternative" cinema in central Bristol. Opposed in principle to the business and environmental practices of the Coca-Cola corporation, the Cube bar has never served Coke. That doesn't mean there isn't a demand for it. "We'd tried Pepsi and Virgin Cola and various others too," says Brandon, "but they weren't really a positive alternative. They were acceptable, but they weren't Coke. And people really want Coke."

After conducting various taste tests, they felt the preference had less to do with flavour than the power of the brand. Any alternative they were going to offer had not only to taste almost identical but overcome the incredible pull of Coca-Cola's marketing. "Given that most of the Cube's customers come because they like the place's DIY attitude," Brandon explains, "one way of doing that was to make the cola ourselves."

Cola is basically a mix of caramel, caffeine, sugar, fizzy water, citric or phosphoric acid, and eight essential oils. It's the precise blend of these oils that lies at the heart of the 7X secret formula. A trawl of the web soon uncovered several 7X-type recipes, the most promising of which was adapted from the one in Pendergrast's book.

But turning the recipe into a palatable drink turned out to be more difficult than it looked. "The oils we had to import from the US," says Rich. "The caramel had to be sourced direct from DD Williamson, a large operation based in Manchester which actually provides the caramel for all the Coca-Cola manufactured in the UK. And the caffeine we found at MyProtein.co.uk, a body-building website."

When they had assembled most of the kit, they invited friends along to an "open lab" to help them make the drink. "Unfortunately none of us had any scientific knowledge whatsoever, and it's quite a scientific process," says Rich. "We spent half our time running out to get ingredients that we didn't have, and we kept having to go round to the local post office to weigh things on their parcel scales."

Though they came up with something like cola by the end of that first day, they couldn't replicate their success. The problem was getting the oils to mix with the other ingredients, a process called emulsification, or binding together.

The emulsifier used in most soft drinks is dried acacia sap, better known as gum arabic. But Rich and Brandon couldn't get this to work. "We managed to destroy a whole series of kitchen mixers, completely trashed them. The gum arabic scoured the sides, the blades snapped ... it was really violent and very distressing."

After the fourth mixer went west they realised it was time to seek help. A mass email to the Cube's mailing list uncovered Dr Peter Barham, adviser to the Fat Duck restaurant and expert in food emulsification. He pointed out that they were using the wrong kind of gum arabic. "We'd bought ours from the local Indian food shop, but it wasn't particularly homogenous, so each time it was giving us different results."

Barham also pointed out that making an emulsion was all about force. Rich and Brandon had scaled up their quantities, but not their mixing power. They were looking forlornly at the constituents of their cola lab when they noticed the tubular metal handle on one of their hand whisks was about the same thickness as a large drill bit. Bingo! Whisking the mixture with a hammer drill produced the desired effect.

All they needed to do now was to add caffeine, caramel, sugar, citric acid and sparkling water - and suddenly, from a single cup of emulsion, they had enough cola for a month.

So how does it taste? First, we try the real Coca-Cola. A restrained sweetness, low cool notes of caramel, dry on the tongue, quite flat on the palette. Very refreshing, but with little depth.

Now for Rich and Brandon's home-made product. The initial surprise is that it really does taste like Coke. Very slightly sweeter than "the real thing" but less acidic. A satisfying, complex flavour, subtly different from the brand leader, but easily as good.

Having found their liquid gold, Brandon and Rich plan to sell concentrate kits to other small bars and businesses. They maintain that they are not out to challenge the Coca-Cola hegemony, but they "do hope that along the way we'll help produce a small reality-shift. It's social change through science and baking. Sort of DIY aesthetic meets the WI."

The mega corporation remains unfazed. "As the saying goes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery," says a Coca-Cola spokesman. "But our product is unique. Anyone with a selection of ingredients could make a type of cola, but there can only be one Coke."

Thanks to Rich and Brandon, we have a much better idea of what that really means.



Brew it yourself

NB. 1 batch of 7x formula will produce three batches cola syrup, or approximately 54 litres of cola.

Step 1: 7x formula:

Using food-grade essential oils, assemble 3.75ml orange oil; 3ml lime oil; 1ml lemon oil; 1 ml cassia oil (nb. reduce cassia content for next production); 0.75ml nutmeg oil; 0.25ml coriander oil (6 drops); 0.25ml lavender oil (6 drops); 0.25ml neroli oil (optional/removed due to high cost).

Using a measuring syringe, measure out the oils into a glass or ceramic container. Keep covered to avoid volatile oil fumes escaping. Then dissolve 10g instant gum arabic (equivalent to 22ml) in 20ml water (low calcium/low magnesium, Volvic is good) with one drop vodka - Cube uses Zubrowka. (Be aware that total quantity of vodka will be 0.0007ml per litre of Cube-cola).

Place the gum/water/vodka mix in a high-sided beaker - stainless steel or glass are best. Using a high-power hammer drill with kitchen whisk attachment, whisk the gum mixture at high speed while your assistant droppers the oils. Mix in steadily with the measuring syringe. Continue to whisk at high speed for 5-7 minutes, or until the oils and water emulsify.

The resulting mixture will be cloudy. Test for emulsification by adding a few drops of the mixture to one glass of water. No oils should be visible on the surface. You now have a successful flavour emulsion, which should hold for several months.

Step 2:The mixers

This makes two allied concentrates, Composition A and Composition B, which can be stored separately before being mixed into cold syrup with the addition of sugar and water.

Composition A

Mix 30 ml double strength caramel colouring (DD Williamson Caramel 050) with 10 ml water. While stirring, add 10ml 7x flavour emulsion (oils/gum/water mix).

Composition B

Mix 3 tsp (10ml) citric acid with 5-10ml water, then sieve in 0.75 tsp (2.75ml) caffeine. Mix thoroughly using a pestle and mortar until caffeine granules are no longer evident. The mixture may behave erratically, turning either white or clear for no apparent reason. If it goes white, add more water. Pass through muslin or jelly bag to remove any anomalies.

At this point, A+B can be packaged separately and later reconstituted into cola syrup.

Step 3: The cola syrup

2 litres water; 2kg sugar

Compositions A & B

Make a sugar syrup (mix in a cooking pot on low heat to dissolve quickly) using 1.5 litres of the water and all the sugar. Filter if unsure. Mix Composition A into the remaining 500ml water. Add Composition B, then the sugar syrup. You now have 3 litres Cube-Cola syrup or approx 18 litres cola.

Step 4: The cola

As required, make up your cola as a 5:1 mix, five parts fizzy water to one part cola syrup. Cube uses 350ml syrup in a 2l bottle of Tesco Ashford Mountain Spring. This cola recipe is released under the GNU general public licence.